The first 10,000 doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine landed in Iceland this morning shortly after 9.00am, Vísir reports. Vaccination is scheduled to begin tomorrow and all 10,000 doses are to be administered before the end of the year. Though the arrival of the first COVID-19 vaccine to the island is certainly a […]
Christmas in Iceland has always been an occasion for families to come together. To fight the winter darkness, Icelanders pull out no shortage of candles and festive lights, both indoors and out. This year, though celebrations will be different, the light and spirit of the holiday will still bring a dose of much-needed warmth to […]
Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason is out of quarantine after he tested negative for COVID-19 today, RÚV reports. Þórólfur went into quarantine last Thursday when a staff member with the Directorate of Health tested positive for the virus. He was tested on his first day of quarantine and again today. Both tests were negative. Chief Superintendent […]
A Search and Rescue vessel in Iceland’s Westfjords sent out tidings of joy yesterday with a unique seasonal greeting “shipped” from Ísafjarðardjúp fjord. When Coast Guard wardens reviewed the ship’s route on their equipment, they found it was particularly festive: the crew had “drawn” the shape of a Christmas tree in the fjord. “When the […]
Thirteen houses in Seyðisfjörður, East Iceland have collapsed or been completely destroyed by the recent mudslides in the town, Vísir reports. Experts say the damage is massive and could take months to assess. In addition to family homes, many cultural artifacts were damaged by the mudslides. Some areas of the town remain evacuated and several […]
It might be the influence of the pandemic that is leading more Icelanders to set up Christmas trees this year than last year. In a recent survey conducted by MMR, 86% of respondents stated they would put up a Christmas tree in their home this year, up from 83% last year. Artificial trees continue to […]
Four government ministers are on their way to Seyðisfjörður following devastating mudslides that destroyed at least 10 buildings in the city centre, many historic. Although they have not resulted in injuries, the mudslides led to the town’s evacuation and some residents have not yet been permitted to return home. An “alert phase” remains in effect […]
Today the sun reaches its lowest point in the sky all year, in the Northern Hemisphere. In Reykjavík, the sun rose at 11.22am this morning and set at 3.29pm, granting the city a day no longer than four hours and seven minutes. From today, the sun’s trajectory rises and days lengthen, heralding the coming spring. […]
Yesterday evening marked 90 years since the first radio news broadcast in Iceland, RÚV reports. Today marks the 90-year anniversary of the first full day of radio programming in Iceland, broadcast by Iceland’s national broadcaster RÚV. The first news story ever broadcast, on December 20, 1930, covered the global depression. The following day was a […]
Four ministers will travel to Seyðisfjörður on Tuesday to assess the damage caused by recent mudslides. First, they will be tested for COVID-19. Politicians’ response to the calamities in the town has been swift and unanimous: “Of course we will rebuild.” While the extent of the support is yet to be decided, locals have discussed […]
