‘Do your duty’: Sweden rolls out new restrictions to combat spread of COVID-19

Sweden’s PM warns virus is ‘going to get worse’ as he introduces fresh laws limiting gatherings.

Guests enjoy their meal at a fast food restaurant next to taped off tables in central Stockholm. Picture: AFP

Sweden’s prime minister warned the country the spread of coronavirus was “going to get worse” as he introduced fresh laws limiting the numbers of people being able to gather.

From next week Sweden, only eight people will be permitted to gather at public events, with officials strongly encouraged people to adopt the same limit in private.

Prime Minister Stefan Löfven said the new limits were part of the Public Order Act and would apply for four weeks.

“It’s going to get worse,” he told a press conference on Monday. “Do your duty and take responsibility to stop the spread of infection.”

Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Löfven gives a press conference in Stockholm on the new restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: AFP

He added the “extremely interventionist measure” had no equivalent in modern times.

“There should be no social situations with more than eight people, even if they are not formally covered by the law,” Mr Löfven said.

“This is the new norm for the whole of society and the whole of Sweden: Do not go to the gym, do not go to the library, do not have dinner parties, do not have parties. Just cancel it.”

The new rules are the toughest restrictions imposed on Swedish citizens, who up until now have had a light-touch social distancing approach.

Sweden has been an outlier compared to neighbouring countries with lockdown policies like Denmark and Norway and while cases and deaths have been higher than their neighbours, Sweden initially appeared to have avoided the second wave that struck large swathes of Europe up until the last few weeks.

A sign reminds customers about social distancing at the entrance to a grocery store in central Stockholm, Sweden. Picture: AFP

But countries like Spain and areas like Northern Italy that were struck hard in March and April are now again facing rapid rises. In Sweden, the number of cases is doubling every 14 days and deaths are escalating.

On Friday there were 5,990 positive cases. So far, 6,164 people have died after testing positive to the virus.

State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said he believed the tighter restrictions would be required throughout the northern hemisphere winter.

Under the new rules, for the first time restaurants and pubs will have to observe the group limits. But the prime minister said the measures were not part of any lockdown.

“We do not believe in a total lockdown, we believe that the measures put in place are the right ones,” Mr Löfven said.

During March there was a limit of 50 people at public events, which many regions maintained throughout the summer months.

But while the public events will be regulated by law, any private events and places such as parties, gyms, leisure centres, and shopping centres, weddings and funerals are not covered by the legislation.

In addition, 19 of Sweden’s 21 regions have adopted local rules, most of which include social distancing, encouraging working from home and avoiding indoor environments.