Architect of Swedish Covid response expects virus to rebound across Europe after lockdown

Anders Tegnell: Virus will be difficult to 'hold back' in winter

Swedish epidemiologist Anders Tegnell predicted coronavirus cases will rebound in Europe after lockdown restrictions are lifted. AFP

The architect of Sweden’s light-touch coronavirus response has predicted that Europe will experience a coronavirus resurgence after lockdown measures are lifted.

Many European countries, including France, Belgium and Spain, cut or stablised infection rates thanks to lockdowns or other virus restrictions.

With the exception of a few countries, such as Germany and Italy, much of the continent is only now emerging from tough restrictions ahead of Christmas.

But Swedish epidemiologist Anders Tegnell predicted that infection rates would spike soon after lockdown restrictions were lifted. He told Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter that Europe faces a "tough winter" and that it would be difficult to "hold back" the virus.

His comments come as Sweden imposes new coronavirus restrictions to stop the country’s health system becoming overwhelmed.

Sweden famously never ordered a lockdown, with its citizens encouraged to exercise their common sense, but the country is now rowing back and Dr Tegnall appears to have been sidelined by his government.

Authorities said on Friday all pupils aged 14 to 16 in Sweden’s capital Stockholm will switch to remote learning for the rest of this year to help stem the second wave. It is the first time Sweden has recommended distance education for significant numbers of secondary school students.

A further 7,370 new coronavirus cases were registered nationwide on Friday, down from 7,935 new infections recorded on Thursday.

Sweden is imposing tougher coronavirus restrictions to take pressure off the country's hospitals. EPA

An additional 160 deaths were reported, one of the highest daily numbers since the start of the pandemic, taking the total to 7,514. Sweden's death rate per capita is several times higher than that of its Nordic neighbours but lower than several European countries that opted for lockdowns.

The infection rate is also climbing again in the UK after England’s second national lockdown was lifted last week. The reproduction 'R' number - which measures how fast the virus is spreading - increased slightly to between 0.9 and 1 on Friday. Last week, the R rate was between 0.8 and 1.

While scientists were confident that the epidemic was shrinking in some areas of England, it was not confident the R number was below 1 in London, the southeast and the east of England. An R rate below 1 indicates the virus is in retreat.

The UK reported another 20,964 new cases and 516 new deaths on Thursday.

In Germany, authorities are considering imposing a hard lockdown after the country reported its highest death toll since the pandemic began.

A record 598 deaths and 29,875 new cases were reported on Friday, after the previous daily record of 590 deaths was set on Wednesday.

Switzerland - facing a similar picture of persistently high infections and deaths - imposed a 7pm curfew on all restaurants, bars and shops on Friday.

Brushing off concerns about more downbeat Christmas celebrations and cancelled ski trips, the government said the country had to work quickly to reduce the mounting burden on its hospitals and health workers.

"The situation we're seeing now we have never experienced before," said Health Minister Alain Berset.