Face mask rules likely to return pending parliamentary decision 

The government said at a press briefing yesterday evening that it plans to reintroduce face mask requirements on public transport and in supermarkets and other consumer settings. Rules relating to the coronapas Covid-19 health pass could also be broadened.

Because of the way Danish law relating to restrictions on society during epidemics now works, the relevant parliamentary committee must not oppose the measures in order to come into effect.

The committee, the Epidemic Committee (Epidemiudvalget), consists of 21 lawmakers who represent each party proportionally to their number of seats in parliament.

Broadcaster DR reports that each of the three smaller left wing parties – the Social Liberals, Socialist People’s Party and Red Green Alliance – are prepared to support the move, meaning it is likely to be rubber stamped. The Conservative party has also spoken in favour of the decision.

The committee is scheduled to meet at 5pm today. We’ll keep you up to date with all developments.

A total of 4,426 new cases of the virus were confirmed yesterday, the highest figure yet in 2021.

Public faith in health staff reaches record level amid Covid crisis

An annual analysis of public faith in various professional sectors has found that healthcare personnel – who normally figure close to the top of the list – are more trusted than ever.

The trustworthiness of midwives, doctors and nurses set a record level in the 13th annual study, conducted by communications firm Radius CPH.

“The reason for the extraordinary increased should be seen in light of the health crisis of the past couple of years, where staff at the country’s hospitals have really done a lot to look after us Danes,” Radius director Nicolaj Taudorf Andersen said in a statement.

The analysis is based on survey responses from 2,049 people in Denmark aged 18-75. Politicians, car salespeople and journalists were placed at the bottom of the ranking.

Greenland revokes Chinese firm’s iron mining permit

Greenland has withdrawn an iron ore mining licence from a Chinese firm in the vast autonomous Danish territory, the local government said Wednesday according to news wire AFP.

Now-bankrupt British company London Mining had been awarded the contract in 2013, but Hong Kong-based General Nice Group acquired the permit a year later when it bought the assets of the British firm after it went bust.

Greenland’s minerals ministry said the licence for exploitation on a site some 150 kilometres north of the capital Nuuk near the Polar Circle had been “returned to the government”.

“There will later be a process for tender of the area for new licences,” it said in a statement.