Coronavirus Pandemic: Sweden tightens COVID-19 restrictions as infections tick up again

People in Sweden will soon be required to show proof of vaccination to attend large indoor events with 100 people or more, the government said here on Wednesday.

The new measure is to be introduced on December 1.

"The increasing spread of infections in Europe is the reason why the Public Health Agency now wants to introduce the use of vaccination certificates," the agency's recently appointed Director-General Karin Tegmark Wisell said at a press conference.

Event organizers can opt out of this rule but will then have to introduce other measures to ensure that unvaccinated individuals are not infected. Exactly what this entails has not yet been decided, but the new rules could, for example, oblige people to keep a distance from one another or limit their number in a given area.

At a joint press conference, Minister for Health and Social Affairs Lena Hallengren said she expected most event organizers to require proof of vaccination.

The Public Health Agency has also reintroduced the recommendation that all those with symptoms should get tested. As of November 1, tests are recommended for unvaccinated individuals only.

According to the latest statistics, the number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in Sweden has surpassed 1.186 million by Wednesday, and the cumulative number of fatalities has reached 15,107, with 13 deaths registered in the previous 24 hours.

A total of 7.29 million individuals, or 85.3 per cent of the population aged 16 and over, have received at least one vaccine dose, and 81.7 per cent two doses.

(ANI/Xinhua)