COVID-19: Lifting of all domestic restrictions and restrictions at the border

Minister of Health, Willum Þór Þórsson has decided that as of Friday 25 February all public restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be lifted, both domestically and at the border. Thereby all rules regarding limitations on social gatherings and school operations as well as the quarantine requirement for those infected by COVID-19 are removed. Additionally, no disease prevention measures will be in place at the border, regardless of whether individuals are vaccinated or unvaccinated.

At a government meeting today the Minister of Health presented his decision, based on the Chief Epidemiologist´s recommendation to the Minister regarding the lifting of restrictions. “We can truly rejoice at this turning-point, but nonetheless I encourage people to be careful, practice personal infection prevention measures and not to interact with others if they notice symptoms” said the Minister of Health.

In his memorandum The Chief Epidemiologist accounts the latest developments of the pandemic. Between 2100 and 2800 infections have been diagnosed daily but serious illness has not increased in the same manner. In his opinion the way out of this pandemic is a wide-spread herd immunity against COVID-19, i.e. an infection of up to 80% of the population. About 110 000 individuals have already been diagnosed with COVID-19 but it is estimated from antibody testing that the same number already has been infected without being diagnosed.