COPENHAGEN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- From June 15, it will become mandatory to wear face masks at Danish airports for domestic and international travelers alike, according to new guidelines issued by the Danish aviation authority on Thursday.
Passengers will be required to wear face masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus upon entering the airport, while sitting in the airplane, and until they leave the airport terminal at their final destination.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has announced the reopening of Denmark's borders for reciprocal holiday travel arrangements to Germany, Norway and Iceland from June 15.
The Danish aviation industry guidelines come "hot on the heels" of the latest recommendations from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
"Aviation is international, so internationally applicable guidelines are absolutely necessary. We are very pleased that there is now agreement on simple and pragmatic rules that can create a safe journey for passengers," said Michael Svane, director of transport and infrastructure at Dansk Industri (Confederation of Danish Industry).
The EASA also recommends that travelers not wearing face masks be immediately expelled from the airport or denied access to the aircraft. However, the Danish aviation authority has yet to specify how it intends to enforce the new rules.
In contrast to the Danish authority's initiative, the country's National Board of Health remains skeptical of the effectiveness of face masks in containing the spread of COVID-19 as face covering has not been recommended on public transport.
As of Thursday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Denmark stood at 11,811, with 582 deaths, according to the latest official count from the Statens Serum Institut. Enditem
