Four years have passed since Denmark's first COVID lockdown on 11 March 2020. Soon after, we launched our research project on everyday life during the first lockdown, with around 50 families and a dozen young people aged 14-20 from all parts of Denmark. The first lockdown period was followed by several lockdown periods during which we contacted and interviewed several participants again.

This means that we now have unique material from the entire period, where each lockdown was experienced distinctly differently from the previous one, and where experiences and emotions of the participants ranged widely: From enjoying time with each other and walking in the woods, to the frustration of working online while looking after young children, sadness at not being able to be there to help across generations, or worrying about the uncertainty, vaccines and the scale of the global crisis. Furthermore, the framework for family life became clear: The crisis was experienced differently depending on whether you lived in a flat or house with a garden, had access to a car or even a holiday home, could get help with shopping, etc. when/if the entire family was sick with COVID, and so on.    

We researchers always learn a lot from our projects. However, being part of this COVID project has been a very special experience as we were subject to the same lockdown conditions as the participants.

Since spring 2022, there have been no new lockdowns, and our project is now approaching completion. We would like to thank the participants, but also VELUX Fonden.

The DPU website has links to some of the media contributions and scientific articles we have participated in or produced based on this project. Some can be read by clicking on them, others have restricted access. When they become freely available, we will make sure they appear in the authorised versions.

Yours sincerely

 The project group

Karen Ida Dannesboe, Dorte Kousholt, Nana Clemensen, Nanna Jordt Jørgensen and Ida Wentzel Winther