Day 2 of the COVID-19 lockdown. Denmark will close all its borders to travelers from abroad, from 12 noon tomorrow, March 14. The government advises Danes to avoid travelling outside the country until April 14. Danish citizens who are currently abroad – they number approximately 100,000, including teenagers currently on school excursions to places in Italy – must return immediately.
At 8:30 this morning, a nice man from the municipality rang the house to tell me that the ceremony planned for the 25th, in which I would receive my Danish citizenship accompanied by a handshake, would be postponed until further word from the authorities. Although I have completed all the requirements and my name is included in the roster of citizens naturalized in a law passed this Spring, I cannot be Danish just yet. This has nothing to do with the border closing, however, but with the requirement that all civil servants work from home.
A few minutes to 9 I put on a going-out sweater and prepared to video-meet my TOEFL-preparation students on Skype. On Wednesday, if all goes well, I will do the same for my Cambridge exam preparation students.
Photo: Prime minister Mette Frederiksen at a press con announcing the border closure. Exceptions include people who are commuting to their jobs, truck drivers transporting foodstuff, and relatives arriving to visit the critically ill.
Another decision taken by the government: to suspend non-critical hospital procedures to make way for COVID-19 patients. Photo from DR1's 7 pm broadcast today.