Sweden allows regions to institute local lockdowns 8 months into the pandemic
Last spring, as other countries went into lockdown, Swedish citizens were mostly living as usual. The government issued advice and guidance in place of rules and restrictions. School and work went ahead. Many businesses stayed open.
But as of Monday, Sweden's per capita death rate from COVID-19 was the 15th highest in the world, or 13th if you exclude the tiny countries of Andorra and San Marino, according to data from Time magazine and Johns Hopkins University.
Now Sweden is shifting its policy. According to the Telegraph, starting Monday, the government has empowered regional health authorities — in consultation with the federal public health agency — to instruct citizens to stay away from crowded spaces like shopping malls, museum, gyms, and concerts, and avoid taking public transport or visiting the elderly. However, there will be no legal or financial consequences for non-compliance.