SWEDEN ISOLATED AS ITS NORDIC NEIGHBOURS KEEP THEIR DISTANCE
▶ Stockholm’s controversial response to the coronavirus outbreak is under renewed pressure
Sweden’s Nordic neighbours may keep their travel restrictions to the country because of its divisive approach to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sweden’s radically laissez-faire attitude to the virus has been blamed for a surge in deaths since the outbreak began. The nation passed 4,000 deaths this week with 35,727 cases confirmed.
Those figures have put Sweden’s death-toll nearly four times higher than the combined total of the other Nordic countries.
This stark difference and fears across Europe of a second surge in Covid-19 cases have led nations like Finland and Norway to reconsider allowing Swedish tourists to move without restriction through a northern travel zone is a risk work taking.
There have been calls for the EU to lift travel restrictions and open borders by midJune.
However, in Denmark there are growing calls to reopen borders with nations like Norway, a non-EU member, and Germany before Sweden.
“I certainly don’t think that we should wait on opening the border with Germany until we can justify opening the border with Sweden,” Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, the leader of Denmark’s opposition Liberal Party, said.
“If it isn’t safe from a health perspective to open the border with Sweden, Swedes should stay at home while we let in the Germans.”
Finland will retain its border controls until June 14 and although travel restrictions will be lifted for some neighbours, the country’s Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo has said the coronavirus situation in Sweden remains “worrying”.
On Radio Sweden, Line Vold, director for infectious disease control at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, said: “We can see that Sweden has a good overview of the situation and it’s transparent. We speak to our Nordic colleagues weekly and there are ongoing discussions on how to lift the restrictions in the best way.”
In March, when other nations across Europe imposed strict lockdown measures that radically restricted individual movement and closed non-essential businesses, Sweden took a markedly relaxed approach.
While the government banned gatherings of more than 50 people, bars, cafes and restaurants remained open.
It was recommended that people try to abide by social distancing rules but those recommendations were not given any legal force. Sweden also kept its borders with neighbouring nations open.
As Swedes were told to exercise their common sense, images of Stockholm’s packed bars and parks were in dramatic contrast to the empty streets of London, Paris and Berlin.
The Swedish government hit out at reports that the country could be excluded when travel restrictions are lifted. Foreign
Minister Ann Linde said the decision would be a political one rather than a choice justified by health concerns.
“It is a very complicated issue, and I think that all politicians in every country should also look at the long-term effect before they take very politically motivated decisions,” Ms Linde said.
While Sweden has advised its residents not to travel abroad until July 15, up to a month later than some European nations, already EU member Cyprus has said it will not accept tourists from Sweden because of the high rate of Covid-19 in the Nordic country.
When the Mediterranean island nation reopens from June 9, it has said that it will accept direct flights from Norway, Denmark and Finland.
Sweden has tried to present its coronavirus policy in the best possible light, arguing that the high number of casualties it has suffered now will be offset by greater immunity among the general population.
However, the World Health Organisation has issued a warning that recovery from coronavirus symptoms does not necessarily guarantee immunity.
With Sweden, by some calculations, being the country worst hit by the coronavirus in the world, leading Britain, the US and Italy, experts remain divided on the efficacy of Stockholm’s plan.
“When we get to summer, it might be the case that we have so many people in Sweden who are immune that it could be safer for Swedes to go there than others,” Anders Tegnell, Sweden’s state epidemiologist, said regarding possible summer travel plans.
While the state banned gatherings of more than 50 people, bars, cafes and restaurants remained open