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The government’s proposal to ban public gatherings of more than eight people comes just under a week after another ban, against serving alcohol in the country’s nightclubs after 10 p.m.
Legislation is now needed as the Swedes have gotten worse in following advice and recommendations, the prime minister explained.
Erik Angner, professor i Practical philosophy, believes that the restriction of meetings can have an effect, but it does not place the greatest emphasis on it being a legal prohibition but on the signal that the new restriction sends to the public.
– The most important function is not the difference between 50 people and eight. This is the signal value in the sense that the government clearly says that it is serious now. There is also an implicit threat that there may be more laws and that the restriction may be extended if the government is not satisfied with future developments, he says.
That’s a pretty simple number to relate to
It’s easy to understand what the government means, which means there’s a greater chance that the public will accept the message, says Erik Angner.
– It is a fairly simple figure to relate to. Eight people, a family, and a few more are applying, and you can count the people around you to verify. It is very concrete. If you then supplement it with the advice that you should try not to meet people outside your home, the message becomes clear and easy to take in, he says.
During the fall it has The authorities have repeatedly emphasized the importance of not living as before the pandemic but returning to the habits we had in the spring. According to DN’s review of various data sources in late August, Swedes did not return to normal life during the summer, when the death toll dropped and the spread of the infection slowed. But the adjustment was not at the same level as last spring.
Erik Angner, Professor of Practical Philosophy.
Photo: Niklas Björling
– Many made a radical change in their lives in March, April and have tried to maintain it but time passed, the death toll dropped and when others returned to a more ordinary life the rest followed. The norm changed, says Erik Angner.
The upcoming restriction on public gatherings should be seen as “the new norm in society,” the prime minister said on Monday.
– Do not go to the gym, library, organize dinners and parties at home. Don’t make up escapes that make your activity good, but keep your physical distance, Stefan Löfven said.
Time passed, the death toll decreased and when others returned to a more ordinary life, the rest followed. The rule was changed
That the government wants That the law should be seen as a rule indicates that authorities have the same basic tactics as before to make people more infection-proof, says Erik Angner.
– It may seem like a violation of the above strategy when working with tips and information, but I don’t think it is. It is still thought that people want to do the right thing and uses this legislation as a sign that “this is what you should do,” he says and continues:
– The government does not want to stand up and simply repeat the same things about how important it is to take responsibility. Now turn up the volume and move the positions forward, so wait for the message to get through.
The Royal Opera with 50 people in the audience earlier this fall.
Photo: Fredrik Sandberg / TT
The law of public meetingsr and public events do not apply to activities such as gyms, libraries, shops, and museums. This way, they can remain open as usual, despite the harsh message from the authorities. But trying to shut them down with mandatory laws, Erik Angner thinks, can be more confusing than keeping them open.
– Rigorous legislation is a powerful tool that can bypass things that are unsafe in terms of infection control and limit activities that can be done safely. So it comes down to the definition, if the gym is going to be closed, then what is a gym: swimming pools, basketball courts, climbing walls? I think the advantage of this restriction is that most people can accept it and understand what it means, he says.
