SWEDEN REMAINS OPEN FOR SKIING
26th March 2020
Last modified on May 8th, 2021
It is one of the few countries where skiing is allowed and some question the decision as the country puts few restrictions in place to fight coronavirus.
Sweden is adopting a different approach and favours the herd immunity strategy that was initially adopted by the UK.
The UK now has strict restrictions in place as the virus has spread.
It has not been proven that herd immunity to coronavirus exists and, if it does, how long it lasts.
In Sweden most restrictions on travel and meeting with people are voluntary.
If someone develops Covid-19 then the rest of the household does not need to self-isolate.
The country’s border, hotels, bars and restaurants remain open, though gatherings of more than 500 people are banned.
Here is the state of its ski resorts.
Ski resorts are still open in Sweden
At the weekend the bars, pubs and clubs in the ski resorts have been closed.
In ski resorts some question the decision and want the resorts to close.
The Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet published a photo of a handwritten sign hung up in Åre railway station that called on visitors to stay away.
“Think of us who live here, you egoists!” read the last line of the sign.
It is reported that most of the 30,000 beds in the ski resort were occupied last weekend.
All the ski resorts in neighbouring Norway have closed as we reported in this earlier story on PlanetSKI.
Norway has closed its border with Sweden.
Representatives of the Swedish health authorities and some ski resorts met on Monday to discuss the current situation.
It was concluded that it was not necessary to close them “in the current situation.”
Sweden has so far reported nearly 3,500 cases of the virus and 105 deaths.
“We who are adults need to be exactly that: adults. Not spread panic or rumours,” Prime Minister Stefan Löfven said in a televised address to the nation.
“No one is alone in this crisis, but each person has a heavy responsibility.”
In Sweden any restrictions are more guidelines than strict rules.
Sick or elderly people are being advised to stay at home.
Others should wash their hands and avoid any non-essential travel, as well as working from home.
In contrast to the multi-generational homes in countries like Italy and Spain more than half of Swedish households are made up of one person.
This cuts the risk of the virus spreading within families.
