From 28 December, all tourists entering Sweden must show proof of a negative Covid-19 test, regardless of vaccination status. The change comes as part of a package of measures that the Swedish government has announced to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Sweden’s new Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson described the situation as “worrying”, and added that the increasing number of positive cases in the country places an increased burden on healthcare.

– We must take joint responsibility and adapt to the new reality right now, Andersson said, in what could be seen as a change of direction compared to her predecessor.

There are also new restrictions on public and private gatherings that are similar to the measures recently introduced in Denmark and Norway.

New demands on tourists

The new requirement showing a negative Covid PCR test that is not older than 48 hours will be mandatory for both vaccinated and unvaccinated foreign tourists over 12 years of age. The Swedish Public Health Authority asked the government to introduce the new test requirement.

Swedish citizens and residents of Sweden will be exempt, but are asked to test themselves on arrival. Previously, there had been exceptions for Nordic citizens and the vaccinated, but these will no longer apply. The only exceptions apply to commuters and students living near the border.

Christmas and New Year parties are limited

The other measures will be introduced on 23 December. They include mandatory table service at restaurants with social distance between groups.

So-called vaccine passes will be required for many public events, proving that participants are fully vaccinated or have recently tested negative. Allocated seats and social distance between groups are among the other requirements.

Andersson accepted that this would mean that there would be no party at nightclubs during Christmas, including on New Year’s Eve. Capacity restrictions will also be introduced in shopping centers and cultural and leisure facilities.

For the time being, no vaccine requirements will be required to enter restaurants, but Andersson confirmed that this would be considered when more people received a third dose of a vaccine. According to the Swedish health authority, almost 1.5 million Swedes remain unvaccinated.