The Week That Was, April 14th – April 19th 2020:
Coronavirus/ What happened last week:
Children aged 11 and younger returned to schools and nurseries on Wednesday after a month-long lockdown. Many small service sector businesses will reopen on Monday, 19/4, after the government and all parties agreed to expand phase one of the reopening process – hairdressers, physiotherapists, accountants, dentists and other parts of the service sector have been allowed to open up, but pubs, cafes, restaurants, and places of further education will remain closed until May 10th at the earliest.
As the spread of the coronavirus slows, right-wing commentators questioned whether Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen overreacted on March 13th when she imposed a nationwide lockdown – however, health experts warned that easing the social restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus would be like playing ‘Russian Roulette.’ Opposition parties backed former prime minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen’s call for the government to speed up the reopening process.
Specialists said Danish research indicating that the coronavirus mortality rate is far lower than World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates should be ‘treated with caution.’
Danish doctors launched a new research project that was used during the Spanish flu epidemic 100 years ago and involves transferring plasma from people who have recovered from the corona virus to hospitalised patients who are seriously ill.
Foreign Affairs/EU:
In its Spring report the IMF (International Monetary Fund) predicted the worst global recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s and a 6.5% reduction in Gross Domestic Product(GDP) for Denmark this year
Denmark’s Executive Vice President of the European Commission Margrethe Vestager put forward legislation that would disbar companies rescued by state funding during the corona crisis from paying out bonuses to executives – she also warned against the threat of China buying up EU, and Danish, companies struggling with the coronavirus and economic downturn.
The government approved a substantial package of contributions for Italy following an appeal from Rome – Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod said ‘Denmark will always help our friends and allies so I’m pleased that we are now able to offer assistance to our Italian friends.’ Former prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt lashed out at EU countries for failing to come to Italy’s aid when the country pleaded for help on February 28th to deal the corona epidemic.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her New Zealand counterpart, Jacinda Ardern, spoke on the phone to compare ideas about combating the coronavirus.
The Denmark-Cuba Friendship Association demanded the lift of the US blockade against Cuba and condemned Washington’s sanctions amid the global crisis by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Social Affairs:
In the midst of the corona virus pandemic Denmark’s ‘second city’, Aarhus, has banned smoking in many public places, including bus stops, swimming baths, libraries, and community centres.
Danes turned out on Thursday to wish Queen Margrethe a happy 80th birthday, singing for her across the country at noon and waving red-and-white Danish flags, despite semi-confinement – the Queen sparked off a controversy over the Easter period by publicly questioning whether climate change is man-made.
The government temporarily suspended the handshake requirement at citizenship ceremonies due to concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government set up a new agency with the specific aim of encouraging failed asylum seekers and illegal immigrants to leave Denmark.
Copenhagen District Court ordered 14 gang members to remain in custody for a further four weeks even though their trial has been postponed due to the coronavirus.
Business:
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was one of seven female leaders praised by leading business magazine Forbes for her handling of the corona crisis.
The Danish state needs to raise DKK250bn (€33bn) before July to finance the various business aid packages passed by parliament.
Inflation slowed in March – the consumer price index rose 0.4 percent year-on-year, half as much as February.
Lego has moved from making their signature interlocking plastic building blocks to manufacturing over 13,000 protective visors a day for Danish healthcare workers.
Two of Denmark’s biggest pension funds, PKA and PenSam, invested DKK 1.7bn ($250m) in solar power farms in the US states of California and Texas.