Table 1.
COVID-19 health policy and response measures utilized by the Nordic countries during 2020
| Country/Guiding strategy | Border control | Community engagement | Public health capacity | Public adherence control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark. Four Phase Plan |
March-May: International travel restricted |
March-May: All public places closed initially, and public gatherings restricted. Business slowly reopened based on need and case numbers. Late reopening of schools. Mask use encouraged. |
March-May: Deployment of COVID-19 contact/results mobile applications. Early testing available to first responders and families. Testing of cohorts representing general public begins. |
June-August: Police begin monitoring customer volume in local businesses. |
| June-August: Reopening of recreational facilities, retail, and private workplaces. Gatherings allowed with limitations of <50 people, increased to 100 people in August. |
September-November: Increased police surveillance of businesses. Fines enacted to any persons violating mandates. |
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| September-November: International travel reopened with testing and quarantine rules established based on country-of-origin risk status. Travelers from low-risk countries not required to follow restrictions. |
September-November: Curfews set to food establishments. All other facilities remain open with stricter customer volume control. Gathering restrictions tightened to 50 people in September, decreased to 10 people in October. Masks are required in all open environments and indoors spaces whilst in public. |
June-August: Increased testing availability to general public. |
December: Enforcement of mandates continued with increased fine amounts. |
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| December: All travel from the UK closed with few exceptions. All allowed travel required to have negative COVID-19 test within 72 h. |
December: Lockdown measures initially lifted in North Jutland. In late December, entire country re-enters lockdown status. All non-essential services closed to the public but can operate from a delivery capacity. Education moved to digital environment. Restrictions extended into new year. |
December: Increased testing of peoples aged 15-25. |
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| Finland. Three Phase Hybrid Plan |
March-May: Citizens of Finland are allowed to return regardless of country of departure. Quarantine required for anyone returning from a country with >25 cases. |
March-May: Lockdown in effect, all non-essential business closed. All restaurants closed in April. Early childhood care remains open for children of front-line workers. Gyms, and secondary education buildings reopened late May. Gatherings of >10 people are banned. |
June-August: Contact tracing mobile applications available for download. |
September-November: Regions given a ranking based on risk level. Mandates in effect based on risk level. |
| June-August: Remote work mandate removed. Restriction lightened on restaurants. Gatherings of >50 people allowed. Mask use urged but not required. Masks provided free of charge to at risk populations. |
September-November: Increased access to testing in accelerated formats based on region-by-region caseloads |
December: New resolutions based to enforce mandates to curb transmission. New policy under way regarding vaccine admission. |
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| December: All travel from UK banned |
September-November: New restrictions applied to food and alcohol sale hours. Reinstating remote work from home orders. Education restrictions and bans on gatherings placed on region-by-region basis |
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| Iceland. Mass-testing, contact tracing, quarantine and isolation response |
June-August: All travellers who have spent >24 h in high-risk infection areas must submit 2 tests at border entry, separated by 5 d of quarantine between testing. |
March-May: Educational facilities temporarily closed. Reopened with restrictions. Gatherings restricted to <100 people, reduced to <20 people by April. Two-meter proximity rule established; people required to wear masks if within 2m of each other. |
March-May: Mobile testing facilities distributed throughout country. |
March-May: Public prosecutor sends instructions for fine collection of those in breach of mandates. |
| June-August: Any business that cannot follow 2m rule must close. Gatherings of <500 people allowed. Mask not recommended unless cannot follow 2m proximity rule. Gatherings tightened to <100 people by August. End of August public required to follow either 2m rule or wear a mask. | ||||
| September-November: Educational facilities open, all people required to wear masks while in building. The 2m rule reduced to 1m. Gathering ban reduced to <200 people. Gathering ban increased to <10 people in October. 2m rule re-established for all metropolitan areas. Recreational facilities, bars, restaurants closed in October. Maximum classroom capacity set to <50 students. | ||||
| September-November: Free testing provided at all airports for allowed travelers. If no test is documented, 2-week quarantine required. Travelers with documented negative test allowed entry without quarantine. |
December: Reopening of all business services with restrictions in place. 20 staff members are now allowed in single space first education schools. 1 staff member and 30 students allowed in secondary education facilities. Masks required in schools when 2m rule cannot be applied. |
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| December: All border crossing requirements under review and revisions starting in the new year. |
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June-August: Increased funding and resource allocation to telehealth services. |
June-August: Travelers required to pay for 2 tests and quarantine to enter the country. |
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| Norway. Non-specific reactive response |
March-May: Borders closed to all but those with residency permits. Foreigners allowed to leave country. |
March-May: All service providers, lifestyle centres, and food business closed. Ban of all gatherings. 1m proximity rule outdoors, 2m proximity rule indoors established. Digital education started. Day-care remains available to children of frontline workers. |
No specifics provided |
March-May: Fines up to 20000 NOK for anyone in breach of mandates. |
| September-November: Travelers must quarantine for 10 d. Allowed to quarantine in local hotels with proper documentation. |
September-November: Service providers allowed to operate with restricted customer volume. Ban of >10 people gatherings in private residence. |
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| December: All flights from the UK banned. All allowed travellers required to undergo testing at arrival. |
December: Gathering restrictions: 5 in houses, 20 in public, 50 in locations without fixed seats, 200 in locations with fixed seats |
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| Sweden. Reliance on public self-control | March-May: No quarantine requirements for travellers entering Sweden with exception of UK. Travel out of country allowed. |
March-May: Upper-level educational schools closed until May; lower-level education remains mandatory. Restaurants must space guests apart. Ban on gatherings of <500 people. Public encouraged to take personal responsibility for well-being. |
March-May: Testing available to the public at personal request and expense. |
March-May: Breaking of any mandates will result in fines or 6 mo of imprisonment (no documented enforcement). June-August: New plan for public awareness and outbreak control discussed amongst multiple government entities. |
| September-November: Extension of ban of travellers from the UK, ban of entry from Denmark. |
September-November: End of November, food businesses limit parties to <8 people, with 1m distance between parties. Public gatherings limited to <8 people per party, encouraged to follow similar rule for private gatherings. | June-August: Rapid increases in COVID-19 testing provided to the public at request. | ||
| December: Continued extension of travel bans in place |