Scandinavia is expected to become free of almost all COVID restrictions – with Sweden reportedly due to announce it will join Denmark and Norway in abandoning virus-related rules.
Sweden’s prime minister is set to announce that all mandatory coronavirus regulations will be removed by 9 February, according to Expressen.
The newspaper said the government will still recommend that people stay home if they are ill, and that unvaccinated people should continue to apply special caution.
Infections are still high in the nation – which had relatively relaxed rules from the outset of the pandemic – but the decision is said to be based on the situation in its hospitals being considered stable.
Like its Scandinavian neighbours, it has high vaccination rates and a well-resourced healthcare system, while all three countries are routinely ranked highly for their standard of living.
The anticipated move will bring Sweden in line with Denmark, which on Tuesday became one of the first European Union countries to scrap most pandemic restrictions – saying it no longer considers COVID-19 “a socially critical disease”.
Although the nation of 5.8 million has seen more than 50,000 daily cases on average in recent weeks, the head of the Danish Health Authority, Soren Brostrom, told broadcaster TV2 that he was more focused on the number of people in ICUs – which he described as “incredibly low”.
Face coverings are no longer mandatory on public transport, in shops, and for standing clients in restaurant indoor areas. They are only recommended in hospitals, health care facilities and nursing homes.
Denmark’s digital pass, used to enter nightclubs, cafes, party buses and to be seated indoors in restaurants, has also been abolished.
And hours later, Norway announced it would remove most of its remaining lockdown measures with immediate effect, also on the basis that a spike in coronavirus infections is unlikely to jeopardise health services.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said restaurants would again be allowed to serve alcohol beyond 11pm, working from home will no longer be mandatory, and the limit of 10 visitors in private homes will be axed.
“Even if many more people are becoming infected, there are fewer who are hospitalised,” he said.
“We’re well protected by vaccines. This means that we can relax many measures even as infections are rising rapidly.”
While lifting most restrictions, the Nordic nation will keep basic social distancing measures, asking people to stay at least one metre apart and to wear a face mask in crowded settings, hitting businesses such as nightclubs and some entertainment venues.
“We don’t know if this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic”
“We don’t know if this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic,” Mr Stoere said, adding that future tightening of rules was possible.
Three quarters of all Norwegians have received at least two vaccine doses and half the population has also had a booster shot, the National Institute of Public Health (FHI) says.
Norway has suffered just 1,440 COVID-related deaths according to figures, compared to 3,770 in Denmark, and 15,991 in Sweden.
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