Sweden expands vaccine passports, tightens restrictions on virus growth
Sweden announced on Tuesday a number of measures, including an increased use of vaccine certificates, which aim to counteract the spread of covid-19 when cases increase, the government said.
From 23 December, those who were able to return to work from home were encouraged, public events with between 20 and 500 participants would need to have the audience seated and events with a larger audience would require proof of vaccinations.
“We must now take joint responsibility and adapt to reality,” said Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson at a press conference.
In addition, measures to avoid congestion in shopping centers and bars and restaurants may only offer seated service with customers sitting at least one meter apart.
“In practice, this means that unfortunately there will be no party at nightclubs on New Year’s Eve.”
A ceiling on the number of people allowed in places used for private parties would also be introduced and set at 50, as well as certain restrictions on orientation
Director of the country’s public health authority, Karin Tegmark Wisell, noted that Sweden still sees relatively low levels of covid-19, said that the burden on Sweden’s healthcare has increased as a result of the new coronavirus in combination with other viruses and seasonal flu. .
“We still see a significant spread in Europe and our neighboring countries. We have lower levels in Sweden, but in recent weeks we have also seen a rapid increase in the spread rate,” said Tegmark Wisell, adding that the number of new cases was expected to increase and that the situation was “sinister”.
The health authority had also issued an official request to the government to require a negative test that is not older than 48 hours for foreign citizens entering Sweden regardless of their vaccination status, which Andersson said would be “handled quickly”.
Most of the measures were announced without an end date, but Health Minister Lena Hallengren told reporters that they did not want to keep them “longer than necessary”.
The director of the health authority also noted that almost 1.5 million Swedes were still not vaccinated.
The country with 10.3 million people still sees some of the lowest levels of new cases in Europe, according to the WHO, but it has seen a 37% increase in the 14-day incidence compared to the previous period.
Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for priced on a coffee.
Support us