Denmark’s Prime Minister, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has announced that the country will close all kindergartens, schools and universities for two weeks to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Metro News reports.
All public sector employees who do not perform critical functions will also be sent home on paid leave, according to local media.
The government has also banned all indoor events with 100 or more participants and advised private sector employees to work from home whenever possible.
At a press conference announcing the tough new measures this evening, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said: ‘This will have huge consequences, but the alternative would be far worse.
‘Under normal circumstances, a government would not present such far-reaching measures without having all the solutions ready for the many Danes concerned, but we are in an extraordinary situation.’ The dramatic decision came after the Danish Patient Safety Authority reported 442 new cases of coronavirus this evening, bringing the number of people in quarantine to 1,303.