Sweden’s deputy PM defends lack of lockdown amid Covid-19 pandemic and says it has ‘strong public support’, despite mounting deaths

MOUNTING criticism of Sweden’s refusal to impose a lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic has been defended by two of the country’s top ministers.

Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lovin and Foreign Minister Anne Linde, insist the “more relaxed” approach has had strong public support, despite a rising death toll and criticism from 22 of its own scientists.

Lovin told the Financial Times that Sweden had taken “very harsh and exceptional measures,” despite not closing its bars and restaurants.

She added the government wanted “to take the right decisions at the right time.”

For her part, Linde, said Sweden could not justify a lockdown if “it’s not going to be sustainable over time.”

But she added “it’s a myth that it’s business as usual. It’s not business as usual.”

There have been 12,540 infections in Sweden (10,826 currently), which has seen 1,333 deaths. Some 381 people have recovered.

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Tara Rippin

Tara Rippin is a reporter for Spain’s largest English-speaking newspaper, Euro Weekly News, and is responsible for the Costa Blanca region.
She has been in journalism for more than 20 years, having worked for local newspapers in the Midlands, UK, before relocating to Spain in 1990.
Since arriving, the mother-of-one has made her home on the Costa Blanca, while spending 18 months at the EWN head office in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol.
She loves being part of a community that has a wonderful expat and Spanish mix, and strives to bring the latest and most relevant news to EWN’s loyal and valued readers.

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