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Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has taken a more active role in dealing with the spread of COVID-19 in relation to the second wave of infection that is hitting the country. Svenska Dagbladet writes that Löfven appears to have lost confidence in state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell.
Regarding the management of Sweden’s first wave of infection, which was led by Tegnell, they relied heavily on recommendations and encouragement. Now, instead, Prime Minister Löfven wants it differently, which was highlighted when on November 16, among other things, he introduced a ban on gatherings of more than eight people, as well as a bar stop at 22 hours.
– Don’t go to training, don’t go to the library, don’t have parties. Cancel, he said.
Soon after, Tegnell distanced himself from the government’s decision, which exemplifies the frictions in Sweden.
– This is the government’s decision on how many can meet. We are not the ones who put our foot on the ground. It is an ongoing job that basically consists of everyone meeting with as few people as possible, the state epidemiologist said in an interview with Swedish radio.
Positive tegnell
In an interview with Svenska Dagbladet on Thursday, Tegnell stated that it may have helped to slow the spread of the infection that more politicians and authorities have been more visible in relation to the second wave of infection.
– This spring, there was a lot from the Public Health Authority. I think it’s very good that we now have a lot of different actors saying the same thing.
Dagbladet has contacted representatives of Stefan Löfven, who referred us to the Ministry of Social Affairs. Dagbladet has given the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Public Health Authority the opportunity to comment in relation to this article.
Swedish Administration
Emeritus Professor Dag Thelle of the University of Gothenburg and the University of Oslo tells Dagbladet that the latest developments tell a bit about the difference between Norway and Sweden when it comes to administration.
– In March, the Swedish government handed the responsibility of fighting the pandemic over to professional authorities. It could have taken over, but there is a kind of perception that the government should stay away as long as there are professional reasons for professional authorities to be responsible, Thelle tells Dagbladet, continuing:
– The government has clearly taken action recently. In particular, they have addressed recommendations on how people should behave and compliance with the measures. At the time, the government allocated 6 billion for testing and the activity increased considerably, but the responsibility lies with the 21 regions of Sweden. And now the pressure has become very great.
Clear rules
So far, 243,129 people have been diagnosed with covid-19 in Sweden and a total of 6,681 deaths from corona have been recorded. In Norway, 34,747 people have been diagnosed with covid-19, while 328 deaths from corona have been recorded.
Health director Bjørn Guldvog tells Dagbladet that he thinks clear rules have been a recipe for success for Norway.
– In Sweden, they have a different handling system than ours. To a large extent, advice is given to the population and less legal measures. And we also see that Sweden during the autumn has had a greater spread of the infection than the rest of the Nordic countries. I think in Norway we have benefited from the fact that we also use the crown regulations with clear rules on what we should do. There is clarity to that and it gives a power of implementation when it comes to the advice and recommendations we give, says Guldvog and continues:
– I have great respect for the hard work that is being done in Sweden, and not least for the enormous efforts that are put into the Swedish health service to care for patients.
Good behavior
Sweden remains one of the few countries that does not recommend the use of masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19. On November 16, Tegnell’s boss, Johan Carlson, declared that “they were not there yet.
Emeritus Professor Thelle says Swedes are generally concerned about doing the right thing in infection control.
– Löfven’s speech here the other day was described by some as a headmaster yelling at his students. It was appropriate. But people are very well behaved in Sweden. The vast majority try to keep their distance and pay attention in stores, but rarely with masks. People take the crown seriously, but there aren’t enough of them as the infection is still spreading, Thelle says, continuing:
– The spread of the infection is probably handled somewhat better now than in March in Sweden. But the great burden falls on the healthcare staff. The health service has learned a lot in a short time and the results of treatment have improved a lot. They do a phenomenal job.
