Sweden’s approach to the fighting against virus got a new scenario, The Local Sweden has learned. The current infection outbreak is expected to peak in mid-December, according to the data of the Public Health Agency.
The Swedish health authorities are expecting the peak in COVID-19 cases in mid-December, although, the actual outcome depends on several factors. The new scenario presented today is based on the number of reported corona cases between August 24th and November 6th.
The new scheme outlines how the virus may spread across Sweden from today until March. It predicts that the outbreak will peak in mid-December. “It’s a scenario, not a prognosis,” Public Health Agency director Johan Carlson told a press conference on Thursday.
The medical official added that because the pathogen is still new to the epidemiologists, is not possible to compare to how it has developed in previous years. In other words, it relies on a mathematical model based on what Swedes know about the situation now and is sensitive to several external factors.
As of today, 236,355 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Sweden. There were 6,622 fatalities and 3,187 ICU admissions. That is why Sweden has banned public events of more than eight people, but the government has said that this is expected to set a standard for all social situations, whether or not such social situations are covered by the law.
“Remember the number eight,” prime minister Stefan Löfven told the journalists on Thursday. He urged people to avoid crowded stores when they decide to do their Christmas shopping.
The new scenario comes at the government’s request, and the Public Health Agency is instructed to update it every other month. It is meant to help other Swedish authorities plan their own coronavirus contingency plans.
And although the scenario states that the peak will come in a couple of weeks, that doesn’t mean the virus will go away any time soon. It also predicts that the spread of infection will remain higher than in summer until late February.
Sweden does not expect vaccinations of risk groups to start until January at the latest.
