The Swedish government introduces stricter measures against the spread of the coronavirus. From Tuesday next week, only a maximum of eight people will be allowed to gather for public meetings and events, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven announced today at a press conference. This is urgently necessary to contain the spread of the CoV, while the willingness to comply with the measures has decreased.
Previously, the maximum number of participants for meetings and events in Sweden was 50. For cinemas, concerts, theaters and sporting events with certain seating capacities, exceptions of up to 300 participants have been in force for a few weeks.
“Living in a time of testing”
“We live in a time of testing. It will get worse. Fulfill your duty, take your responsibility to stop the spread of infection,” Löfven said twice emphatically to his fellow countrymen. They had come a long way in spring with advice and recommendations, but now they needed bans to reduce the number of infected people. We are sending a clear signal to every Swede, Löfven said.
One should refrain from going to the gym or library or celebrating parties. Minister of the Interior Mikael Damberg added that too many people behaved as if the danger was over.
In the CoV crisis, Sweden had so far taken a much-noticed special path with comparatively lax measures and appeals to the citizens’ common sense. An amendment to the ordinance for the clear restriction on participants is now to come into force on November 24 and will apply provisionally for four weeks – and thus until just before Christmas. However, the Swedish government cannot formally ban private festivities.
hp, Source: ORF.at/agencies. Picture: pixabay.com
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