Home Covid testing system in Stockholm is on a four-day pause

HOME Covid testing scheme in Stockholm is on a four-day pause after a huge demand has left the system overwhelmed.

According to regional authorities on Sunday, November 1, a major surge in demand left 16,000 people waiting for tests for active infections in Sweden’s biggest city.

The system, which is now on a four-day pause, enabled residents to apply online for delivery and pickup of tests that they administer themselves.

Lockdown shunning Sweden has experienced record numbers of cases in recent weeks and this scheme was designed to help alleviate pressures on medical centres to perform the tasks.

“The number of people ordering home tests has increased so sharply that a queue has formed that now needs to be worked off,” the region of Stockholm said in a statement explaining its decision.

However, the need for home Covid testing and the apparent rise in cases in Stockholm has been denied by some on Twitter:

Sweden has shown that herd immunity works. 🇸🇪

Only two deaths a day and even this is debated.

This was downtown Stockholm today: pic.twitter.com/41pbdQBqPS

— Alice Jones 🇬🇧 NHS100K 💜 (@DrAliceKBF) October 28, 2020