Stockholm trailing behind other regions in Covid-19 vaccinations
Phase Two of Sweden’s Covid-19 vaccination programme – which includes for example everyone over the age of 65 – is under way in all regions apart from Stockholm, according to public broadcaster SVT. Stockholm is still vaccinating people who receive at-home care as part of Phase One, and expects to finish that round of vaccinations this week.
In The Local’s latest look at how vaccinations are progressing in Sweden’s 21 regions, Stockholm was bottom of the table with 4.4 and 2.33 percent of the adult population having received the first and second doses of the vaccine, respectively. The national average at that point (the last week of February) was 6.51 and 3.40 percent, respectively.
Swedish vocabulary: phase two – fas två
Swedish police investigate rally against coronavirus measures
The organiser of a march against Sweden’s coronavirus restrictions may be fined 20,000 kronor after around 600 people (as reported by newswire TT) turned up to the rally – well above the current legal limit that bans public gatherings of more than eight people.
Police said the demonstration did not have a permit, and around 50 people were removed from the scene by officers after they refused to leave. Six police officers were injured, one of whom was taken to hospital. The other five received minor injuries.
“The gathering was held in violations of the rules aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19. It is, of course, remarkably bad judgment and completely unacceptable,” said Stockholm police chief Mats Löfving in a statement after the rally on Saturday.
Police also said one person is suspected of violent rioting, and another of sabotaging police work. However, no one was in custody as of Sunday morning.
Swedish vocabulary: public gathering – allmän sammankomst
Swedish party leader calls for tougher lockdown
Annie Lööf, the leader of the Centre Party, has called on the government to close shopping centres for two to three weeks to curb the spread of coronavirus. She made the comments in an interview with SVT’s news programme Agenda on Sunday.
However, state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell argued that specific measures in environments where there is a confirmed high spread of infection would be more effective than a blanket lockdown. Sweden’s vaccination programme is not expected to have a significant impact on the spread of infection until early or mid-summer.
Shops and shopping centres are currently ordered to limit the number of customers allowed – with 500 as the maximum cap – but are allowed to remain open.
Swedish vocabulary: shopping centre – köpcentrum
Islamist extremists campaigning in northern Stockholm
Radical anti-democratic islamist movement Hizb ut-Tahrir, whose goal is to establish a global islamist caliphate with shariah laws, is currently mobilising in the Järva area north of Stockholm. Residents have reported that flyers are being handed out and that they are putting up posters in central Rinkeby, among other places, reports SVT.
“Some people are worried. This is an extremist message from an extremist organisation,” Martin Marmgren, head of local police in Järva, told SVT.
Swedish vocabulary: flyer – flygblad
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