Sweden tightens epidemic prevention measures and proposes to wear masks for the first time

On the 18th, Swedish Prime Minister Levin announced a number of measures to prevent further deterioration of the new crown epidemic. The Swedish Public Health Agency first proposed wearing a mask on the prevention and control of the epidemic that day.

　　 Levin said at a press conference that day that he hopes that the Swedish people will be aware of the severity of the current epidemic. If the new measures cannot be effectively implemented, the government will close more public places.

Karlsson, the director of the Swedish Public Health Agency, gave a detailed introduction to the new measures, including the implementation of distance learning for high school and above, shopping malls and other large shopping venues to restrict the flow of people, the cancellation of discount promotions during Christmas and New Year, and the prohibition of sales in restaurants after 8 pm Such measures will be implemented on the 24th. The Public Health Bureau also proposed to wear masks for the first time since the outbreak began at the beginning of this year, requiring passengers taking public transportation to wear masks under “highly crowded and unable to maintain social distance” from January 7 next year.

　　 The new crown epidemic data released by the Swedish Public Health Agency on the 18th showed that there were 10,335 new confirmed cases in the country in the past 24 hours, and a total of 367,120 confirmed cases; 103 new deaths and a total of 8,011 deaths.
Sweden’s cumulative confirmed cases and deaths of new crowns currently rank first among the five Nordic countries. The Swedish Public Health Agency has been discouraging people from wearing masks on the grounds of “failure to have scientific research evidence.” With the arrival of the second wave of the epidemic and the rapid increase in confirmed cases, the Swedish government established the “New Crown Affairs Investigation Committee”. The committee said in a report released not long ago, “Sweden has failed to protect the elderly well under the new crown epidemic. People, causing up to 90% of deaths are elderly people.” Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf made a televised speech on the 17th, stating that Sweden “failed to fight the new crown epidemic.”