Danes reintroduce coronavirus pass after uptick in cases
Denmark on Friday reintroduced its digital pass as it declared COVID-19 once again "a socially critical disease" amid an increase in cases.
The pass must be used for a month to enter nightclubs, cafes, party buses and to be seated indoor in restaurants. It was originally introduced on July 1 but was removed on Sept. 10, when the outbreak was apparently under control because of a high rate of vaccination.
People above the age of 15, must flash the pass when attending outdoor events where the number of people exceeds 2,000.
Denmark, like many other countries, has seen an uptick in cases, with health authorities saying the number of infections and hospitalizations has risen faster than expected.
On Tuesday, the Danish parliament's all-party Epidemic Committee unanimously approved a decision to once again call the outbreak "a socially critical disease" and reintroduce the pass.
The Danish pass app shows a QR code with a green banner if the holder is fully vaccinated or received a first dose at least two weeks ago, has recently recovered from COVID-19 or has had a negative test in the past 72 hours. A paper version is also available.
On Friday, the government, the confederations of trade unions and employers reached a deal making it possible for employers to demand that employees show the digital pass at work. The deal must be approved by parliament, likely next week, Danish broadcaster DR said.
According to the latest figures, 87.6% of people over the age of 12 have gotten the first shot and 86% have received the second jab.
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