Today in Sweden: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday

More Covid-19 patients in hospital in Stockholm

A total of 2,132 new infections were confirmed in the Stockholm region between August 31st and September 6th, including 15 positive tests in an elderly care home.

The new update from Stockholm’s infectious disease doctors stated that 114 Covid-19 patients were receiving hospital care, 15 more than the previous week. They include 20 people in intensive care. The statement urged everyone to get vaccinated and to keep following restrictions, including for now the ones that will be lifted in three weeks.

Swedish vocabulary: week – vecka

Another senior Social Democrat picks party leader favourite

Anders Ygeman, the Minister for Energy and Digital Development, is the latest political heavyweight to throw his support behind Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson as the Social Democrat who should take over as party leader after Stefan Löfven steps down.

His comments to Expressen came after Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist expressed his support for Andersson in an interview with P4 Dalarna on Monday. This is significant because both are names who have been tipped as potential contenders for the post.

The new party leader will be elected at the party conference in early November.

Swedish vocabulary: interview – intervju

Who is Magdalena Andersson, the woman likely to be Sweden’s next prime minister? https://t.co/0nffwulok7 via @TheLocalSweden Sweden's news in English

— Paul O'Mahony (@OMahonyPaul) September 6, 2021

Sweden may have to discard thousands of Covid vaccine doses

Doktor 24 and Min Doktor, two of the vaccine administrators in Malmö and Stockholm, have warned that up to 7,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine may have to be thrown away in the two cities unless more people book their vaccine appointment. This is because these doses will pass their best-before date in two weeks, they told the TT news agency.

A spokesperson for Doktor 24 said that they were seeing less demand for the vaccine in the age group 16-40 compared to other age groups.

Swedish vocabulary: age group – åldersgrupp

Sweden to lift more Covid-19 restrictions at end of September

Sweden will go ahead with the next step of its plan to lift Covid-19 restrictions from late September. The limit on the number of people allowed at both public and private events will be removed along with all remaining rules that apply to restaurants and bars such as limits on visitor groups and distance between tables; previously the events and hospitality sectors were subject to strict legal limits, and could face fines if found in violation of these.

The national recommendation to work from home if possible, which was not legally binding, will also be removed, but the Public Health Agency has advised employers to implement a return to physical workplaces “gradually”.

Some Covid recommendations still remain. You can read more about them HERE.

Swedish vocabulary: event – evenemang