Fully vaccinated Swedes can now return to a daily life with almost no restrictions. Chief physician Johan Styrud at Danderud Hospital is concerned that the Swedish reopening will be similar to the Norwegian one.
– I saw horror scenes from Norway where people danced on the table, sang and hugged each other, Styrud says to TV 2.
– CONCERNED: Chief physician Johan Styrud believes that there is not enough capacity to receive another wave of infections. Photo: Anders Wiklund / TT
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The superior believes it is important that Sweden does not get more pressure on the hospitals, and recommends everyone to keep their distance.
– Maybe we should have opened little by little, but I understand that we are tired of the restrictions, he says.
In Sweden, 17 percent are not vaccinated. Styrud is concerned about them, especially those in the areas with the lowest vaccination rate.
– If you have not been vaccinated, you should not associate again, says the superior.
Usually with party
Department director Line Vold at the National Institute of Public Health thinks that Styrud’s premise “is a bit strange”.
– INFECTION PROTECTION: Line Vold emphasizes that the advice to stay at home when you are ill and test for symptoms still applies Photo: Truls Aagedal / TV 2
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– As we have reopened and the meter rule no longer applies, people can behave more as before the pandemic, Vold says.
She points out that celebration is part of a society that is normalizing:
– I wish the Swedes good luck with their reopening!
– WELL EQUIPPED: Espen Rostrup Nakstad believes that Norway is still one of the countries with the best preparedness. Photo: Ole Berg Rusten
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Assistant Director of Health Espen Rostrup Nakstad in the Norwegian Directorate of Health believes that Norway’s reopening does not differ from other countries.
– After all, we are among the countries that have waited the longest to reopen, and have retained the preparedness to deal with any new waves of infection, says Nakstad.
Prepared
The Swedish industry association Visita says that the hospitality industry in Sweden is prepared to receive party-hungry Swedes. That after a long period of action.
Dan-Aria Sucuri, communications consultant at Visita, confirms that they too have witnessed the reopening conditions in Norway this weekend.
– Many in the industry have seen what went wrong in Oslo and learned from our Norwegian neighbors, he says.
Lessons learned, Sucuri says they have no special new measures, but he expects long queues.
– About time
For many Swedes, this is a day they have been waiting for a long time.
– It feels right, and I look forward to being able to be social with others who are hopefully fully vaccinated, says Jonas Hedstrøm to TV 2.
– HAPPY: Jonas Hedstrøm is happy that he can go to sports events with full stands Photo: Petter Sørum-Johansen / TV 2
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Hedstrøm does not worry that the reopening will be chaotic.
– That risk always exists, but in Sweden everything has been relatively open so I do not think there will be as much pressure, he says.
– It’s going to be chaos
Annabella says that it has been completely full this summer and fears that the reopening will lead to chaos.
– You could easily keep some restrictions and wait a bit to open up, Annabella says to TV 2.
– FEARS CHAOS: Annabella thinks that the Swedish government should wait a bit with the reopening Photo: Petter Sørum-Johansen / TV 2
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She believes that there are far too many who have not been vaccinated.
– There is a lot of infection here and everyone should go and get vaccinated to help the community, especially the elderly and sick, Annabella says.
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