Denmark: Authorities to gradually ease COVID-19 travel and domestic restrictions starting April 21 /update 33

Denmark to start phased easing of COVID-19-related international travel and domestic restrictions from April 21. Expect disruptions.

Event

Authorities in Denmark plan to start gradually easing COVID-19-related international travel and domestic activity restrictions. Starting April 21, the Danish government will begin using a color-coded system for classifying foreign countries as being at one of three risk levels - red, orange, or yellow - based on local infection rates and the presence of variant strains, and will apply international travel restrictions accordingly. Travelers arriving from "yellow" countries or regions will not need to self-isolate upon entry. Those arriving from ''orange'' and "red" areas will need to self-isolate for 10 days upon entry. In addition, business travelers will no longer be required to quarantine. All travelers must still, upon arrival, present a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken no more than 24 hours prior to travel.

Starting May 1, fully vaccinated citizens and residents of Denmark, as well as tourists from yellow and orange countries, will be able to travel to Denmark without restrictions. In addition, the requirement for a negative Covid-19 test result will change; effective May 1, the test will need to have been taken no more than 48 hours before travel, rather than the current threshold of 24 hours.

Most travel from outside the EEA, with the exception of that from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand, will be prohibited. Exemptions are in place for EU nationals or residents and their family members, individuals carrying out essential work, or individuals traveling for urgent reasons.

Domestic Restrictions
Authorities will ease domestic restrictions from April 21. The limit on the number of persons allowed to attend indoor gatherings will increase from five to 10; the cap will further increase to 25 people on May 6. In addition, the attendance limitation on outdoor gatherings will increase from 10 to 50 persons; this number will rise further to 75 on May 6. In addition, the number of individuals allowed to attend organized outdoor sports will be 500. Furthermore, also effective April 21, catering establishments will be allowed to reopen their outdoor areas for all persons and their indoor areas for persons having COVID-19 passports.

Other existing domestic restrictions remain in force. Protective facemasks are mandatory in all indoor public spaces and social distancing mandates remain in force. Individuals are encouraged to work from home where possible. Certain industry-specific operating requirements are also still in place.

Authorities could reimpose, extend, further ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments.