[ad_1]
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven defended his country’s strategy in the fight against the spread of COVID-19, rejecting the idea that Sweden has taken a “business as usual” attitude towards the pandemic.
Speaking to foreign correspondents in the capital Stockholm on Friday, Lofven insisted that life does not go normally in Sweden, as he said his international reputation would suggest.
Other European nations have expressed concern about Sweden’s relatively “soft approach” to fighting the coronavirus. While they banned large gatherings, restaurants and schools for younger children remained open. The government has urged social distancing and the Swedes have largely complied.
Lofven said many people have stayed home, which he says has had a positive effect. It recognized Sweden’s 3,500 deaths, which were much higher, per capita, than its Scandinavian neighbors, Finland, Norway and Denmark, all of which took a stricter approach.
Lovgren said most of Sweden’s victims were elderly, which, he says, had little to do with people “walking” on the streets.
He said that Sweden, like several other countries, failed to protect the most vulnerable people, including the elderly, despite best intentions.
Swedish media in recent weeks have reported cases where retirement homes have seen a large number of deaths, and staff continue to work despite the lack of protective equipment or despite showing symptoms and infecting the residents.
Some retirement homes have also seen a staff shortage because employees have refused to work or been encouraged to stay home even with mild symptoms.
