Sweden Lifts Quarantine Measures Despite 40,000 Daily COVID-19 Cases in Japan: "Manageable"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] Despite reporting around 40,000 daily COVID-19 cases, Sweden announced on the 3rd (local time) that it will lift quarantine measures starting next week, according to major foreign media.

According to reports, Swedish authorities decided to lift lockdown measures as immunity has improved through vaccine booster shots (third dose), and the number of patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 infections is at a manageable level.

Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said at a press conference that "It is time to reopen Sweden."

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Swedish health authorities have been implementing measures such as shortening the operating hours of bars and restaurants and limiting indoor gatherings to 500 people.

Previously, in September last year, Sweden judged that herd immunity had been achieved through vaccination and lifted most quarantine regulations, including restrictions on public events like sports games and concerts, limits on private gatherings, and remote work. However, as cases surged in December, lockdown measures were strengthened again.

According to the international statistics site Worldometer, on the 1st, Sweden (population approximately 10.4 million) reported 39,070 new daily COVID-19 cases.

The daily new cases were around 10,000 at the end of December last year, surged to about 53,000 on the 27th of last month, and have recently been generally decreasing. The cumulative number of confirmed cases is 2,223,115. The vaccination completion rate is 74% of the total population, and the booster shot rate is 40%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.