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2021-09-17 00:00:05

More than 18 months into the coronavirus pandemic, a number of countries have decided it's time to open up and adopt a "living with Covid" model.

Some have enviable vaccination rates; others have decided that the costs of continued economic and social restrictions outweigh the benefits.

The Danish government lifted all remaining coronavirus restrictions in the country on September 10, saying Covid-19 was no longer "an illness which is a critical threat to society."

Danes can now enter nightclubs and restaurants without showing a "Covid passport," use public transport without wearing a face covering and meet in large numbers without restrictions -- essentially returning to pre-pandemic life.

The key to Denmark's success lies partly in its vaccination rollout: as of September 13, over 74% of Denmark's population was fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to Our World in Data.

The transmission rate, or R-rate, currently stands at 0.7, Health Minister Magnus Heunicke tweeted Wednesday, meaning that the epidemic is continuing to decline. If it's above 1.0, Covid-19 cases will increase in the near future. If it's below 1.0, cases will decrease in the near future.