Following a closed cabinet meeting this morning, Minister of Health Svandís Svavarsdóttir announced that social restrictions will be eased on Tuesday, June 15th, Vísir reports.
Nightclubs open until midnight, restaurants too
The restrictions will see the limit on public gatherings raised to 300 people and the two-metre rule replaced by the one-metre rule. Individuals attending public gatherings of 300 people will be allowed to sit side by side, with the one-metre rule only applying at events attended by a greater number of people. Masks will still be mandatory at seated events.
Night clubs will be allowed to remain open until midnight and guests will have had to have left the premises before 1 am. Restaurants will likewise be open until midnight.
Hope to ease all social restrictions next month
The authorities hope to ease all social restrictions within the country at the beginning of next month and to vaccinate children between the ages of 12 and 15 suffering from long-term illnesses during the middle of this month.
When the new regulations take effect, fully-vaccinated travellers will be exempt from screening upon their arrival. Those travellers who have not been vaccinated, however, must undergo two PCR tests and quarantine between the tests.
COVID cases on the decline
In a memorandum to the government, the Chief Epidemiologist notes that the state of affairs in Iceland, vis-a-vis the COVID-19 pandemic, is good. Since May 25, when the last regulations were passed, 42 individuals have been diagnosed with COVID within the borders – 25 of whom were in quarantine. Cases have been decreasing over the past few days despite a high number of tests. “It is clear that widespread vaccination in Iceland, and individual sanitary measures, have resulted in our success, although the virus is still among us.”
The new regulations will be in effect until Tuesday, June 29.
This article will be updated.
