Coronavirus, Left | In Denmark, the opposition parties join forces in a common corona demand
– What is happening in Denmark is interesting.
The Danes have a record high infection at the moment. 46,831 new corona cases have been registered in Denmark in the last 24 hours, but which is a new record so far in the pandemic. The country is the country in the world that performs clearly the most coronary tests in relation to population, which helps to explain the sky-high infection rates. At the same time, the omikron variant has gained a real foothold in Danish society.
However, it has not stopped the opposition parties with simply that it is time to remove all corona measures by the beginning of February.
Read more here: In Denmark, the opposition parties want to remove all bandages
– We are entering a period in which we are lifting the restrictions, and the requirement for a face mask is one of them. That is why we are proposing this now so that we can start getting back to a normal everyday life, says party leader of the Liberal Alliance, Alex Vanopslagh, to TV 2 Denmark recently.
Together with the parties Venstre, the Conservatives, Nye Borgerlige, Dansk Folkeparti and Kristendemokratene, they have all agreed to send this proposal to the Folketing’s Epidemic Committee in Denmark.
Missing a plan
The Korona debate in Denmark between the Folketing (equivalent to the Storting editor’s note) and the government has been characterized by temperature throughout the pandemic, in stark contrast to the Storting, which has largely behaved loyally to the government’s corona handling. Liberal leader Guri Melby is therefore not surprised that people are working harder in our Nordic neighbors.
– What is happening in Denmark is interesting. They have been a few weeks ahead of us all the way in the pandemic. The Liberal Party has been quite clear that a good number of corona measures should be eased. We want fewer national rules now. It should be schools at the green level. I miss a government that has a plan for when normalcy can return. The government is behind. We live from week to week, and do not know what is happening, Melby says to Nettavisen.
– In Denmark, your sister party Venstre is one of the parties that supports the demand for full reopening as soon as possible. Does the Liberal Party think here that the corona measures should be removed as soon as possible?
– It is difficult to pinpoint, but I also do not want to deny that we can remove all corona measures in the not too distant future. However, I am not in favor of the Storting governing the government in detail, Melby answers, and refers to the fact that the opposition in Denmark has been much “harder in the grip” with the government than the opposition parties have been in Norway.
– Must return to everyday life as soon as possible
The Progress Party (Frp) also points out that we are more reticent here «on the mountain» than Danes, and that they therefore do not come with such a solid corona requirement right now.
Read also: Chief economist asks the government to take action: – We no longer need corona measures. They can be removed now
– The temperature in the Danish Parliament is generally much higher than in the Norwegian Parliament. In Norway, the vast majority in the Storting has throughout the pandemic loyally followed up on infection control measures, the most important thing for FrP has been that the measures have been proportionate. That is why we reacted and wanted to abolish the national liquor ban – the government could not make a single professional argument to continue this.
– FrP has said clearly every time we think the government has gone too far, or not delivered what they were supposed to. We put our foot down for the bar stop, at the same time as we secured the farm billions of kroner extra in the compensation scheme throughout 2021, writes FRP’s health policy spokesperson Bård Hoksrud in an e-mail to Nettavisen.
– When does Frp envisage that we should also return to a normal everyday life?
– We must return to everyday life as soon as possible. Fortunately, the government has softened up a bit, and we see that despite more people being infected, there are fewer intensive care units, which is very gratifying and good, Hoksrud answers.
– If the FRP believes that it is too early to remove the bandage and other relief within a few weeks, are they still calling for a plan from the government with a specific date on when we can “finish” this and get our lives back?
– It must be up to the government and the government to set an end date, after all, it is these who are responsible for the pandemic management. We follow conditions closely and will state whether we believe that any of the measures are no longer proportionate, says Hoksrud.
– Can not wait until April
The Conservative Party’s health policy spokesperson Tone Wilhelmsen Trøen writes in an email to Nettavisen, via a communications adviser, that the party believes that the government can not wait until April to present a long-term corona strategy.
– Support schemes for companies will be phased out already at the end of February and the business community and people must know what the plan is in the future, Trøen and the Conservatives believe.
Trøen thinks it is difficult to follow the government’s logic.
– We must be able to have confidence that measures do not last longer than necessary, Trøen believes.
She demands that the government must explain why strict infection control measures are proportionate.
– There is uncertainty about whether the plan is that everyone should now be infected or not. NIPH believes it is desirable, while the Norwegian Directorate of Health has warned. Is this government’s plan? And if so, what will be the quarantine rules in the future, ask Trøen.
She refers to the weekly report to FHI as once again put forward by high vaccination coverage that contributes to protection against severe coronary heart disease. Severe covid-19 now affects particularly unvaccinated individuals. Trøen believes that a new strategy must take this into account.
– The government has not succeeded in explaining why it is proportionate that people with three vaccine doses must continue to be in the home office or have to live with strict infection control measures, Trøen believes.
– In Denmark, 90 percent of the opposition parties go out and say that “now is the time to remove all measures”. The Spanish government is also looking at a new corona plan without shutdowns, quarantine and infection rate updates. What does the Conservatives think about it for Norway – do you want to go that far?
– It is the government that receives the professional advice and makes decisions based on it. But we must be able to have confidence that measures will not last longer and are necessary. We now believe that the Norwegian government must present a long-term plan – and that it is far too long to wait until April. Both people and business must know what the plan is for the future, writes Trøen.
