Denmark’s Covid-19 rules for close contacts and 'other' contacts
Denmark is set to lift domestic Covid-19 restrictions next week, but guidelines remain in place for people who have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.
The government this week said it would lift Covid-19 restrictions on February 1st despite record infections, citing its high vaccination rate and lower critical hospital cases caused by the milder Omicron variant.
The change will lead to the de facto lifting of all domestic restrictions, including the use of a vaccine pass, mask-wearing and early closings for bars and restaurants.
Over 50,000 new cases of Covid-19 were registered by Denmark’s health authorities on Thursday, the first time during the pandemic the daily figure has exceeded the round number, while the number of ICU patients with the virus continues to decrease.
According to updated guidelines issued this week by the Danish Health Authority, close contacts (people who live with or have spent a night under the same roof as someone who has tested positive for Covid-19) are no longer required to self-isolate, but must take a rapid antigen test or PCR test three days after the close contact tested positive.
The authority provides different guidelines depending on whether you are a “close” or “normal” (øvrig in Danish) contact of a person who has tested positive for Covid-19.
READ ALSO: What are Denmark’s new rules for isolation after testing positive for Covid-19?
Close contact
A close contact is someone who lives with, is a partner (but does not necessarily live with), a roommate or overnight guest or host of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.
The contact must have taken place within 48 hours of the onset of the infected person’s symptoms (or positive test if they are asymptomatic) until they can leave their self-isolation.
Isolation rules for close contacts apply to both children and adults.
Close contacts are not required to self-isolate but must take a rapid antigen test or PCR test three days after the suspected exposure. If symptoms emerge they must isolate immediately and arrange a PCR test, if one is not already booked.
Testing is not required for close contacts who themselves have tested positive for Covid-19 within the last 12 weeks.
People who are unable to socially distance from others in their home who have Covid-19 (such as small children) are likewise no longer required to self-isolate, but are asked to keep other measures in mind such as hand hygiene and social distancing when out. They must take a Covid test on day as with other situations of close contact.
Should you test positive for Covid-19, you must follow the rules for isolation following a positive test.
‘Other’ contact
An other (øvrig) contact is someone who you meet daily or regularly, but do not live with. This can include colleagues who you sit next to, someone you ate a meal with, guests at your house, someone you were in a meeting or class with and sat next to, classmates or playmates at childcare groups, or participants in an event to which several infections are traced.
The contact must have taken place within 48 hours of the onset of the infected person’s symptoms (or positive test if they are asymptomatic) until they can leave their self-isolation.
Notification of being an ‘other’ contact can come via the Smittestop contact tracing app or via being informed by the person in question or leadership at businesses, organisations or schools.
‘Other’ contacts are not required to self-isolate but must take a rapid antigen test or home test three days after the suspected exposure. If symptoms appear, they must isolate and arrange a PCR test immediately.
Testing is not required for close contacts who themselves have tested positive for Covid-19 within the last 12 weeks unless they develop symptoms, in which case they must isolate and arrange a PCR test immediately.
Both close contacts and other contacts should, when booking a PCR test, use a reference number from the person considered their contact. The number can be found via the positive test result notification on the sundhed.dk platform.
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The government this week said it would lift Covid-19 restrictions on February 1st despite record infections, citing its high vaccination rate and lower critical hospital cases caused by the milder Omicron variant.
The change will lead to the de facto lifting of all domestic restrictions, including the use of a vaccine pass, mask-wearing and early closings for bars and restaurants.
Over 50,000 new cases of Covid-19 were registered by Denmark’s health authorities on Thursday, the first time during the pandemic the daily figure has exceeded the round number, while the number of ICU patients with the virus continues to decrease.
According to updated guidelines issued this week by the Danish Health Authority, close contacts (people who live with or have spent a night under the same roof as someone who has tested positive for Covid-19) are no longer required to self-isolate, but must take a rapid antigen test or PCR test three days after the close contact tested positive.
The authority provides different guidelines depending on whether you are a “close” or “normal” (øvrig in Danish) contact of a person who has tested positive for Covid-19.
READ ALSO: What are Denmark’s new rules for isolation after testing positive for Covid-19?
Close contact
A close contact is someone who lives with, is a partner (but does not necessarily live with), a roommate or overnight guest or host of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.
The contact must have taken place within 48 hours of the onset of the infected person’s symptoms (or positive test if they are asymptomatic) until they can leave their self-isolation.
Isolation rules for close contacts apply to both children and adults.
Close contacts are not required to self-isolate but must take a rapid antigen test or PCR test three days after the suspected exposure. If symptoms emerge they must isolate immediately and arrange a PCR test, if one is not already booked.
Testing is not required for close contacts who themselves have tested positive for Covid-19 within the last 12 weeks.
People who are unable to socially distance from others in their home who have Covid-19 (such as small children) are likewise no longer required to self-isolate, but are asked to keep other measures in mind such as hand hygiene and social distancing when out. They must take a Covid test on day as with other situations of close contact.
Should you test positive for Covid-19, you must follow the rules for isolation following a positive test.
‘Other’ contact
An other (øvrig) contact is someone who you meet daily or regularly, but do not live with. This can include colleagues who you sit next to, someone you ate a meal with, guests at your house, someone you were in a meeting or class with and sat next to, classmates or playmates at childcare groups, or participants in an event to which several infections are traced.
The contact must have taken place within 48 hours of the onset of the infected person’s symptoms (or positive test if they are asymptomatic) until they can leave their self-isolation.
Notification of being an ‘other’ contact can come via the Smittestop contact tracing app or via being informed by the person in question or leadership at businesses, organisations or schools.
‘Other’ contacts are not required to self-isolate but must take a rapid antigen test or home test three days after the suspected exposure. If symptoms appear, they must isolate and arrange a PCR test immediately.
Testing is not required for close contacts who themselves have tested positive for Covid-19 within the last 12 weeks unless they develop symptoms, in which case they must isolate and arrange a PCR test immediately.
Both close contacts and other contacts should, when booking a PCR test, use a reference number from the person considered their contact. The number can be found via the positive test result notification on the sundhed.dk platform.
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