[ad_1]
Two days before Christmas Eve, the Swedish government announced an entry ban from the UK and Denmark, hoping to stop a recently discovered mutated variant of the coronavirus that is feared to have an increased risk of infection.
In the UK, where the virus variant was first discovered, it has spread since September and during December it has also been discovered in several European countries, including Sweden.
READ MORE: Four new cases of the British variant of the virus in Sweden
Entry denied – despite negative test
The entry ban has one exception: in addition to Swedish citizens, diplomats and everyone transporting goods from the UK are exempt from the ban, it says on the government website.
Foreigners who have urgent family reasons, live or work in Sweden can also enter the country, with the requirement that they can present a negative covid-19 test that has been taken a maximum of 72 hours before arrival.
“It looks like a psychological experiment”
It was at 19 o’clock on Sunday afternoon that the Manchester flight landed at Landvetter. The police then verified the COVID-19 evidence that British passengers submitted with a list of authorized participants.
According to a female passenger GT spoke to, she must submit a test conducted by the NHS, which is responsible for the UK public health service. But since the NHS was not on the police checklist, she and several other passengers were denied entry into Sweden.
Of those who were denied entry, some chose to return to Manchester on the same flight that took them to Sweden, but some chose to stay.
The Local spoke on Monday with one of those who chose to stay at the airport, a teacher who lives and works in Sweden. According to her, those who chose to stay were assigned a room at the airport, where they spent the night.
– It feels like a psychological experiment. I feel like a criminal, but none of us are. We live and pay taxes in Sweden. No compassion has been shown, the treatment has been diabolical, he tells the newspaper.
According to the passenger GT spoke to, all the people tested by the NHS were able to leave the airport at lunchtime on Monday.
List of authorized test participants
The requirement for a negative test result was introduced on January 1. The police website indicates that the test results must come from a licensed laboratory.
Swedavia, who runs Landvetter, sends all questions about the case to the border police.
– They are the ones who handle the handling of the passengers in this case, says Alma Johansson from the Swedavia press service.
GP has attempted to contact the border police for comment.
Do you want to know more about how GP works with quality journalism? Read our ethical rules here.
[ad_2]
