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Of: TT
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Photo: Johan Nilsson / TT
The government introduces an entry ban from Denmark. Stock Photography.
As of midnight, entry is prohibited at the border with Denmark following a government decision on Monday.
– It is very welcome, says Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, president of the Malmö municipal council, to TT.
The government announced Monday that travel from both the UK and Denmark will be banned after a new variant of the coronavirus was discovered in the countries. According to Interior Minister Mikael Damberg (S), there are concerns that closures in Denmark will cause Danes to cross the strait to shop in stores, justifying the entry ban.
Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh (S) is pleased with the decision.
– Previously I was in contact with Mikael Damberg and expressed the great concern that we have experienced that many Danes choose to come to Sweden to do their Christmas shopping when so much has been closed in Denmark. And now we are in a situation where we are full in our hospitals, so the message is welcome, he says.
“It must be restrictive”
The entry ban does not cover the many travelers in the Öresund region, but according to Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, residents will be encouraged to continue working at home.
– Many of those who commute have already been asked to work from home, and now we will encourage more. It is unusual for us as a region to push for border closures, but in this situation we must be restrictive, he says.
Carl Johan Sonesson (M), president of the regional board in Skåne, is also positive about the new announcement. According to Sonesson, with the entry ban, you can buy time by preventing an early spread of the new variant of the virus.
– If the border had been kept open as usual, we would have risked completely overloading attention. He already has a great job with 500 patients at Scanian hospitals, a number that is increasing with each passing day, he says.
“Swallow resources”
A few hours before the ban came into effect, the police could not answer how it should be implemented in practice.
– We are working on the question and waiting for an answer, says Tobias Swärd from the border police in the southern region.
However, it is clear that it will affect the activities of the police.
– This sucks up resources. We have quite a few checkpoints throughout the southern region that we now have to prioritize, says Tobias Swärd.
Travel already cut in half
According to Linus Eriksson, CEO of the Öresund Bridge Consortium, the announcement should not involve any major issues.
– For our own business, we can do it. Danish citizens who work for us can enter. Our approach is to inform our clients about what applies and what is required to enter the country, says Linus Eriksson.
Most of the pleasure trips have already stopped, trips across the bridge have in principle been halved to normal. Of the nearly 10,000 cars that now cross the bridge every day, at least two-thirds are passenger and freight traffic exempt from the entry ban.
But there are still questions about the remaining group, which may include infrequent travelers who own homes in Sweden. There are also Danes who travel through Sweden to get to Bornholm.
– A problem that we do not know how to handle is living on Bornholm, and if then they have the right to pass through Sweden, says Linus Eriksson.
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