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IPFS News Link • Sweden

Lockdown-free Sweden is seeing a 'very positive' downward trend in cases...

• https://www.dailymail.co, By TIM STICKINGS

Sweden is seeing a 'very positive' downward trend in coronavirus cases after its much-debated decision not to go into lockdown, its top epidemiologist says.

Anders Tegnell said the number of seriously sick patients was 'close to zero' with the curve of new virus cases also bending downwards.

Tegnell is also continuing to play down the effectiveness of face masks - saying there is 'no point' wearing them on public transport. 

Sweden recorded only 1,716 new cases last week, down from 9,094 just a month earlier, and deaths have also been on the decline.    

'The curves go down, and the curves over the seriously ill begin to be very close to zero. As a whole, it is very positive,' Tegnell said.  

Sweden became a closely-watched outlier in the spring after refusing to go into lockdown, with shops and restaurants staying open throughout the crisis. 

Large gatherings were banned along with visits to nursing homes, but primary schools stayed open even in hard-hit Stockholm. 

Citizens have largely complied with social distancing recommendations and the government says that its softer measures will be easier to maintain long-term. 

On Monday, Sweden announced just 398 new cases over the weekend, down from 767 the week before and 2,530 only a month ago. 


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