Now we have corona in Sweden, and from one day to the next it feels like everything is shutting down. Conferences, fairs and sports competitions are cancelled. Most things in our calendar have been cancelled and we just have to adapt to new conditions.
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Corona in Sweden
Now there is no doubt that we have corona in Sweden. A total of 775 cases have now been confirmed in Sweden (13 March). Many have been infected abroad or by people who have been abroad, but now people are also being infected in Sweden. The figures change from day to day, and you can check the current situation here:
- Public health authorities
- ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control)
- Gisand data (Global Cases by John Hopkins)
Cancelled journeys
This week it became very clear to us that everything is shutting down. We had to cancel our trip to Tunisia. The same day we learned that our planned trip to Bielefeld, Germany in May was also cancelled. I (Helena) was supposed to lecture at an international week at the University of Bielefeld, but the week was cancelled. Very sad of course!
Corona in Sweden - events cancelled
Even here in Sweden, events are being cancelled. With the job, I (Helena) was supposed to speak at several regional and national conferences in the spring, but all of these are cancelled.
We were supposed to attend several travel events last week, but three out of five were cancelled. It is also noticeable that there are fewer people in town than usual. The streets are quiet, and we have seen, for example, that the gym chain SATS has closed down to reduce the spread of infection.
Which events are closing down?
On 11 March 2020, the government decided to stop all public gatherings and public events with more than 500 people. The aim is to reduce the spread of infection that can occur when many people meet in the same place. The new rules mean that many large events will be closed, such as conferences, theatre performances, sports competitions, markets, fairs and demonstrations. In addition, some choose to close down smaller gatherings as well.
Can you travel by train and bus?
Public transport, workplaces and schools are not covered by the ban on major events (13 March). The Swedish Public Health Agency has concluded that, for the time being, it is still important that public transport works and that healthy people can travel to work and school. However, it is important to stay at home if you feel ill.
The waiting day will disappear
Another measure implemented to reduce the spread of the coronavirus in Sweden is the removal of the waiting period. This means that employees will receive sickness benefit from the first day they are home from work.
Why don't schools close?
In many countries, schools are also closing. In Sweden, this decision has not (so far) been made. It may come at a later stage, but in Sweden it is of course a difficult decision to make. People with important jobs (e.g. in healthcare) will find it difficult to get to work if their children are at home, and what happens then?
Corona in Sweden - what are we doing?
Our planned trip to Tunisia is cancelled, so we will be home in Sweden without doing anything special. We will be hanging out in our houseboat and on Monday I (Helena) will go back to work (have regretted the holiday). Maybe there will be some small excursions in the local area?
We are doing our best to avoid large crowds and we are trying to be careful with hand hygiene. Otherwise, we think you should adapt to the situation and wait out the misery in peace and quiet. Maybe take the opportunity to work, blog, read or watch good TV series?
Corona in Sweden - what do you do?
What do you do now that we have corona in Sweden? Have you had to cancel or replan? Have you changed your habits? Or are you perhaps abroad? Please tell us!
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Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:
We would have celebrated grandchildren in Denmark this weekend, but we have cancelled that. Avoiding the crowds continues with the long walks
14 March 2020 - 8:40
Helena says:
Yes, it was wise to cancel! Just hope it doesn't take too long before you can leave!
14 March 2020 - 11:06
Ama de casa says:
Sorry about all the cancellations, but you have no choice but to follow the restrictions and "like" the situation. Maybe this was a chance for you to slow down, Helena?
We are at home and have no planned trips, events or other things other than Anders' physiotherapy (if they don't close there?).
As of midnight, all bars and restaurants were closed. Even the beaches are closed. There is a state of emergency in Spain... It's escalating. Very unpleasant.
14 March 2020 - 9:41
Helena says:
No, you really have no choice, it's true. Sad and a little unpleasant when everything closes. Hope this does not last too long!
14 March 2020 - 11:07
Maria's memoirs says:
I live in Finland then... But here schools MAY close next week, we should get a message about it tomorrow. We have been given guidelines to follow at work, restrictions for the children/young people we work with. Our business will be very complicated to keep running if a quarantine situation arises in our group home. But we will deal with it when we are there. The colleagues who are travelling now will have to sit at home in quarantine for two weeks before coming back to work, regardless of where they have travelled. My zumba is cancelled and we are asked to avoid all travel until at least the end of April. I have seen pictures of empty bread and toilet paper shelves, it will be very interesting to see what the situation looks like today when I go food shopping ?
14 March 2020 - 9:48
Helena says:
Interesting to hear how you are doing in Finland! You have to take one thing at a time and solve it as best you can.
14 March 2020 - 11:08
Maria's Memoirs says:
Yes, and I can update you that the municipal schools are not closing at the moment. However, the government was supposed to discuss some issues again tomorrow, let's see if they come up with something more restrictive or if they wait with further measures. We have 241 confirmed cases in Finland today.
15 March 2020 - 18:13
Renate's travels says:
Here in Norway, pretty much everything is closed now. Only grocery stores are open. It's a very strange and difficult situation for many people... I'm lucky that I work in health and the public sector. Many others are now in danger of losing their jobs. I hope the measures that have been taken can limit the infection and that this will not be as long-lasting as feared.
14 March 2020 - 10:07
Helena says:
Interesting to hear how you are doing in Norway! Sad, but also a bit unpleasant when everything closes. And of course it's terrible if businesses go bankrupt or if people become unemployed. One hopes that it doesn't last too long!
14 March 2020 - 11:11
Kenneth Risberg says:
Hi, I am following Gisanddata since Thursday and there is a frightening increase in new infections.
The Odd Fellow Order has closed down all its operations in Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland and Sweden until further notice.
14 March 2020 - 10:15
Helena says:
Yes, of course it is unpleasant, and then there are certainly many more infected people who have not been tested. After all, most people do not become seriously ill, but one wonders how society can cope if many people become ill at once.
14 March 2020 - 11:14
Lena in Wales says:
I was supposed to go from Spain to Sweden yesterday, but cancelled, so I'm still in Spain under a state of emergency.
14 March 2020 - 10:15
Helena says:
I understand that most things are closed in Spain now ...
14 March 2020 - 11:15
Anna says:
Would have gone to London to surprise a friend who turns 50 but it is cancelled. Will have to work instead?
14 March 2020 - 11:31
Ruth in Virginia says:
All major sporting events that take place in the spring,
have been cancelled. Schools have been closed.
My daughter flew to London on 9 March and returned on 18 March.
see what happens with that. Trump has said that it is OK
for Americans to come back from the United Kingdom
and Ireland but no other countries in Europe.
Mr Trump is not helping the situation. He has been in contact with
people who have tested positive but have refused the test themselves.
The new thing now is to keep a distance between people - not to meet at
each other- If you want to talk to someone on the street, you should
keep about 3 metres apart
Oh well - This too shall pass!
14 March 2020 - 12:14
bmlarstravellingblog says:
Here we are in a state of emergency in Mar di Pulpi. We have just got hold of flight tickets to Gothenburg on 25 March. Everything is really closed here. We thought we might be able to use the sunbeds at our pools but they and even the playgrounds are closed with padlocks. Even if we do not suffer, it is too boring to spend three weeks on a roof terrace so we hope to get home by plane.
14 March 2020 - 12:47
Maria/ Magnolia Magis says:
Okay my answer for yesterday's post might have been here... There I wrote what I do ? Got a good thing from the daughter on the mobile phone, without the picture then, it says at least this: When you realise that your normal lifestyle basically means a voluntary corona guarantee.... She thought it suited us... Strange... ???
14 March 2020 - 15:06
Role o Carina says:
Luckily we got home from Canarias before all this broke out here too!
We have now been at home for over 2 weeks and are healthy.
Will take it easy and wait for some trips in the future!
Just bring the motorhome home in April and stay in it if we go out.
Take care.......
14 March 2020 - 15:27
BP says:
It's like a real horror film, which probably nobody thought would become reality. But now we are in the middle of it, and the situation changes from minute to minute.
The fact that neither England nor Sweden has chosen to close the schools is quite right, because then the already fragile healthcare system would collapse completely.
You just have to get used to it, keep a safe distance from people and avoid shopping centres. I guess we'll be doing that for quite some time to come.
14 March 2020 - 17:19
Elisabeth says:
I recently returned from France - a little asthmatic and pollen allergic and wondering how I should act. Days in Solna seem most likely at the end of the week, as my daughter and the grandchildren's mother probably need to be 100% available at work at Karolinska Huddinge. How strange is this?
14 March 2020 - 21:08
Annika in Spain says:
Yes, now the message has come that everyone in Spain must stay inside for at least 15 days... I already feel how it crawls in my legs from not being allowed to go out and walk... At the same time, it feels safe. Will write a blog post about this.
15 March 2020 - 0:49
Lena - good for the soul says:
So sad that things are cancelled. But it is of course good and a must. Our planned trip to Germany has been cancelled and we have cancelled our Easter dinner because of old parents.
Hug Lena
16 March 2020 - 6:00