それでもロックダウンなし　コロナ再拡大でも方針貫くスウェーデン

【ストックホルムＡＦＰ＝時事】新型コロナウイルスの感染抑制策として各国が導入したロックダウン（都市封鎖）を拒み、世界の注目を集めたスウェーデンで今、再び新型ウイルスの感染が拡大している。だが、政府は強制的な抑制策は取らないという方針を貫く構えだ。（写真はスウェーデンのウプサラ中心部で、ソーシャル・ディスタンシング＜対人距離の確保＞を促す看板の前を歩く人々）
　スウェーデンの新規感染者数は、７月と８月は減少したものの、９月中旬以降、再び増加傾向にある。新型ウイルス関連の累計死者は５９３０人で、人口当たりの死者数は欧州で上位に入っている。
　新型ウイルスの感染が再び拡大している現在、欧州の多くの国は、部分的なロックダウンや夜間外出禁止令など厳格な措置を再導入している。しかし、スウェーデンはこれまでの穏やかな対策を、対象を絞って微調整するだけで対応しようとしている。
　首都ストックホルムの７０キロ北に位置する学園都市ウプサラでは、今秋に入り大学生が街へ戻ってくると新規感染者数が急増。政府は先週から同市により厳格なガイドラインを導入し、１１月３日まで公共交通機関の使用や同居する人以外との接触を避けるよう勧告した。
　「人々がそうした厳格なガイドラインに耐えられる期間は限られており、タイミングが重要だ」と、政府の感染症対策を率いる疫学者アンデシュ・テグネル氏は言う。
　ナイトクラブの営業も規制した。さらに４月に出された、７０歳以上の高齢者やハイリスク層に対して自衛するよう求める勧告も解除した。対象者が過度に孤立し、うつや孤独といった他の健康問題を引き起こす懸念があったためだ。
　しかし、マスクの着用は依然として奨励していない。スウェーデンは、マスクは誤った安心感を与え、ソーシャル・ディスタンシング（対人距離の確保）の取り組みを台無しにする恐れがあると主張する、世界でも数少ない国の一つだ。
　ストックホルムでは、ほぼ日常生活が戻ったようにみえる。人々は街に繰り出し、新型ウイルスの流行拡大以降も営業を続けてきたカフェやレストラン、商店などに立ち寄っている。
　それでも、スウェーデン市民緊急事態庁の調査によると、国民の８０％は助言に従い、行動を変えている。守らなかったとしても罰金や拘束力はないが、市民は在宅勤務をしたり、人付き合いを控えたりしている。
　ストックホルムのセーデルマルム地区のある住民はＡＦＰに対し、国の方針を信頼していると語った。「強制されなくても、スウェーデン人は（ルールに）従うものだ」
　当局は、「短距離走ではなく、マラソン」に対処するというのが、新型ウイルス流行に対するスウェーデンの総合的な戦略だと繰り返し強調している。
　スウェーデン公衆衛生局のヨハン・カールソン局長は、「導入された制限を踏まえつつ、ほぼ通常通りの生活を送れるような状況をつくるというのが、われわれの指針だ」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/10/28-13:00）

Sweden is seeing an uptick in coronavirus infections and introducing targeted measures, but the country that famously refused to lock down is sticking to its guns and insisting coercive methods are not the way to go.
After two months of declining cases in July and August, Sweden has seen infections rise steadily since mid-September.
But while many European countries are again introducing draconian measures like partial lockdowns or curfews to curb the spread of the virus, Sweden -- which has recorded 5,930 Covid-related deaths, one of Europe's highest per capita death tolls -- is just adjusting its softer approach with targeted tweaks.
This week, it announced stricter local guidelines in Uppsala, a university town 70 kilometres (45 miles) north of Stockholm that has seen a spike in cases since students returned in the autumn.
Among other things, locals have been advised to avoid public transport and in-person contact with people outside their own household until November 3.
People can only hold out with such strict guidelines for a limited period and the timing is important. You can't start too early and you can't wait too long... We hope this is a good time, state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said.
On Thursday the country also introduced restrictions on nightclubs, with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven admonishing Swedes that the party is over now in nightclubs, and it needs to stay that way for as long as necessary.
Yet Sweden remains one of the only countries in the world that still does not recommend face masks, arguing they provide a false sense of security that undermines social distancing efforts.
- Life goes on -
In the capital Stockholm, daily life appears to carry on almost as normal, as locals stroll through the city bundled up against the chilly autumn weather and stopping in at cafes, restaurants and shops that have remained open throughout the pandemic.
And while images in the media occasionally show crowded city buses and restaurants, surveys by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency found that 80 percent of Swedes have changed their behaviour as a result of recommendations.
They are working from home or limiting social contacts -- even though there are no fines or sanctions for disregarding them.
In the Sodermalm neighbourhood of Stockholm, where mostly unmasked cyclists and pedestrians hurried to work during the morning rush hour, Roger Palmqvist told AFP he trusted the Swedish approach.
But he acknowledged the lighter Swedish touch would probably not work everywhere.
There's nothing that forces you, but Swedes are like that you know, they follow (rules), said the 60-year-old sea captain, noting that cultures were different in other parts of Europe.
- Easing other measures -
On Thursday, the government also lifted its special recommendation in place since April for people over the age of 70 and risk groups to shield themselves.
There were concerns the measure was isolating them too much and leading to other public health issues like depression and loneliness.
Those groups had been urged to avoid shops, public transport and any place where groups of people gather.
Earlier this month, the government also lifted its ban on visits to nursing homes -- one of the rare restrictions introduced during the pandemic.
Public gatherings of more than 50 people have been prohibited since late March, but the government said Thursday cultural and sporting events could now accomodate 300 people as long as they were seated respecting social distancing.
While polls show a majority of Swedes support the country's approach, the strategy has had its detractors, both abroad and domestically.
Some accused Sweden of playing Russian roulette with citizens' lives early on in the pandemic, as its death toll surged far past those in neighbouring countries which adopted stricter measures.
And angry debate has recently surged in the media over Sweden's policy of treating most elderly Covid-19 patients with palliative care, deeming them too weak for intensive care.
More than half of its Covid deaths have occurred in elderly care homes.
Authorities have meanwhile repeatedly stressed that Sweden's overall strategy has been chosen to cope with a marathon, not a sprint.
Johan Carlson, director of Sweden's Public Health Agency, said he believed Europe had shown that shutdowns and reopenings were not the way forward.
Our philosophy is to create a situation where you can live your life in a reasonably normal way given the restrictions that are in place, Carlson said, adding that any approach needed widespread acceptance and adherence.