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Only on January 7, after the Christmas and New Year holidays, will the Swedish Public Health Agency announce a national strategy with guidelines on the use of mouth guards. The recommendation should mainly apply to commuters who work on public transport during the week, at times when it is difficult to maintain distance.
– We will come back with the details shortly, but the important thing is that everyone knows where this will apply, that is, on public transport across the country and what times will be covered and how it will be implemented. Therefore, we will also publish a guide on how and which mouth guards should be used, said CEO Johan Carlson during Friday’s press conference.
The recommendations will apply equally across the country. Johan Carlson also states that those who do not have a mouth guard can be assigned one before traveling.
– Our guidelines will also include that transportation companies must have a stock of mouth guards that can be distributed free of charge to travelers who have forgotten.
Swedish Public Health Agency changes its mouth guard
Many have wondered why mouth protection has not been recommended earlier in Sweden, despite calls from, for example, the World Health Organization, WHO and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
The Swedish Public Health Agency has defended itself by saying that there is a lack of scientific backing, that many use them incorrectly and that mouth guards run the risk of giving false security.
– The basic principle is that you must be at home when you are sick and that you must maintain a social distance. Recommending mouth protection can work against this, said state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell.
– There are theoretical possibilities that they do more harm than good.
After the new announcement, Johan Carlson received several questions about the change in attitude of the authority. However, the Director General himself does not believe that it is a radical change.
– We have not objected. The big question has been keeping our distance. The use of mouth guards has not had much effect. Here we try to identify small sectors where you have tried everything you can. It is in this situation that it can have a positive effect. As a general remedy, what we see in Europe has no effect.
The expert: not clear enough
Virology professor Fredrik Elgh has long called for stricter restrictions on the spread of infection.
– I am very happy that there are more measures now, but I think it is not enough or clear enough, he says.
– I would have liked to have seen that, as in 170 other countries in the world, they had decided on a widespread use of mouth guards, so that the best effect is obtained if you use them in general.
The new recommendation has also caused many to react on social media. Center leader Annie Lööf, who spoke out on a recommendation on oral protection in early December, comments on the message on Twitter:
“Good with a mouth guard recommendation, but should be recommended more broadly.”
“Tragic that he opposed”
Tomas Tobé, the EU MP for Moderates, believes he has opposed the issue.
“Finally, Sweden recognizes that mouth guards in public transport can reduce the spread of infection. It is tragic that for so long it has faced a weak government in the hands of an authority that refuses to admit mistakes “, Tobé writes on Twitter.
The Swedish Democrats in Stockholm want to go even further and demand oral protection in public transport.
– A large part of the countries of Europe have oral protection requirements in public transport since the summer. SD already proposed oral protection requirements in August, despite this, Kristoffer Tamsons (M), head of SL, has not introduced requirements or an official recommendation, says Gabriel Kroon (SD), group leader in the Stockholm Region, it’s a statement.
However, that is not entirely true. Tamson’s recommended mouth guard on public transportation this summer. Tamsons, on the other hand, is critical of the government and the Public Health Agency:
– This is a positive change. For me, mouth protection during peak hours, for example, has been a regular thing for a long time. I also raised questions about Sweden’s position on the issue already this summer, Tamson says in a statement.
