Sweden scraps all Covid-19 rules, ends PCR testing on ‘Freedom Day’

Sweden has joined Denmark by removing all Covid-19 rules and restrictions despite tens of thousands of new cases and hundreds of deaths each day.

Sweden has joined Denmark by removing all Covid-19 rules and restrictions despite the country recording tens of thousands of new cases and hundreds of deaths each day.

The Government last week announced that February 9 would mark a “whole new phase” of living with the highly-contagious but milder Omicron variant of Covid-19.

In short, all restrictions will be lifted, including limits on crowds in restaurants and bars, the removal of vaccine passports and an end to the requirement that Swedes wear masks.

Controversially, Sweden will stop almost all PCR testing for the virus, even among those who are showing symptoms. Why? Because large-scale testing was too expensive.

“The pandemic is not over, but we are entering a whole new phase,” Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told reporters.

“Knowledge about Omicron has improved … Several studies show Omicron leads to less serious illness.”

According to Reuters’ coronavirus tracker, Covid-19 infections are “decreasing in Sweden” but there are still on average more than 24,000 new infections each day.

There have been more than 16,000 deaths in Sweden since the pandemic began and more than two million cases after authorities opted for no lockdowns and limited restrictions.

FREEDOM DAY🇸🇪

Sweden has removed all restrictions. No covid passports. No face masks. Everything is open.

Life is back to normal!

— PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) February 9, 2022

As many Swedes celebrated ‘Freedom Day’, not everyone was in a joyous mood.

Fredrik Elgh, a professor of virology at Umea University, told Reuters the decision was hasty.

“We should have a little more patience, wait at least a couple of more weeks. And we are wealthy enough to keep testing.

“The disease is still a huge strain on society.”

While Omicron has led to a record number of infections in the past month, hospitalisations for severe infections have not overwhelmed the healthcare system.

The country’s Public Health Agency says it is changing its testing recommendations and there is no longer a need for the general public to get tested, even with symptoms.

“The testing capacity we have needs to be completely focused on the groups that really need testing,” state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told a press conference, adding that resources should be focused on staff and patients within healthcare.

In addition, the Public Health Agency said it would formally petition the government to no longer designate Covid-19 as a public health threat.

Today we got a freedom not to know how many infected with #COVID19 are around in Sweden. Freedom not to get tested if you are sick and freedom not to have any preventive measures against virus spreading. No need to keep distance or even to wash hands often. Kram.

— Alexandr Talyzin (@TalyzinAlexandr) February 9, 2022

“We now see that Covid-19 as a disease and a pandemic is completely different type of disease and pandemic than before, and therefore it is no longer reasonable to designate it as a threat to society,” Tegnell said.

More than 83 per cent of people over the age of 12 have had two doses, and almost 50 per cent have received third doses.

Swedish Health Minister Lena Hallengren said the government would remain “vigilant” about the pandemic’s progress.

A return to working in person will resume gradually, as will university and higher education classes.

However, authorities recommended that people continue to stay home if they have Covid-19 symptoms, and border restrictions will remain in place for the time being.

Unvaccinated people are meanwhile advised to continue avoiding crowds.

Sweden made headlines early in the pandemic for choosing to not impose lockdowns.

With over 16,000 fatalities so far, its death toll is in line with the European average, but is far higher than those of neighbouring Norway, Finland and Denmark.

Denmark on Tuesday became the first European Union country to lift most of its domestic Covid-19 restrictions, followed later in the day by Norway.

— with AFP