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COVID-19 HEALTH PASS

IN BRIEF: What new Covid-19 rules will Sweden bring in this week?

Sweden has already brought in new Covid-19 restrictions and recommendations this week, and more could be on their way. This is what we know so far.

IN BRIEF: What new Covid-19 rules will Sweden bring in this week?
The Swedish border with Finland at Haparanda. Those crossing over into Sweden will now need to show a valid Covid-19 pass. Photo: Erik Simander/TT

All travellers arriving in Sweden from abroad should get tested

Starting on Thursday last week, Sweden’s Public Health Agency is recommending that all travellers arriving in Sweden over the age of seven take a Covid-19 test as soon as possible after arrival, even if they have tested negative shortly before beginning their journey, are vaccinated, or have recovered from a Covid-19 infection in the last six months. 

People who travel frequently across the Swedish border for work or study are not recommended to get tested every time they travel. Instead they should get tested at least once a week. 

People who work at the border, children under preschool age and children who live alternately with parents in different countries, are also excused from the recommendation to get tested after arriving in Sweden. 

You can read more about how to get tested for Covid-19 here.

Covid pass requirement for travellers from Nordic countries 

From Tuesday, December 21st, people travelling from Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland will be required to show a valid Covid-19 pass to enter Sweden, alternatively a negative test or proof of recovery.

Under current rules, everyone travelling to Sweden needs to show either an EU vaccine certificate or a vaccine certificate from a so-called “approved” country, alternatively a negative test no older than 72 hours or proof of recovery from Covid-19 in the past six months – the exact rules depend on which country you’re travelling from, and some categories of travellers are exempt from the rules.

Currently, everyone travelling from Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland is also exempt from the entry rules, meaning many non-EU nationals banned from entering Sweden directly have been able to do so via a Nordic country. From Tuesday, this loophole will be closed. 

Swedish citizens and people with permanent residency in Sweden will continue to be excused from the Covid pass requirement. 

New recommendations for children’s free-time activities, sports competitions and training camps 

Karin Tegmark-Wisell, the head of the Public Health Agency, explained at a press conference on Thursday last week that as free-time activities sports competitions and sports training camps are important to children’s physical and mental wellbeing, a decision had been made to continue to allow them to take place. 

But she said that the agency would soon publish detailed recommendations on how to hold them more safely. 

Vaccination pass for restaurants, bars and gyms?

Lena Hallengren, Sweden’s health minister, said at the press conference on Thursday that “additional measures will be needed in the near future”. If the level of infection continues to rise (which is a near certainty), she said Sweden would allow restaurants and gyms to insist on all visitors having a valid vaccine pass

As she several times said that no new restrictions would be brought in which might disturb citizens’ existing Christmas plans, it is quite likely that this will be announced this week, but will only apply after Christmas, or even at the start of next year. 

Other recommendations and restrictions which might be announced

Both at a government press conference on December 7th and in an accompanying background paper from her agency, Tegmark Wisell laid out the “step two” restrictions, which might be brought in if there is a “significant increase” in the spread of infection and “increased pressure on healthcare services”. 

As well as the vaccine pass for bars, restaurants and gyms, these measured include: 

  • Everyone should work from home, unless their work can only be carried out physically
  • Distance teaching will be partly reintroduced for adults
  • No sports matches or competitions for adults
  • Large groups should be avoided in schools
  • Measures to reduce the spread of infection will be rolled out to more venues and activities (such as, for example, a minimum distance between groups in restaurants or a limit on the number of guests at private events in hired venues

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For members

COVID-19 HEALTH PASS

How to get a Swedish Covid vaccine pass if you got vaccinated abroad

Starting February 1st, foreign residents who got vaccinated in a third country are able to get a Swedish Covid vaccine pass. But where can they apply, who is eligible, and how does the process work?

How to get a Swedish Covid vaccine pass if you got vaccinated abroad
Foreign-vaccinated Swedish residents may soon be able to attend events requiring a vaccine pass. Photo: Pär Bäckström/TT

Where can I apply?

As of February 1st, it is possible to get your overseas vaccinations added to a Swedish vaccine pass by applying at an in-person visit to a National Government Service Centre in Stockholm, at their locations in either Stockholm City or Liljeholmen (find their addresses here).

The service will be rolled out in Gothenburg, Malmö and Luleå – the only other Swedish cities that offer it – on March 1st.

You cannot currently apply for this service via post or online.

How does it work?

Visit one of the National Government Service Centres: those in Stockholm are open Monday-Friday from 10am-4pm. You do not need to book an appointment. Note that Service Centres outside Stockholm will only be offering this service from March 1st.

At the Service Centre, you will need to show one of the following accepted ID documents:

  • ID card issued by the Swedish Tax Agency
  • Swedish passport with burgundy cover
  • Swedish national ID card
  • Swedish driving license
  • Swedish SIS-marked ID card issued by, for example, a bank, company, government agency or Svensk Kassaservice
  • Swedish service card (without SIS mark) issued by a government agency

You will also need to present “original documents” confirming your vaccination.

The Service Centre will verify your documents and forward your application to the eHealth Agency, which will then issue the vaccine pass to your digital mailbox. There is currently no information as to how long it will take for applications to be processed once they have been approved by the Service Centre, but the eHealth Agency has previously said that it aims to cut waiting times to a maximum of two weeks.

Who can use this service?

The service is available to people over the age of 16 who have a registered home address in Sweden (i.e. have a Swedish personal number) and a digital mailbox.

It is only possible for people vaccinated outside the EU to get a Swedish vaccine pass. However, the EU Covid certificate, as well as certificates from more than 30 non-EU countries, are valid as proof of vaccination in Sweden so they don’t need to be converted.

“You must have received the last vaccination dose in a series, in a third country,” said the eHealth Agency on its website about the requirements for receiving a Swedish vaccine pass. “Third countries are countries outside the EU/EEA as well as countries where it has not been possible to obtain a vaccination certificate, even though the country is connected to the EU’s digital Covid certificate system.”

It is not possible for foreign tourists or people who live in Sweden but don’t have a personal number to get a Swedish vaccine pass at this stage. The government has previously said it is looking into expanding the vaccine pass scheme to these groups, too.

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