Advertisement

membership exclusives For Members

Today in Denmark: A round-up of the latest news on Friday

Michael Barrett
Michael Barrett - [email protected]
Today in Denmark: A round-up of the latest news on Friday
A drone image of Gyrstinge near Ringsted on Thursday. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

Find out what's going on in Denmark today with The Local's short round-up of the news in less than five minutes.

Advertisement

Wage compensation extended until February 7th

The current wage compensation scheme for businesses shuttered by the national Covid-19 lockdown has been extended until February 7th, the date at which restrictions are set to expire.

The extension was confirmed by the government and industry organisations and reported by DR.

Under the terms of the scheme, which is eligible for any impacted sector, firms can send staff home with up to 75-90 percent of their wages covered by the state up to a cost of 30,000 kroner per month.

Employees will, however, be asked to use one day of their annual leave.

READ ALSO: Denmark announces support package for lockdown-hit restaurants

Covid-19 crisis has minimal impact on housing market

New figures from Statistics Denmark suggest the Danish housing market is continuing to hold its prices despite the ongoing pandemic with all of its economic implications.

Record numbers of family homes were sold between April and October last year, according to the agency – around 37,000 homes.

Sales of summer holiday homes also increased “extremely by 90 percent”, while apartments “having also been at a towering level”, Statistics Denmark clerk Jakob Holmgaard said in comments to broadcaster DR.

Advertisement

Elderly people struggle to use Covid-19 vaccine booking system

Some vaccination centres in Denmark are struggling to use all of their supplied Covid-19 vaccine doses, which are currently designated for people over the age of 65 who receive living assistance at home.

According to DR, many vulnerable people in this group are struggling to use the booking platform for the vaccination programme, vacciner.dk.

“The elderly have difficulty understanding the booking system,” senior medical consultant Bent Windelborg Nielsen at the Randers vaccination centre told DR.

Around 80 percent of vaccines are being administered to the target group, while the rest are being given to frontline staff to avoid wastage, according to the report.

Loose container on Great Belt Bridge raises concerns and evokes painful memories

Transport of truck trailers loaded onto freight trains crossing the Great Belt Bridge has been suspended after a loose container was reported on a DB Cargo train on the bridge.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, when a member of the public spotted a loose truck container on the bridge and contacted police.

The train was stopped on the Funen side of the bridge and the Danish Maritime Investigation Board (Havarikommissionen) subsequently confirmed an empty container had been secured incorrectly.

The incident brings back painful memories of a train crash on the Great Belt Bridge almost exactly two years ago. That accident, which caused eight deaths, was caused by a poorly-attached container.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also