Minister Of Transport Speaks Out On Icelandair
Minister of Transport Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson told MBL that while it is important to secure transport to and from the country, limiting such transport is also crucial. He also m
Icelandic Government Passes 26 Billion ISK COVID-19 Action Package
Last night, the Icelandic Parliament approved an investment programme costing almost 26 billion ISK designed to tackle the COVID-19 epidemic and its expected impacts on Icelandic s
Strætó Reduces Bus Journeys Due To Covid-19
Strætó has announced new changes to its bus service in response to the worsening COVID-19 outbreak in Iceland. These changes will reduce the number of buses running in the capita
Iceland Expects Huge Shipment Of Anti-Malarial Drug To Fight COVID-19
A shipment of 50,000 packages of the anti-malarial drug Hydroxchloroquine is expected to arrive in Iceland this weekend, RÚV reports. The drug is thought to potentially be an effe
Icelanders Offer Sick Farmers A Helping Hand
Almost 100 Icelanders have volunteered to help out farmers affected by COVID-19, Visir reports. Volunteers will provide manual labour to farmers who fall ill from the novel coronav
Icelandic Government To Pay For Icelandair’s Losses
The Icelandic government will pay for Icelandair’s losses due to travel restrictions to Europe and the United States amid the COVID-19 epidemic, MBL reports. The agreement wa
COVID-Cast #11: Iceland Breaks 1,000 Cases & Bans Dividends On Companies That Get Bridge Loans
Valur Grettisson and Poppy Askham go over Iceland’s latest COVID-19 news and Poppy talks about the current situation in her home country, the UK. The rise in Iceland’s number o
Icelandair Hotels Offer Free Accommodation For Essential Workers
Icelandair Hotels and Iceland’s National Health Insurance reached an agreement on Sunday to utilise facilities at Hotel Reykjavík Natura to accommodate essential workers inc
EasyJet Grounds Entire Fleet Due To COVID-19
British budget airline, EasyJet has announced their decision to cancel all scheduled flights indefinitely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Planes will be grounded for at least
It’s Time To Embrace Ugly Haircuts For The Greater Good
“We just have to have an ugly haircut for the next few weeks. We have to live with it.” Víðir Reynisson, National Chief of Police, told reporters during Friday’s press
COVID-Cast #10: Virus Slowing, Blue Lagoon Lay-Offs & Testing Swabs Found
Valur Grettisson and Hannah Jane Cohen go through the latest news about the COVID-19 pandemic in Iceland. Currently, the numbers of patients are up but the virus is spreading slowe
STAYHOME WORLDTOUR 2020: Send Us Your Positive Stories!
Let’s not beat around the bush: This is a difficult time for all of us. Some are dealing with a debilitating virus or watching their friends and family members do […]
PJ Harvey Adds Theremin Player Hekla To Her Playlist
Indie rock musician PJ Harvey has added theremin virtuoso Hekla to her Spotify playlist “Petals Have Fallen.” This is a big deal. PJ Harvey is among the most influentia
Almost 10,000 Sign Up For Reduced Employment Benefit On The First Day
The Icelandic Labour Department received 9,670 application for reduced rate of employment benefits by 14:00 yesterday, the day registration opened, according to a statement release
Husband of Icelandic COVID-19 Victim Fighting For His Life
The husband of the 71-year-old Icelandic woman with asthma who died from COVID-19 on Monday March 23rd—the first Icelander to do so—is seriously ill, Stundin reports. The 75-ye
The Blue Lagoon Lays Off 164 Workers Due To COVID-19
164 Blue Lagoon workers have been laid off as the company deals with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 outbreak in Iceland, reports Morgunblaðið. These firings come following
Huge Breakthrough In Search For COVID-19 Testing Swabs
6,000 nasal swabs required for COVID-19 screenings have been discovered at Landspítali hospital. This is a huge breakthrough as Iceland has been experiencing severe difficulties o
COVID-19 Spreading Slower In Iceland
Good news! COVID-19 is spreading slower in Iceland than in most other countries in the Schengen region. This is despite the fact that there are proportionally more tests conducted
COVID-Cast #9: 800 With The Virus & Massive Cocaine Shortage
Icelanders are now close to 1,000 individuals with COVID-19, and the government is preparing for a back up hospital. Valur Grettisson, editor-in-chief at the Reykjavík Grapevine a
COVID-19: More Optimistic Future Predicted By Experts
Experts at the University of Iceland are predicting a more optimistic future in regards to COVID-19. Vísir reports that according to the new forecast model by the University of Ic
FREAK OUT! Massive Cocaine Shortage In Iceland
Bad news, party hounds: There is a serious shortage of cocaine in Iceland. Following an almost complete cessation of travel into the country, the drug market has essentially run dr