STOCKHOLM — Sweden will introduce a COVID-19 vaccination pass on December 1 for public indoor events of more than 100 people, as cases rise in much of Europe, the government said Wednesday.
اضافة اعلان
With infection rates relatively low, Sweden on November 1 removed the requirement for fully vaccinated people with symptoms to get tested for COVID, but the government said it was now reversing that decision after criticism.
Health Minister Lena Hallengren said Sweden expected to see a rise in cases during the winter and was “not isolated from the rest of the world.”
The vaccination pass will be required for those over the age of either 16 or 18 — the government has yet to decide — at events like concerts, theaters and sporting events, but not at restaurants and bars.
Organizers who do not require the pass will be subjected to other strict restrictions on crowd numbers and social distancing.
In the early phases of the pandemic, Sweden stood out by not introducing a lockdown and only recommending the use of facemasks in certain situations where crowding was unavoidable.
It relied instead on non-coercive recommendations, though some restrictions were introduced including on the number of people allowed at public gatherings and restaurants, and earlier closing times for bars and restaurants.
It lifted all of its restrictions in late September, as its vaccination program progressed and case numbers were under control.
A total of 67 percent of Swedes are now fully vaccinated, rising to 82 percent of those over the age of 16, according to the Public Health Agency.
The country currently has an incidence rate of 85.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the past 14 days, according to the World Health Organization — one of the lowest in Europe and far below that of its Nordic neighbors where cases are soaring.
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