Swedish government presents plans for renewed Covid-19 measures

The Swedish government is reintroducing preventive health measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus, despite relatively low case numbers of Covid-19.

Travellers will be required to wear face masks on public transport as of Wednesday, Health Minister Lena Hallengren told a press conference in Stockholm on Tuesday.

Employers should also allow their employees to work remotely, ensure social distancing in public areas and avoid crowds in restaurants, she said.

Sweden is extending the use of the coronavirus vaccination certificate, introduced a week ago and soon to be required in restaurants and gyms, Hallengren said.

If case numbers and the situation in hospitals worsens, then further measures may follow.

Relaxed measures

The minister said the most important thing was for people to be vaccinated against Covid-19, a plea echoed by the new Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, who stood beside her.

Sweden adopted relatively relaxed measures at the start of the pandemic, unlike many other countries in Europe, but faced high case rates compared to the rest of Scandinavia.

Currently, Sweden's figures are lower than in most other EU countries. While the number of new infections is also rising in Sweden, this is still at a relatively low level, Andersson said.