Sweden reimposes COVID curbs as infection rate climbs

Sweden will reintroduce a raft of measures to curb rising COVID-19 infections in the Nordic country, urging renewed social distancing and the use of masks in public transportation, the government said on Tuesday. Cases in Sweden have risen in recent weeks after a relatively calm autumn.

Sweden will reintroduce a raft of measures to curb rising COVID-19 infections in the Nordic country, urging renewed social distancing and the use of masks in public transportation, the government said on Tuesday.

Cases in Sweden have risen in recent weeks after a relatively calm autumn. Hospitalizations and the number of patients requiring intensive care are still among the lowest per capita in Europe but have also started to creep higher. "We see an increased spread of infection, but still from low levels," Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told a news conference. "We need to work together to that the situation doesn't get worse."

Nearly all pandemic restrictions were phased out as vaccinations rose and deaths and severe cases slowed to a trickle during the summer, like elsewhere fueling hopes the country was finally turning its back on the pandemic. Since then, cases have once again begun to mount, if still less than in most countries across Europe.

The centre-left government presented a three-tier road map for additional measures if the situation deteriorated further. Vaccination passes for indoor events with more than 100 participants have been in place since the beginning of the month and the government said it was putting preparations in place to extend it to smaller gatherings, such as restaurants.

Sweden has opted against lockdowns throughout the pandemic and relied on mostly voluntary measures aimed at social distancing. It has seen several times more deaths per capita than its Nordic neighbours but less than most European countries that opted for strict lockdowns.

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