© Jessica Gow / TT News Agency / Reuters
Commuters wear masks at an underground railway station in Stockholm, Sweden, January 2021.
The Swedish government, which was previously reluctant to impose tough Covid-19 restrictions, has now proposed vastly expanding its lockdown powers, as the country warns of a third wave of infections.
"It
could become necessary to close down parts of Swedish society," Health Minister Lena Hallengren said at a press briefing, adding that there is "a tangible
risk of a third wave of infection."
"A third wave is underway in Europe. We have to be vigilant," she said.
The statement came a day after Karin Tegmark Wisell, a senior official at the nation's Public Health Agency, warned of a "very high number" of Covid-19 cases in Sweden.
More than 19,600 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the latest weekly report, published by the Swedish government on February 12.
The government already has powers to close down shopping malls.
Officials now want to be able to close down all retailers, restaurants, gyms, hair salons, and swimming pools, and restrict the operations of amusement parks, zoos, museums, and art galleries. Under the plan, local authorities would be given powers to limit activities in public parks and bathhouses.
Comment: From Political Ponerology by Andrew Lobaczewski: We're so far down the rabbit hole that pseudo-realities have become stacked upon pseudo-realities.
During the same town hall Biden suggested we'll be living in 'very different circumstances by Christmas. We very well may, but probably not in the way he predicts.