Sweden’s Covid Christmas farce

Sweden has become an international phenomenon for its relaxed response to the Covid-19 pandemic – which some critics describe as careless. Its no-lockdown strategy has been based almost solely on personal responsibility. This point has been made to Swedes by solemn-faced politicians, most recently before Christmas. It’s up to every Swedish citizen to maintain social distancing and, if possible, work from home. Restaurants, bars, cafés, shops, and even malls have stayed open throughout the crisis. Face masks have not been recommended nor encouraged (although in a surprising change of heart from the authorities, masks will be made mandatory from January 7 in certain situations, such as on public transport during peak hours).

Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has used stern, atypically Swedish language to underline the importance of individual responsibility. ‘Too many people have been careless about following the recommendations,’ he thundered in November. A few weeks later he declared the situation  ‘serious,’ Löfven and urged