(Apr. 13, 2021) On April 6, 2021, a Danish government requirement for patrons entering “nonessential” businesses to present a “Corona Passport” (Coronapas) indicating their current COVID-19 status took effect.
The Corona Passport is part of an expedited planned reopening of Danish society that was agreed to by the nine largest parties represented in the Danish Parliament. Persons younger than 15 are not subject to the requirement to present such information.
The “passport” will serve as proof that the holder has completed COVID-19 vaccinations, has had a negative COVID-19 test that is not more than 72 hours old, or has recovered from a previous COVID-19 infection. For persons who have previously been infected with COVID-19, the passport is valid for 10 weeks, whereas a negative COVID-19 test is valid for 72 hours. Currently the health information can be displayed using the Danish Health Authority Min Sundhed app. A more sophisticated Corona Passport app is scheduled to be launched in May 2021.
On April 6, 2021, the Ministry of Health, in response to a question by the Parliament’s Epidemic Committee, announced that persons who do not have the Danish digital Bank-IDs that are required to download personal data applications such as Min Sundhed will receive a physical copy of their vaccination documentation in the mail as soon as they are fully vaccinated, starting April 9, 2021.
On April 7, 2021, the Danish Council on Ethics (Etiske Rådet) commented on the Corona Passport procedure, making several recommendations. For example, it requested that the passport be used for as short a period as possible, that the personal identification number be removed from the digital passport (to protect personal information), and that analog passports be issued for those members of the public who are not familiar with technological mediums like the digital passport or may otherwise not have access to smartphones.
The Coronapas currently gives patrons access to service providers such as hairdressers, spas, beauty parlors, and tattoo parlors. It is scheduled to provide access to museums, libraries, art galleries, and outdoor dining as of April 21, 2021, and to extend access to include indoor dining, cinemas, theaters, and sporting activities as of May 6, 2021.
As of April 12, 2021, Denmark had reported 238,306 positive cases of COVID-19, including 2,443 fatalities. As of April 10, 2021, 449,414 persons had reportedly been fully vaccinated (two doses) (7.7 % of the population), and 883,375 persons had received a first dose (15.1 % of the population).