Denmark has more infection than Norway. But the wine bar for Mads (28) is open – VG
Norwegian Mads Mørch (28) opened a wine bar in Copenhagen last spring. It’s been open ever since.
– I have always been happy to live in Copenhagen, but I am extra happy that I live in Denmark and not Norway these days, says the 28-year-old, who has lived in Copenhagen since 2012.
Denmark closed down the country as before Norway in March 2020, but has today chosen to keep the liquor license for bars and restaurants. This is despite the fact that Denmark has registered a much higher infection pressure in Norway, with over 25,000 new infections on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, VG wrote that Norway is the only country in Europe with a bar stop of the countries that leave restaurants open.
Mads Mørch (28) has worked in the restaurant industry during the entire pandemic. The first shutdown he thought was demanding. It was especially tough not being able to travel home to the family.
– I have always thought that Denmark and Norway are close to each other and that it is easy to travel home. Suddenly Norway got so far away because it was difficult to travel between borders.
– Glad we got to be open
In April, Denmark introduced the corona passport to enter restaurants, clubs, bars and events.
– I think it has worked great. To get into just one has to show off coronapass. I have never experienced that anyone has complained about this scheme to get in as long as I work, says Mørch.
Mørch started the wine bar Bar Vivant our 2021, and has had it open ever since.
In December, new coronary restrictions came into force in Denmark. Today, bars and restaurants are open until 11 pm, with bar stops starting at 10 pm.
– I am very happy that we are allowed to be open. As long as you wear a face mask, keep your distance and show coronapass, I think this works relatively well, and much better than closing completely, he says.
He says the restaurant industry has been lucky this time around.
– All museums and cinemas have had to close, and there has been some debate here. I am very happy that we remain open. I do not think it is unreasonable to serve wine with food in Norway.
– I am very happy that Denmark has easier measures, even though we have a higher infection than Norway, he concludes.
In Denmark it is registered 25 073 new cases of infection in the last 24 hours. In Norway, 7,921 are registered.
– At some point you have to move on
Yngvild Næss Trøan (28) has lived in London since 2016. She explains that the worst time in London was during the first shutdown.
The British government introduced strict measures, which in effect shut down the country on March 23, 2020 to delay the virus. People had to stay at home, and only leave the house to get necessary purchases of mat and medicine, play visits or travel back and forth to work if one could not have a home office.
– But now it seems as if people have had enough of too strict measures. At some point, you have to move on with your lives, says Trøan.
Today, England has open bars and nightclubs. It is only mandatory with a bandage on the tube and in the store.
She says she has been told that she must have a home office if possible, and that in some places you must show a corona passport or negative test. Otherwise, most things are as usual.
– I think the restrictions in Norway seem a bit strict. I have personally taken three vaccine doses and test myself frequently so I feel like I have done what I can. I do not want to let others set limits on how I should live my life.
– Like living in Norway before the corona
Julian Hove (24) studies finance at Bayes Business School in London and describes it as a life in London as outside the corona.
– It’s like living in Norway before the pandemic, except that someone wears a face mask on the tube, and that a face mask is mandatory in the store. I really think it is absolutely fantastic, he says to VG.
Personally, he believes that it is completely wrong with such strict measures in Norway.
– I think that Norway has too strict measures. especially the bar stop I think is stupid. It just means that people have home parties, and then no one makes sure that you keep your distance.
– Lovely to live in Sweden
– It’s a little nice to live in Sweden right now, and not Norway. It feels as if the authorities trust us more than they do in Norway, says Ida Holmen (40).
She moved to Stockholm seven years ago to work at Klättermusen, which is a shop that sells outdoor equipment.
In general, she does not notice the pandemic, except that more users have to be tied up and that there are some restrictions in public places.
Throughout the pandemic, Sweden has had a different strategy than the rest of Europe with fewer measures. Today, Sweden has open schools, bars and restaurants with restrictions such as the distance between assessment and number of visitors. On Wednesday, the Swedish government announced a press conference where they will decide whether to introduce a corona passport, writes Aftonbladet.
– I think it has been interesting to follow the media coverage in both Sweden and Norway. But I think Sweden has handled it well, at least if you look at the social and economic problems that come with the pandemic, says Holmen.
– But there are more who have died in Sweden?
– I think that’s awful. We got early infection in nursing homes, something that led to people having weakened immune systems and being in the risk group was exposed.
98,124 people died in Sweden in 2020, where 60 percent were over 80 years old, according to figures from Statistics Sweden. 9441 of the deaths were corona-related, according to FHI.