As cases continue to climb, Denmark lifts all COVID-19 restrictions
Despite COVID-19 cases surging in Denmark, the country has lifted all COVID-19 restrictions. The Scandinavian nation has the highest levels of the Omicron variant in Europe.
But Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the country's high vaccination rate is the reason restrictions can be lifted.
"If you ask me for just one answer, why and how are Denmark able to lift up restrictions? It is because of the vaccines," Frederiksen said.
More than 80% of the population is fully vaccinated and nearly 100% of the elderly are boosted.
Danes endured two years of tough lockdowns and while cases are up, COVID death rates are down and hospitals in the country are not overfilled. The World Health Organization warned that the reopening could backfire.
"They can be right and we can be right at the same time. So if you get the same vaccine rate, then maybe you can do as we have done in Denmark," Frederiksen told CBS News' Chris Livesay.
At the moment, there are only about 30 patients in Denmark's ICUs. If those numbers shoot up, the government says it will reconsider restrictions, and possibly even a fourth dose of vaccine.
Sweden and Norway also dropped most of their COVID restrictions.
