Today in Sweden: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Find out what's going on in Sweden today with The Local's short roundup of the news in less than five minutes.
Swedish party leader to discuss security politics
Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has invited her fellow party leaders to cross-party talks about security politics on Wednesday. Swedish news agency TT reports that the talks will be held alongside discussions about the Covid situation in Sweden.
They come after the Social Democrat leader pushed back against Russia’s demand that Nato rule out future eastward expansion, underlining her country’s right to set its own alliances. In this analysis, The Local’s writer Richard Orange looks at whether Russia’s hardline stance might actually make non-aligned Sweden more likely to join Nato.
Swedish vocabulary: talks – samtal
Why some Swedish regions are cutting Covid testing for the general public
Some Swedish regions are asking their residents not to get tested for Covid-19 if they have only mild symptoms. This is not in line with Sweden’s general recommendation, but the regions say it’s necessary due to them not coping with the rush for PCR tests amid a rapid increase in Sweden’s infection rate, reports public broadcaster SVT.
In Dalarna, residents were told not to get tested yesterday and today unless they worked in the healthcare and social care sector, due to laboratories being pushed to the limit. In Västerbotten, a shortage of PCR tests prompted the region to change its guidelines so that people who got a positive result on a rapid test do not need to get a PCR test.
If unsure about whether or not to get tested, it is best to find the contact details for your region on the 1177.se healthcare website and ask. If you have Covid-19 symptoms but can’t get tested, you should still act as though you have a confirmed Covid infection and stay at home for a week, ending quarantine only after you’ve been well for two days.
Swedish vocabulary: unsure – osäker
The key things to know about Sweden’s new Covid restrictions
Swedish authorities on Monday presented a series of new Covid measures which will come into force tomorrow. The new measures – which include both restrictions and recommendations – are expected to be in place until the middle of February.
“It is undoubtedly the case that the situation has deteriorated. The spread of infection in Sweden is at historically high levels,” Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said.
Here’s a full list of the new measures (in English).
Swedish vocabulary: undoubtedly – utan tvekan
Teenager held in Sweden after two injured in school attack
It took seven minutes for police to arrive at the scene of a school in Kristianstad, southern Sweden, and arrest a 16-year-old boy after a teacher and student were stabbed on Monday. The student received serious injuries and the teacher minor injuries.
The boy is now suspected of attempted murder, with broadcaster TV4 reporting that there may be a connection between this attack and the one in the nearby town of Eslöv last year, when a 15-year-old boy with Nazi sympathies stabbed a teacher.
Police would not confirm any links or possible motives, but according to TV4 the Eslöv attacker and the Kristianstad suspect “knew each other, had been in touch with each other over the internet and shared an interest in school attacks”.
Swedish vocabulary: a school – en skola
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Swedish party leader to discuss security politics
Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has invited her fellow party leaders to cross-party talks about security politics on Wednesday. Swedish news agency TT reports that the talks will be held alongside discussions about the Covid situation in Sweden.
They come after the Social Democrat leader pushed back against Russia’s demand that Nato rule out future eastward expansion, underlining her country’s right to set its own alliances. In this analysis, The Local’s writer Richard Orange looks at whether Russia’s hardline stance might actually make non-aligned Sweden more likely to join Nato.
Swedish vocabulary: talks – samtal
Why some Swedish regions are cutting Covid testing for the general public
Some Swedish regions are asking their residents not to get tested for Covid-19 if they have only mild symptoms. This is not in line with Sweden’s general recommendation, but the regions say it’s necessary due to them not coping with the rush for PCR tests amid a rapid increase in Sweden’s infection rate, reports public broadcaster SVT.
In Dalarna, residents were told not to get tested yesterday and today unless they worked in the healthcare and social care sector, due to laboratories being pushed to the limit. In Västerbotten, a shortage of PCR tests prompted the region to change its guidelines so that people who got a positive result on a rapid test do not need to get a PCR test.
If unsure about whether or not to get tested, it is best to find the contact details for your region on the 1177.se healthcare website and ask. If you have Covid-19 symptoms but can’t get tested, you should still act as though you have a confirmed Covid infection and stay at home for a week, ending quarantine only after you’ve been well for two days.
Swedish vocabulary: unsure – osäker
The key things to know about Sweden’s new Covid restrictions
Swedish authorities on Monday presented a series of new Covid measures which will come into force tomorrow. The new measures – which include both restrictions and recommendations – are expected to be in place until the middle of February.
“It is undoubtedly the case that the situation has deteriorated. The spread of infection in Sweden is at historically high levels,” Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said.
Here’s a full list of the new measures (in English).
Swedish vocabulary: undoubtedly – utan tvekan
Teenager held in Sweden after two injured in school attack
It took seven minutes for police to arrive at the scene of a school in Kristianstad, southern Sweden, and arrest a 16-year-old boy after a teacher and student were stabbed on Monday. The student received serious injuries and the teacher minor injuries.
The boy is now suspected of attempted murder, with broadcaster TV4 reporting that there may be a connection between this attack and the one in the nearby town of Eslöv last year, when a 15-year-old boy with Nazi sympathies stabbed a teacher.
Police would not confirm any links or possible motives, but according to TV4 the Eslöv attacker and the Kristianstad suspect “knew each other, had been in touch with each other over the internet and shared an interest in school attacks”.
Swedish vocabulary: a school – en skola
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