Sweden warns of "counter-reactions" to harsh measures

Sweden's Deputy Prime Minister Izabela Levin denied today that her government is pursuing a "herd immunity" strategy and warned of a "counter reaction" to tough measures.

Excessively strict measures prohibiting movement risk the "fatigue" and "counter-reaction" of people who stop following the government's advice, said the Swedish deputy prime minister, Brussels Politiko reports.

Sweden has adopted a different strategy with far less restrictive social distancing measures than most European countries. Schools, bars, restaurants and shops are open, and gatherings of up to 50 people are allowed in the country.

Lovin told the BBC that the Swedish government's approach recognized that the coronavirus pandemic would be a "marathon, not a sprint", but said it was "a myth that Sweden has not taken serious steps".

"I think that every country has to take measures according to its tradition and its system of government," she said. According to her, the real fear if you have too strict measures is that they cannot be maintained over time and you can get a counter reaction, so people will not voluntarily follow the recommendations that "need to be followed for a very long time".

"We don't want to tire the population and the fact is that the Swedish people support us to a great extent," she said. When asked whether the Swedish government is pursuing a "herd immunity" strategy, Levin said no.