Denmark plans to ease restrictions next week as 1st step to relax lockdown

Denmark plans to reopen day care centers and schools on April 15 as a first step to gradually relax a three-week lockdown to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. The country, which was one of the first in Europe to shut down, has seen the number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations and deaths stabilize over the past week.

The government is now trying to balance the need to keep its population safe and the economic risks of a deep recession. “We must take one cautious step at a time,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters on Monday.

Denmark announced on March 11 the closure of schools, day cares, restaurants, cafes and gyms, and shut all borders to most foreigners. Day care centers and schools for children from first to fifth grade will reopen on April 15, which will allow parents to return to a normal workday. All remaining restrictions, including a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people, would stay in place until at least May 10, while a ban on larger gatherings would remain in place until August.

The gradual reopening will only happen if the numbers stay stable, Frederiksen said. She urged all Danes to stick to the government’s guidelines on social distancing and hygiene.