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Iceland ends all COVID restrictions, encourages everyone to get infected (really)

From Reuters, a credible source:

Iceland will lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, including a 200-person indoor gathering limit and restricted opening hours for bars, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

OK, lots of that going around now, nothing shocking, so far so good. Then there's this bit:

"Widespread societal resistance to COVID-19 is the main route out of the epidemic," the ministry said in a statement, citing infectious disease authorities.

"To achieve this, as many people as possible need to be infected with the virus as the vaccines are not enough, even though they provide good protection against serious illness," it added.

So...going back to the old "measles party" plan? Hmmm.

Posted by
10599 posts

Wow! That’s a hard pass for me. I’ve been spared so far and I have no desire to gamble on the possibility of getting long Covid.

Posted by
8965 posts

So. . . as a visitor, I'm more likely to get infected by going there?

Posted by
1601 posts

One is definitely less likely to get COVID in Iceland than in the US. They are highly vaccinated. For those people who want to completely avoid contact/infection with COVID, they should continue to socially distance and wear a mask, maybe forever. Others, that are willing to take some risk to return to life resembling the before times, will need to risk exposure. This virus is likely here to stay, just like many other viruses that we have learned to live with.

I have been following Iceland's COVID policy closely. It started because I traveled there in July, 2021. Now, I use their progress as a best case scenario. They have dealt with the pandemic in a stellar fashion. Only 60 total deaths (about 360,000 pop.)

Posted by
2640 posts

Vandrabrud--I feel the same way. We cancelled our 2021 trip, but went last summer as well as a few weeks ago.