FAQ about COVID-19

This information is available from the WHO.

COVID-19 is the official name, decided by the WHO, for the disease caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 is an acronym for coronavirus disease 2019.

In most people, COVID-19 manifests as a respiratory tract infection, and many different symptoms may be present. It is not possible to distinguish COVID-19 from other infections from only the symptoms – a laboratory test is required.

Among the reported symptoms are:

• Cough
• Fever
• Difficulty breathing
• Runny nose
• Blocked nose
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Nausea
• Muscle and joint pain

A person falling ill with COVID-19 may experience one or more of these symptoms. It is fairly common to lose one’s sense of smell and taste for some time during an infection in the upper respiratory tract. Diarrhoea has also been reported as a symptom.

Most people get mild symptoms and can recover at home without professional medical care. The symptoms often appear gradually. Some people get a severe form of the illness, with breathing difficulties and pneumonia.

The list of symptoms may be adjusted over time, since we update our information as new knowledge becomes available, e.g. in scientific studies or from the WHO.

The time between getting infected and developing symptoms (the incubation period) seems to be between 2 and 14 days. Most people develop symptoms after 5 days.

It is very important that you stay at home if you feel ill. If you can no longer manage the illness on your own, please call 1177 for medical advice (available in English).

Since COVID-19 can cause mild symptoms, it can be difficult to distinguish between the disease and other types of illness, such as hay fever.

Stay home even if you have mild symptoms like a runny or blocked nose, a slight cough or a sore throat. Take your usual allergy medication. If the symptoms do not get worse, your medication relieves the symptoms, and your judgement is that the symptoms are likely to be caused by allergy, you do not need to remain at home.

If you experience new symptoms which you do not associate with your allergy, or if you get a fever, you should stay home until you are free from symptoms, and then an additional two days.

The coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causing COVID-19 is mainly transmitted between people via respiratory droplets or secretions from the respiratory tract. Transmission via droplets happens when an infected person coughs or sneezes and the droplets reach mucous tissue in someone's eyes, nose, or mouth. The droplets fall to the ground within approximately one meter (3 ft) from the source.

The virus can be transmitted via contaminated surfaces, so-called indirect contact transmission, but the risk of getting infected via contaminated surfaces is considered to be very low. There are no indications that anyone has been infected with the new coronavirus from touching contaminated surfaces or items.

It is currently not clear how long the virus can survive on surfaces and items. The material itself and conditions in the surrounding such as humidity, temperature, and sunlight will determine how long the virus is viable. Further studies will clarify the importance of transmission via surfaces and items for the overall spread of COVID-19.

You can decrease the risk of transmission by keeping a distance from other people in public spaces, washing your hands often with soap and warm water, avoiding touching your face (eyes, nose and mouth), and by staying at home if you are ill.

The incubation period, i.e. the time between getting infected and developing symptoms, seems to be between 2 and 14 days.

Most people develop symptoms after around 5 days, but individual cases may deviate from this pattern.

Most people infected with COVID-19 get mild symptoms of respiratory tract illness and recover without medical treatment.

Some people develop a more severe form of disease, for example pneumonia. Knowledge about the virus and the disease increases continuously.

Most people with mild symptoms of infection (fever and a cough) get well after about two weeks but it can take significantly longer, weeks or months, to fully recover after having been severely ill.

Patients with severe illness, who have been in hospital care, often need a longer period of time to recover. Some patients feel fatigued for quite some time after recovery.

Symptoms like dry cough and the loss of smell and taste may remain for some time even after having recovered from COVID-19.

The risk of transmitting COVID-19 is probably highest at the beginning of the disease. Stay at home if you are ill. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 you should stay at home for at least seven days after falling ill including two days with no fever. If you have developed more severe symptoms stay at home for at least 14 days after falling ill, and if you belong to the group who have been in hospital care, an individual assessment by your treating physician needs to be done.

The currently available knowledge about how long COVID-19 lasts comes from the WHO "Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)".

The majority of those infected get well again. A small proportion of the population, of which most belong to a risk group, develop a severe form of the disease. There is so far no data on remaining chronical conditions.

Globally, it is estimated that 0.5–1 percent of those who are infected with COVID-19 die. There is a clear relationship between increased fatality risk and older age: the older you are, the higher the risk.

There are only a few peer-reviewed studies of the infection fatality rate of COVID-19, i.e. the share of infected who die, which means that this might change as new knowledge becomes available.

A study by The Public Health Agency of Sweden estimates the fatality rate in the Stockholm region to 0.6 percent, for all ages. The fatality rate among those 70 years or older is 4.3 percent, whereas it is 0.1 percent among those younger than 70 years.

The infection fatality rate of COVID-19 in Stockholm – Technical report

Some groups of people may get more severe symptoms if they are infected by COVID-19. For example, they may get pneumonia or shortness of breath. The older people are, the greater the risk of serious illness and death. If people also have other health conditions, the risk is even greater. Men are approximately twice as likely as women to become seriously ill and die.

The risk of becoming seriously ill increases gradually with age:

• People aged 60-70 are twice as likely to become seriously ill as people aged 50-60
• People aged 70-80 are five times more likely to become seriously ill than people aged 50-60
• People over 80 are at greatest risk. They are twelve times more likely to become seriously ill than people aged 50-60

70 or over

The list below is of health conditions that, added to increasing age, can further increase risk. The higher up they appear in the list, the greater the increased risk.

• Organ transplants
• Blood cancers – existing or previous
• Neurological conditions (e.g. MS, Parkinson’s, myasthenia gravis)
• Obesity (risk increases with increased levels of obesity)
• Diabetes (less risk if it is well controlled)
• Ongoing cancer treatment
• Chronic pulmonary diseases (including asthma, but risk very marginal if well controlled)
• Stroke/dementia
• Other immunosuppressive conditions or treatment
• Liver disease
• Impaired kidney function
• Cardiovascular disease

High blood pressure on its own does not appear to increase the risk at all and therefore no longer appears on the list.

Under 70

People under 70 may also be at increased risk of serious illness if they have:

• one or more of the health conditions listed above
• a health condition that increases the risk of serious illness if they get a respiratory infection

Children are very unlikely to become seriously ill, even if they have one of the conditions or illnesses that increase the risk for adults and older people.

New information is being added continuously, and the Public Health Agency of Sweden is monitoring developments and updating its information in line with the most recent knowledge.

There are few studies of pregnant women with COVID-19, and only a limited amount of information is available. At present, there are no indications that pregnancy is a risk factor for severe illness from COVID-19.

Risk factors such as severe obesity, high blood pressure or diabetes might increase the risk of severe illness. Therefore, pregnant women who have any of those risk factors should be careful and consult with their midwife or doctor and limit close contact with people outside of the household as much as possible.

It is important to avoid getting infected before delivery because a respiratory infection towards the end of the pregnancy can be difficult and might imply risks to the pregnant woman.

We recommend that pregnant women take extra precautions from week 36 and follow our recommendations thoroughly.

Mother-to-child transmission of COVID-19 during pregnancy is unlikely. Children can be infected with COVID-19 but severe symptoms are very rare in newborn babies and in children. Therefore, healthy newborn babies do not need to be separated from their mother after delivery due to the risk of transmission.

According to available studies, breast milk is not a source of transmission of COVID-19 and there is therefore no reason to prevent mothers from breastfeeding.

Information is also available from the centre for knowledge about infections during pregnancy (in Swedish).

It is unclear how long immunity against COVID-19 lasts after an infection. Based on previous experience, there is reason to believe that immunity will last long enough to prevent people from getting infected several times during the same season.

Yes, smoking increases the risk of severe illness with COVID-19, according to available studies.

The fact that tobacco smoking increases the risk of severe symptoms during respiratory tract infections is already well-known from e.g. seasonal influenza.

Some health benefits of giving up smoking appear quickly, for example increased oxygenation of the blood, lower blood pressure, and improved pulmonary function. For advice and support to stop smoking, contact Sluta-Röka-Linjen (information etc. is available in English and other languages).

New information and data is added continuously, and the Public Health Agency monitors the situation and updates its advice accordingly.

The coronavirus causing COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) is mainly transmitted person-to-person via respiratory droplets. This means that the virus reaches the inside of your eyes, nose or mouth from droplets that are dispersed in the air when someone sneezes or coughs. The droplets fall to the ground within approximately one meter (3 ft) from the source.

There are reports of transmission of COVID-19 from people without any symptoms of illness. However, only a few studies describe the role of this type of transmission in relation to the overall spread of COVID-19 in the community. Based on the available knowledge about COVID-19 and similar diseases, the current understanding is that this route of transmission represents a minor part.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the community, it is important to limit the transmission of the virus from people with symptoms of illness. This is one of the objectives of the Public Health Agency's ongoing efforts.

It is not yet clear how long the virus can survive outside the body. Research on related coronaviruses shows that they can live for several days on surfaces and items, under particular conditions. Their survival depends on temperature, humidity, and sunlight. Coronaviruses are sensitive to dehydration.

The amount of virus particles present also determines how long a surface or an item is contagious. Such studies are done under controlled conditions in laboratories, and are not directly transferable to other environments, for example in the community.

A recent study from a healthcare setting where patients with COVID-19 had been isolated shows that small amounts of genetic material from the virus can remain in the environment. Further studies will clarify the role of indirect contact transmission for the spread of COVID-19.

It is important to maintain good hand hygiene. By washing your hands with soap and water you can decrease the risk of getting infected and infecting others. If water and soap are not available, alcohol-based hand rub can be used instead.

There is no data indicating that people have been infected from food or water. The coronavirus causing COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) is mainly transmitted person-to-person via respiratory droplets. This means that the virus reaches the inside of your eyes, nose or mouth from droplets that are dispersed in the air when someone sneezes or coughs. It is also unlikely that COVID-19 is transmitted via water in swimming pools or other types of baths.

Wash your hands often with soap and warm water; before cooking and eating and after using the toilet. Alcohol-based hand rub is an alternative when you do not have access to hand washing facilities.

More information is available from the Swedish Food Agency (in Swedish).

The virus causing the disease COVID-19 was most probably transmitted from animals to humans at a market with live animals in China. The possible animal source of COVID-19 has not yet been confirmed but research is ongoing.

There is no evidence that the virus can spread from humans to pets.

More information is available from the National Veterinary Institute, SVA (in Swedish).

In a household where someone is ill with COVID-19 it is enough to clean as usual, using products available in supermarkets. Household waste, including paper tissues from infected persons, can be disposed of in your normal way.

Face masks are not needed in everyday life. The best way to protect oneself and others is to keep at a distance from other people and to maintain good hand hygiene.

Read more here about how to protect yourself and others from transmission.

The scientific evidence around the effectiveness of face masks in combatting the spread of infection is weak, which is why different countries have arrived at different recommendations.

Some countries have chosen to view face masks as a form of security and hope that universal use of face masks will reduce the risk of infection spreading from people who are in the incubation period, before the symptoms are apparent, or who have such mild or unspecific symptoms that they do not consider themselves ill.

The Public Health Agency of Sweden does not recommend the general use of face masks, as a face mask that itches or slips down below the nose may mean a person is regularly touching their mouth, eyes or nose with their hands, which can increase the risk of the infection spreading.

Use of a facemask may also encourage people with mild symptoms to go out into the community, which might increase the spread of infection.

The Public Health Agency of Sweden is constantly assessing the state of knowledge in this area and reviews new information from various sources.

You should avoid using a fan or portable air conditioning  in any room where there are several people together, and in particular avoid directing the fan at groups of people.

Viruses will normally only travel a short way through the air before they fall to the ground. However, if you have a fan on in a room, it is possible in theory for the fan to blow droplets containing the virus a longer distance.

This may apply to COVID-19, although scientists have not looked specifically at how its virus particles are affected by fans.

Therefore, the advice from the Public Health Agency of Sweden is that if there is a large group of people in the same place, they should not have a fan directed at them. However, a fan can be used in a room where there is only one person.

Our general guidelines state that people should maintain a physical distance from other people to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, particularly outside their immediate circles. Closeness, intimacy and sex promote well-being and a general good state of health. In a steady relationship, where people are already seeing each other and are close, sex is not precluded provided you or your partner/s are not showing any symptoms of illness. However, dating and casual sexual relationships with new partners put you at risk of being infected or of infecting others.

We all have a personal responsibility to do what we can in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This is what you can do:

• Stay at home if you are ill. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 you should stay at home for at least seven days after falling ill including two days with no fever.
• Maintain good hand hygiene. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If handwashing facilities are not available, alcohol-based hand rub is an alternative. The alcohol-based hand rub should contain at least 60 % alcohol.
• Avoid touching you face (eyes, nose, mouth). Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or paper tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Maintain physical distance from other people, indoors and outdoors in places where people gather such as shops, museums, libraries, civic centres, bathing places, beaches, camping sites, open-air cafés and restaurants.
• Avoid social gatherings like parties, funerals, and weddings.
• Maintain physical distance from other people at sports grounds, in swimming baths, in gyms, and other exercise facilities. Avoid using public changing rooms.

Beginning 13 June anyone without symptoms or newly diagnosed COVID-19 is allowed to travel within Sweden. However, it is important to take the following into account:

• If possible, travel by other means than public transportation, e.g. by bicycle or walk.
• If you need to travel by public transport, it is preferable to choose an alternative where it is possible to book a seat in advance, e.g. train. We advise you to avoid any travel by public transport where you cannot book a seat in advance, e.g. trams, subway and local buses. If this is not possible, ensure physical distance from other people.
• Do not travel at rush hour unless necessary.

Read more:

Protect yourself and others from spread of infection

Visiting Sweden during the covid-19 pandemic - Krisinformation.se

If you feel ill with symptoms including a runny or blocked nose, cough, or fever you should avoid contact with other people.

This also applies if you only feel a little bit unwell. Do not go to work, school or pre-school. It is very important not to risk transmitting the illness to anyone else.

No, as long as siblings or other members of the family do not show symptoms of disease they can go to school, preschool or their workplace. In families where one or more people are ill, it is very important to be alert to any signs of illness.

Please take care not to spread disease.

If you have a confirmed COVID-19 infection you should stay at home for at least seven days after falling ill. You should be free from fever for two days and clearly feel well before returning to work or school. A dry cough and loss of smell and taste may remain but if you feel well otherwise and seven days have passed since you fell ill you can return to work or school.

The same applies if you have been ill, but not with COVID-19: stay at home for as long as you are ill. You should clearly feel better and be free from fever for two days before returning to work or school.

This applies provided that you feel well and do not have a weakened immune system because of medical treatment or a disease.

This advice will be updated continuously as we learn more about COVID-19.

There is now an ongoing transmission of COVID-19 in the community in several regions in Sweden. Our advice is therefore that you work from home, if it is possible to do so and if your employer agrees.

This is to decrease the speed of transmission and the number of people in need of hospital care. A rapid increase of the number of infected would put unnecessary pressure on healthcare services. By slowing the rate, we give the healthcare system a better chance of coping with the extra burden.

It is particularly important to protect older people from COVID-19. As of 1 April 2020, all visits to homes designed for older people in Sweden are banned in order to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

You can arrange to see a relative who is 70 years or older under the right circumstances. Plan the meetings ahead, think about the risk of transmission in advance and take measures in order to reduce the risk.

Do not have close contact with people over the age of 70 unless it is absolutely necessary. Stay at home if you have any symptoms of illness, even if you only have mild symptoms. COVID-19 may have the same symptoms as a regular cold, thus it is very important to be alert to any signs of illness.

To avoid getting infected the Public Health Agency urges anyone 70 or older to limit close contacts with other people.

As from 13 June you can travel if you do not have any symptoms. Preferably, use your own means of transport or public transport where you can book a seat in advance.

You should avoid travelling by public transport, e.g. train, bus, tram or subway, visit supermarkets or other venues where many people gather at the same time. Instead, ask friends, family or neighbours to do your shopping, pick up medicines from the pharmacy, or run other errands.

Many people feel worried, insecure and lonely under these circumstances. Remember that this situation will remain for a limited time. Try to ease your mind by doing something you find enjoyable and stimulating. If you take a walk, maintain physical distance from other people. Keep in touch with friends and family via telephone, email or social media.

We recommend that people aged 70 or over avoid infection by limiting their physical contact with other people. However, it is important that people get to see their nearest and dearest for their own well-being. Older people can meet friends and family, preferably outdoors, if everyone maintains a physical distance. There is much less risk of infection when you are outdoors.

It is important to remember that, even though children and young people do not seem to be the group driving the pandemic, children can still spread infection. When we meet children and young people it is often in the company of other adults, who may also be carriers.

Remember too that any close physical contact potentially risks spreading infection. This means it is very important to maintain a physical distance even when meeting people outdoors. As a benchmark, it is suggested that we keep about an arm’s length away from each other. It is also better to meet with just a few people at a time. Plan your meeting in advance and think about what you can do to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.

You can also keep in touch with your relatives and friends via the phone, computer and social media.

If you, your friends or members of your family test positive for antibodies, you might be freer to socialise. See the Q & A about what a positive antibody test could mean.

As of 15 June 2020 the recommendation ends for upper secondary schools, colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education or adult learning to provide distance education rather than classes on their premises.

The reason is that children and youth to a limited extent have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and few have been in need of intensive care. In the light of current knowledge upper secondary schools, colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher education or adult learning may resume classes on their premises.

However, it is important to follow the general guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19

There are currently no studies to show what precise distance is safe, but in view of how the infection spreads by droplets, a guideline might be no less than an arm’s length. Another reason why the Public Health Agency of Sweden is only giving an approximate measurement is that businesses such as restaurants and shops and other public spaces need a degree of flexibility to be able to operate.

It is important to be considerate and use good sense when we meet other people, which means we should keep at a distance from others in public places, both indoors and outdoors. Beginning 13 June anyone without symptoms or newly diagnosed COVID-19 is allowed to travel within Sweden. The decision is based on the current infection trend and a forecast of the effects of increased travel. However, it is of utmost importance to continue to take great personal responsibility and follow our recommendations to keep a distance from others e.g. at bathing places, beaches, camping sites and open-air cafés and restaurants.

The coronavirus is primarily transmitted person-to-person via droplets dispersed in the air when someone coughs, sneezes or talks. Studies on infections spread by droplet transmission show that the droplets fall down through the air quickly and do not generally travel more than an arm’s length.

If a person in a household is ill with a high temperature/fever, a cough or other symptoms of COVID-19, they should self-isolate at home. If possible, the person who is ill should self-isolate in a separate room.

Remember:

• Try to keep at least an arm’s length away from the person who is ill
• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as often as possible Always wash your hands before meals, when preparing food and after using the toilet
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow or a paper tissue Always put used tissues into the bin and wash your hands afterwards

Provided siblings or other family members have no symptoms they can carry on as normal and go to pre-school, school or work, but they should be on the lookout for symptoms and, if any arise, should stay at home.

It is not yet clear to what extent a COVID-19 infection or the existence of antibodies provide immunity. People who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection should therefore follow the same recommendations as the rest of the population.

You have recovered if it is at least seven days since you fell ill and at least 48 hours since you experienced any symptoms.

Yes and no.

General guidelines
General guidelines are not binding, they are a recommendation as to what to do in order to comply with a law, an ordinance or a regulation.

You do not have to do exactly as the guidelines say. However, if you decide to do something differently, you must be able to show that you are complying with the binding legislation. The Public Health Agency of Sweden has produced general guidelines on COVID-19 and also on swimming facilities and indoor noise.

Recommendation
A recommendation is neither binding nor linked to binding legislation (unlike general guidelines). However, a recommendation is based on all the knowledge available on a particular subject, which means it is a good idea to follow a recommendation issued by an authority.

The Public Health Agency uses several different surveillance systems to monitor the spread of COVID-19 in Sweden. Since COVID-19 is subject to mandatory reporting under the Communicable Diseases Act, physicians and laboratories continuously supply data to be analysed by the Public Health Agency on a daily basis.

Other sources of data are random samples from patients with symptoms of influenza, or from other groups of people. Statistics from the medical advice service 1177 (web searches and telephone calls) is also used to monitor the situation.

Collected data provides a background for decisions about interventions made with the aim of minimising mortality, the number of people affected by the disease, and the negative effects for society. Data from surveillance also makes it possible to monitor and evaluate the effects of interventions so far, and to follow and somewhat predict the further development of the pandemic.

The Public Health Agency issues a weekly report showing the number of COVID-19 cases, beginning 20 March 2020.

Weekly reports and other information about surveillance can be found here (in Swedish).

Classifying the disease as dangerous to public health and to society is a measure taken in order to enhance preparedness in Sweden, permitting interventions including quarantine, isolation, health screenings on arrival in Sweden and lockdown of areas.

Depending on the intervention, the decision is made either by the county medical officer or by the Public Health Agency.

Contact tracing is an investigation of how an infected person might have contracted the disease (e.g. COVID-19), including the identification of other people who may be infected or have been exposed to the virus.

Contact tracing can be a question of vital importance to prevent further spread or large outbreaks of the disease.

Testing for COVID-19 is always organised in accordance with regional and local guidelines. The Public Health Agency of Sweden recommends everyone with symptoms of COVID-19 to take a test in order to find out if they have a current COVID-19 infection. We also recommend testing to take place in cases of contact tracing or screening. The test should be taken even if you don’t have any symptoms of COVID-19.

In a situation where the number of suspected cases exceeds the capacity of healthcare services for testing, a special prioritisation is recommended. For more information: Provtagningsindikation för covid-19 (in Swedish).

The Government has commissioned the Public Health Agency of Sweden to produce a national strategy for increased testing and analysis of COVID-19 (in Swedish), with more information about the recommendations regarding testing.

The Public Health Agency is doing a survey in Stockholm to assess the level of COVID-19 in the community. In early April, approximately 4000 people were asked if they wanted to participate by providing samples. Participation is voluntary.

This survey is one way of gathering information about the number of people in the community infected with COVID-19. Since people with mild symptoms are asked to stay at home, mainly patients with severe symptoms are being tested when admitted to hospital.

It is not possible to sign up for this survey. Participants are randomly selected from the Public Health Agency's regular survey panel. Results are expected in early May. A similar, smaller survey has been done previously in Stockholm.

More information is available here (in Swedish).

So-called serological tests are being developed. They detect antibodies in the blood and can be used in order to find out if a person has had an infection with the new coronavirus. There are no reliable tests of this kind available yet. When they become available, they will primarily be used for testing healthcare and social care staff.

Serological tests are not useful during the acute illness, since they only, after some time of infection, detect whether someone has, or has had COVID-19.

There is currently no vaccine and no approved medicine against COVID-19. Any treatment given in severe cases of illness serves to support the patient’s lungs and other internal organs.

Research on pharmacological treatments and a vaccine against COVID-19 is conducted ongoing in Sweden and internationally. The Swedish Medical Products Agency collaborates with its European and global counterparts in these efforts.

Testing people with COVID-19 symptoms to exclude the possibility of illness is important for enabling those working in essential services to return to work more quickly and ensuring essential services can be maintained.

Employers and commissioning parties will assess whether their activity constitutes an essential service and inform staff of arrangements for testing in the workplace.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) has produced definitions of essential services in the context of COVID-19. They have also produced guidance for employers and commissioning parties to help them assess whether or not their activity is classed as an essential service.

For anyone who has no symptoms, the presence of IgG antibodies means they are less at risk of being infected and thus, there is less of a risk that they will pass on the infection to other people.

If you have no symptoms, a positive test result allows you greater opportunities to socialise with other people, even if you are in an at-risk group or are aged 70 or over. In the first place, this could mean socialising with people you are close to, such as friends and family, both indoors and outside.

We must each always make our own individual assessment of the situation and continue to follow the general recommendations for reducing the spread of infection in the community:

• Stay at home if you are feeling unwell.
• Wash your hands regularly. The virus can be transferred to your hands when you touch things. Therefore, you should wash your hands often. That will get rid of the virus. This reduces the risk of the infection being spread.
• Maintain a physical distance from people outside your social circle.
• At work: Follow guidelines and recommendations in relation to personal protective equipment and hygiene procedures in health and medical care and social care.

To produce reliable results, antibody tests need to be extremely effective. When undergoing an antibody test, it is important to consider its intended use. The person carrying out the test must provide you with information about the implications of your test result.

Not everyone who have had COVID-19 develop antibodies. There will be some who develop antibodies, while others  do not develop antibodies but instead an immune response through the T cells. Those who have developed antibodies are most probably protected for six months after having received the test result. It is not yet clear what a T cell response to the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) means in terms of protection against reinfection, and research is ongoing.

Analysing T cell responses to COVID-19 is more complicated than analysing antibodies. For the time being, therefore, this is not being done routinely for individuals but only for research purposes.

The current number of confirmed cases, in Sweden (in Swedish) and globally, is displayed on our website. The figures change constantly, as more people seek healthcare and are diagnosed with the disease. However, there is a number of unrecorded cases of infected individuals who have not sought healthcare and therefore have not been tested. How large the number of unrecorded cases is depends on the strategy and test capacity of each country. In Sweden the testing has increased substantially during April, May and June, in accordance with the National Strategy. Most of the regions offer and encourage everyone with symptoms to get tested. The more extensive the testing is, the lower the number of unrecorded cases.

Read more in the weekly report about COVID-19 (in Swedish).

The number of fatal cases of COVID-19 in Sweden is displayed here Antal fall av covid-19 (in Swedish). This website is updated daily.

There is some delay in the reporting of the number of deaths as well as additional data for those cases.

As of 29 March, the Swedish Government has decided to ban all public gatherings and events with more than 50 people. The aim with this legislation is to prevent situations where large numbers of people from different parts of the country come together in the same place.

Examples of public gatherings and events are demonstrations, seminars, religious gatherings, theatre performances and concerts. Sports events, dances and fairs are other examples.

An exhaustive list of situations affected by the legislation can be found in the Public Order Act 2 chapter, 1-3 §§. Further information is available from the Swedish Police (in Swedish).

On 1 April, the Public Health Agency issued regulations and general guidelines regarding our shared responsibility to prevent transmission of COVID-19. Everyone has a personal responsibility to prevent transmission. You should avoid any large social gathering such as parties, weddings, funerals and other events attracting many people at the same time.

It is also of utmost importance to keep a distance from others at e.g. sports grounds, gyms, shopping centers, public transportation etc. People older than 70 should limit all close contacts with others.

Prior to all events and public gatherings, the Public Health Agency recommends that the organisers do a risk assessment. A model for assessing and addressing potential risks is available here (in Swedish).

According to the general guidelines published by the Public Health Agency, public transport operators should:

• provide enough services to avoid crowding,
• limit the number of passengers per vehicle, and
• inform their passengers about how to minimise the risk of disease transmission.

Businesses and organisations in Sweden must take note of the recommendations of the Public Health Agency of Sweden or County Medical Officers and do what they can to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This means that:

• Shops and shopping centres must do what they can to limit the number of people on their premises at any one time. They should come up with alternative arrangements for checkout queues and advise customers how far apart they need to stand
• Employers can also ease the situation for their employees by:
  - supporting employees who are on sick leave. Anyone confirmed positive with COVID-19 should stay at home for at least seven days after falling ill. Before returning to work one should have completely recovered and have had at least two days with no fever.
  - adapting the workplace so that staff are not at risk of infection
  - arranging for the staff to be able from keep a physical distance to each other
  - making it possible for staff to regularly wash their hands with water and soap or use alcohol-based hand rub.
  - making it possible for staff to work at home where possible
  - adjusting working hours so that staff can avoid travelling in the rush hour
• Associations and clubs should postpone annual meetings and other similar meetings if possible, or hold meetings digitally.

It is important to keep a physical distance from other people, both indoors and outdoors where people gather, e.g. restaurants, shopping centres, bathing places, beaches, camping sites and open-air cafés and restaurants.

As from 14 June activities such as sports games, matches and tournaments without spectators will be permitted for all ages. The decision applies to all professional sports, at all levels, for both men and women. However, there are certain conditions to take into account. Tournaments should 

• primarily be held outdoors
• comply with the legislation in the Public Order Act chapter 2, section 1-3 §§ regarding public gatherings which are limited to 50 people. Further information is available from the Swedish Police (in Swedish).
• limit the number of spectators and avoid crowding
• only permit close contact considered unavoidable in order to be able to practise the respective sport.

It is important that both participants and spectators are free of any symptoms.

For all other exercise and sports activities the same rules as before are applicable, i.e. these activities can continue, but the one responsible for the activity must take action to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

You are allowed to travel within Sweden in connection with sports games, tournaments and other sports activities. However, it is of utmost importance to keep a distance from others and to follow the general guidelines concerning travel within Sweden.

For further information: New general guidelines regarding travel in Sweden this summer. Nya allmänna råd inför sommarens resor (in Swedish)

General guidelines for all sports and exercise activities are:

• If you are ill, even with only mild symptoms, you should not participate in any activities. You should remain at home until symptoms disappear and an additional two days thereafter.
• If you fall ill during exercise you should go home immediately.
• Do not share water bottles, protective gear or other equipment that might transmit saliva.
• Wipe any exercise equipment used by many people, such as gym machines, with a disinfectant, after use.
• Maintain good hand hygiene. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If handwashing facilities are not available, alcohol-based hand rub is an alternative. The alcohol-based hand rub should contain at least 60 % alcohol.
• Keep a physical distance from other people at sports grounds, baths, gyms and other sports facilities. Avoid changing clothes in public changing rooms.

Important links for the organiser of sport events:

• General advice on avoiding transmission of COVID-19 during exercise: Information till idrottsföreningar och träningsanläggningar om covid-19 (in Swedish)
• Sports clubs should do a risk assessment before arranging an activity and take precautionary actions.
  See risk assessment tool (in Swedish)
  Download risk assessment tool (PDF, 157 kB) (in Swedish)
• You are welcome to print our poster with general guidelines in order to avoid transmission and put it in a suitable place. See affisch med våra allmänna råd för att undvika smittspridning (in Swedish)

Read more:

COVID-19: Protect yourself and others from spread of infection - The Public Health Agency of Sweden

Visiting Sweden during the covid-19 pandemic - Krisinformation.se

Restaurants, bars, and cafés around the country need to take special precaution regarding the risk of crowding of people in queues, around tables, and at buffets or bars. Visitors must be able to keep at a distance from each other.

All visitors should sit at tables when they eat or drink, they are not allowed to stand at a bar or similar. Staff should serve food and drinks at the tables. Unless it creates queues or crowding, guests may order and pick up their food at a counter. Take-outs can be handled as usual, as long as it does not lead to crowding or close contact between people.

The person in charge of the venue is responsible for maintaining routines minimising the risk of disease transmission. This can for example include local guidelines about access to hand washing facilities (soap and running water) for staff and guests.

FAQ about the new legislation for restaurants, bars, etc

More information for restaurants and bars, including the legislation, is available here (in Swedish).

Businesses and organisations in Sweden must take note of the recommendations of the Public Health Agency of Sweden or County Medical Officers and do what they can to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This means that:

• Shops and shopping centres must do what they can to limit the number of people on their premises at any one time. They should come up with alternative arrangements for checkout queues and advise customers how far apart they need to stand.
• Employers can also ease the situation for their employees by:
  – supporting employees who are on sick leave. Anyone confirmed positive with COVID-19 should stay at home for at least seven days after falling ill. Before returning to work one should have completely recovered and have had at least two days with no fever.
  – adapting the workplace so that staff are not at risk of infection
  – arranging for the staff to be able to keep a physical distance from each other
  – making it possible for staff to regularly wash their hands with water and soap or use alcohol-based hand rub
  – making it possible for staff to work at home where possible
  – adjusting working hours so that staff can avoid travelling in the rush hour

• Associations and clubs should postpone annual meetings and other similar meetings if possible, or hold meetings digitally.

Physical activity is good for public health and it is important that children are able to continue with their normal activities as much as possible.

Summer camps and similar activities for children and young people (born 2002 or later) can take place in the immediate locality. Organisers of camps must ensure they reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. They must also carry out a risk assessment of their various activities and put the necessary precautionary measures in place.

Please bear the following in mind:

• Training and other activities should take place outdoors if possible
• Where possible, divide participants into small groups
• Increase the distance between beds and between seats in dining rooms and other spaces if possible
• Minimise the number of activities involving a lot of people, e.g. camp leaving events or performances for parents and visitors
• Make sure there are facilities allowing people to wash their hands frequently
• Anyone who is unwell must stay at home, even if their symptoms are mild.
• Make sure that there are arrangements in place so that anyone who becomes ill can get home

For further information please see:
FAQ regarding sports and other exercise activities.
COVID-19: Protect yourself and others from spread of infection - The Public Health Agency of Sweden

Beginning 13 June anyone without symptoms or newly diagnosed COVID-19 is allowed to travel within Sweden.

• If possible, travel by other means than public transportation, e.g. by bicycle or walk. If you need to travel by public transport, it is preferable to choose an alternative where it is possible to book a seat in advance, e.g. train.
• We advise you to avoid any travel by public transport where you cannot book a seat in advance, e.g. trams, subway and local buses. If this is not possible, ensure physical distance from other people.
• If you are ill you should not travel at all. People belonging to a risk group particularly need to consider whether they should travel or receive visitors. Those belonging to risk groups are primarily people who are 70 or over, and people with an underlying disease such as cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, or diabetes.
• If COVID-19 spreads to a majority of the regions in Sweden, we risk a situation where the healthcare system’s resources become increasingly difficult to redistribute in order to support all affected areas. It is also important to know that you need to be able to care for yourself, should you fall ill when away from home. If you require help, please be aware that resources might be limited. You should also arrange for either isolation or a way to travel home in a way that does not risk spreading the infection to others.

In addition to the above, previous recommendations regarding how to protect yourself and others from disease still apply.

More information about travelling in Sweden (krisinformation.se)

COVID-19: Protect yourself and others from spread of infection

Public transport is not covered by the ban against public gatherings of more than 50 people.

Beginning 13 June anyone without symptoms or newly diagnosed COVID-19 is allowed to travel within Sweden. The general guidelines regarding travel in Sweden specify the personal responsibility while travelling. For more information: Sommar och covid-19 – detta gäller i sommar (in Swedish).

In order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, public transport operators should:

• provide enough service  to avoid crowding
• limit the number of passengers
• inform their passengers of how to minimise the risk of disease transmission

The general guidelines apply to most passenger transports, i.e. also to taxi service for disabled, school bus services and health care transports but not to private use of your own vehicle.

Read more:

Protect yourself and others from spread of infection

More information about travelling in Sweden

The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs issues general advice regarding travel to other countries (in Swedish).

Due to the ongoing pandemic and the continued uncertainty regarding international travel, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs currently advises against non-essential travel to all countries. This is valid from 14 March 2020 through to 15 July 2020.

For updated information, please visit the Ministry’s web page about the coronavirus and about the current situation in other countries. For questions please contact the consular department at +46 8 405 92 00, or by email.

The Public Health Agency does not issue travel recommendations for individuals or groups of people. However, we may pass on recommendations based on our international collaborations with the WHO and others to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Each person must assess their own situation, based on the need to travel and the available information on the disease from sources such as the WHO and ECDC, who present the official data reported by different countries.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) offers information on travel to different countries. For advice regarding planned journeys, please contact your travel agency or insurance company if you have questions about cancellations.

All organisations in Sweden must take note of the recommendations of the Public Health Agency of Sweden or County Medical Officers and put measures in place to reduce the risk of infection. This may mean limiting the number of guests who can be on the premises at any one time. Hotels, youth hostels and campsites should also make arrangements to avoid queues, such as at check-in, and advise how far apart customers should stand. They should also ensure that staff and visitors are able to wash their hands with soap and water and provide hand sanitiser. Arrangements at different sites may vary due to differences between them, for example in terms of size or location.

If there is a restaurant, bar, café or similar facility at a particular venue, it will be covered by the new rules for restaurants and bars. Where that is the case, the County Medical Officer may consult with the municipality and take a decision to close those parts of the venue if they do not meet the requirements.

Beginning 13 June anyone without symptoms or newly diagnosed COVID-19 is allowed to travel within Sweden. The decision is based on the current infection trend and a forecast of the effects of increased travel. However, it is of utmost importance to continue to take great personal responsibility and follow our recommendations to keep a distance from others e.g. at bathing places, beaches, camping sites and open-air cafés and restaurants.

Read more here:

Protect yourself and others from spread of infection

Visiting Sweden during the covid-19 pandemic - Krisinformation.se

At present, people travelling to Sweden will receive information on what applies in Sweden at the border crossing. The laws and recommendations below apply to everyone who is staying in Sweden:

• Together we can slow down the spread of infectionpdf (625 kB)

Protect yourself and others

Visit Sweden

There is no quarantine obligation for travellers to Sweden.

On 2 July, the Government decided to extend the entry ban until 31 August. This means that the Government has decided to temporarily stop all non-essential travel to Sweden from all countries except EU Member States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

At the same time, the Government decided to ease the restrictions for more travellers. The decision was taken following a Council of the European Union recommendation. The amendments will enter into force on 4 July 2020.

For more information on how the ordinance on a temporary entry ban to Sweden is to be interpreted and which exemptions apply, please see Questions and answers – temporary entry ban to the European Union via Sweden.

Some countries require you to provide a certificate proving that you do not have COVID-19 before they will let you enter. Other countries require a certificate before they will let their citizens return home without a period of quarantine.

See information about the companies offering testing that includes a travel certificate; the list is updated continuously. You must pay the costs of any certificate yourself.

The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has put together advice and instructions on travelling to and from other countries.

Sweden’s embassies will give country-specific information about travel aimed at Swedish travellers.

Quarantine is a form of isolation of people who are not ill themselves, but may have been exposed to a disease which is dangerous to society. Anyone who has been, or is suspected to have been, exposed to a disease classified as dangerous to society (e.g. COVID-19) can be kept in quarantine as decided by the county medical officer (under the Swedish Communicable Diseases Act; 2004:168). A person can be put in quarantine in their own home. Quarantine means that you are not allowed to leave the building or receive visitors, apart from health and social care staff.

For people ill with such a disease, isolation may be imposed instead. Decisions about quarantine are always individual, and patients may appeal against them.

No. According to the Swedish Communicable Diseases Act (2004:168), individuals can be put in quarantine but not town or cities. It is possible, however, to impose a lockdown on a particular geographical area (see question "What is a lockdown?").

Under the Swedish Communicable Diseases Act (2004:168), an area corresponding to a few blocks may be put in lockdown. This means, among other things, that it is prohibited to enter or leave the area. A lockdown can be used when one or more people have fallen ill with a life-threatening disease within a particular geographical area. The lockdown then serves to make it possible to find the source, and to identify any other cases of disease or transmission.

The aim with this intervention is to create a zone where an investigation can take place without risk of people entering or leaving and risking further transmission of disease. When the investigation is finished and anyone exposed has received the appropriate care or waited through the incubation period, the lockdown should be lifted.

A lockdown is a temporary intervention in order to investigate cases of disease or disease transmission. Hence, it cannot be used in order to prevent people from travelling in or out of an area for a longer period of time.

Since the coronavirus causing COVID-19 is classified as dangerous to society, the county medical officers can decide to put healthy people in quarantine. This means that people are ordered to stay within a particular building, e.g. their home, in a specific part of a building, or in a geographical area.

However, putting someone in quarantine is a forceful intervention, strictly regulated in the Communicable Diseases Act. If a less intrusive intervention, for example particular hygiene routines or suspension from work, school or daycare, can achieve the same effect it should be used instead.

Children represent only a small proportion of the reported cases of COVID-19. Studies suggest that infected children only develop mild symptoms. There is currently limited knowledge about to what extent COVID-19 is transmitted between children, and there are no reports about extensive transmission within groups of children.

Even if they have mild symptoms, children can pass the infection to others (just like adults with mild symptoms). Therefore, it is important that children with fever or cold symptoms avoid seeing other people outside their immediate family. It is of particular importance that they do not meet older people or people belonging to a risk group.

New knowledge is added every day, and we monitor the situation closely to be able to give accurate advice.

BRIS (Children's Rights in Society, in Swedish) and the WHO have published support on how to support children in matters related to COVID-19.

Yes, children and youths can be vaccinated according to the child vaccination programme also during the outbreak of COVID-19.

In case of an ongoing acute infection with fever or an affected general condition (COVID-19 or other illness) the vaccination should, as always, be postponed.

The Public Health Agency does not currently consider it necessary to close all schools in Sweden. There are no scientific evidence indicating that such an intervention would have any significant impact on the pandemic, nor has any major transmission of COVID-19 in schools been reported.

Closing schools and pre-schools would have a negative impact on society. For example, essential workers to the public (e.g. healthcare staff) would need to stay at home with their children. It could also put vulnerable groups, such as grandparents, at risk if they help out with childcare.

School is also a place of safety and stability for many children. Before closing a school, there must be plans made for alternative places where the children should go instead. However, it is of utmost importance that staff and children who have any symptoms of illness stay at home.

The Swedish Parliament has passed a bill (2020:148) allowing temporary closure of schools and pre-schools due to extraordinary events, making it possible for the Government or the head of a school to close schools under particular circumstances. There is also a regulation (2020:115) regarding the provision of education for pupils during a school closure.

In times of insecurity and unrest, children can be affected in different ways. They may worry about their own or their family members’ health, death, parents losing their jobs, financial problems for their family, or that they will not be allowed to go to school. As an adult, is it important to listen and provide support if children want to talk about what is happening in society.

The WHO provides guidance on how to support children in matters related to COVID-19. Information in Swedish is available from Krisinformation.se, BRIS (Children's Rights in Society), and Rädda barnen (Save the children).

We all react differently during difficult times. Feelings of stress, anxiety, or fear are natural responses to a crisis. If you feel very worried or have sleeping problems, there are some things you can try do which might help you cope with your feelings:

• Talk to friends or family about your feelings and don’t hesitate to ask them for support.
• Use reliable sources of information about COVID-19.
• Limit the time you spend reading news and social media.
• Keep your daily routines as much as possible, and do things you find enjoyable and relaxing.
• Try to get fresh air, and stay physically active.

The WHO also provide advice on how to cope with stress during the COVID-19 outbreak.