During the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden|COVID-19]] outbreak his agency was among the institutions leading Sweden’s response to the [[pandemic]].
In late December 2020, after the Civil Contingencies Agency urged all Swedes to avoid travel, he was photographed in [[Las Palmas]] airport on the island of [[Gran Canaria]] whilst on a family Christmas holiday.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Sweden official defends Christmas trip to Canary Islands | work publisher=[[TheBBC BBCNews]] | date = 3 January 2021 | access-date = 3 January 2021 | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55523587}}</ref> This controversy led to his decision on 6 January 2021, to ask for a transfer from head of [[Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency|MSB]] to another duty.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lindau|date=2021-01-06|title=Dan Eliasson avgår|language=sv|work=SVT Nyheter|url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/dan-eliasson-avgar|access-date=2021-01-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Dan Eliasson kommer att avgå – efter kritiserade utlandsresan|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/rgz3r8|access-date=2021-01-06|website=Aftonbladet|language=sv}}</ref> On 21 January, the government offices announced that Eliasson would be appointed Director-General of the Division for Crisis Preparedness under the Ministry of Justice, the principal authority of the Civil Contingencies Agency. He will retain his title and full pay and his employment contract remains virtually unchanged.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bolin|first=Vendela|date=2021-01-22|title=Dan Eliassons nya jobb: Blir generaldirektör på Regeringskansliet|language=sv|work=SVT Nyheter|url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/daniel-eliassons-nya-arbetsuppgifter-krisberedskap|access-date=2021-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=22 January 2021|title=Jimmie Åkessons kritik efter Dan Eliassons nya jobb: "Borde hållas långt borta från allt ansvar"|url=https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/eliassons-nya-jobb-samordna-krisberedskap-at-regeringen1/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122143730/https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/eliassons-nya-jobb-samordna-krisberedskap-at-regeringen1/ |archive-date=2021-01-22 |access-date=2021-01-22|website=www.expressen.se|language=sv}}</ref>
