“It is time to open Sweden again,” said Prime Minister
Magdalena Andersson, announcing the restrictions would be removed from Feb. 9.
Among the measures and recommendations that will be lifted,
Sweden will allow people to return to restaurants with no limitation on how
many people can be there, how much space there should be or opening hours.
Requirements for vaccine certificates and wearing face masks
on public transportation will also be removed, as well as the recommendation to
limit social contacts.
On Tuesday, neighboring Denmark took the lead among European
Union members by scrapping most restrictions. Hours later, Norway lifted its
ban on serving alcohol after 11 p.m. and the cap on private gatherings of no
more than 10 people.
“The pandemic is not over but has entered a totally new
phase,” Andersson stressed.
Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren told the same news
conference that authorities “will continue to be vigilant about how the
pandemic will develop.”
The reason for the Swedish move is similar to that in
Denmark: Although there is an increase in infection rates, it is not burdening
hospitals. High vaccination rates are also making the situation look more
hopeful. Andersson said 80% of all Swedes over the age of 50 have now received
three vaccine doses.
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