Sweden recommends masks during rush hour, as coronavirus deaths hit record number
On Wednesday, December 30 Sweden sought to increase measures against Covid-19, recommending that commuters wear masks on public transport during rush hour, reports Reuters.
As the Swedish death toll from Covid-19 hits a record number, the updated advice on face masks comes just a day after the national health agency recommended that more healthcare workers wear masks too.
On Wednesday December 30, Sweden announced that it had registered 8,846 new Covid-19 cases and 243 deaths, the highest in Sweden since the pandemic began.
However, the health agency also said that statistics over the Christmas period could be skewed because of less testing and delays in reporting deaths.
“We know that public transport means situations where congestion can be difficult to avoid ... then mouth protection can be useful,” state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told Reuters.
The updated guidance from Sweden’s health authority and Tegnell, who was the main advocator for not locking down, marks a change in strategy for the country.
Throughout the duration of the pandemic, Tegnell has said that there is poor evidence of the effectiveness of masks and also added that they might be used as an excuse not to isolate when ill with the virus.
Sweden’s total death toll stands at 8,727. Its death rate per capita is several times higher than that of its Nordic neighbours, but lower than in several European countries, which opted for lockdowns and had stricter measures in place.
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As the Swedish death toll from Covid-19 hits a record number, the updated advice on face masks comes just a day after the national health agency recommended that more healthcare workers wear masks too.
On Wednesday December 30, Sweden announced that it had registered 8,846 new Covid-19 cases and 243 deaths, the highest in Sweden since the pandemic began.
However, the health agency also said that statistics over the Christmas period could be skewed because of less testing and delays in reporting deaths.
“We know that public transport means situations where congestion can be difficult to avoid ... then mouth protection can be useful,” state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told Reuters.
The updated guidance from Sweden’s health authority and Tegnell, who was the main advocator for not locking down, marks a change in strategy for the country.
Throughout the duration of the pandemic, Tegnell has said that there is poor evidence of the effectiveness of masks and also added that they might be used as an excuse not to isolate when ill with the virus.
Sweden’s total death toll stands at 8,727. Its death rate per capita is several times higher than that of its Nordic neighbours, but lower than in several European countries, which opted for lockdowns and had stricter measures in place.
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