In the coronavirus footprints, staffing crisis prevails in large parts of Swedish healthcare.

A compilation SVT News made shows that the number of sick-listed nursing staff at Södersjukhuset has more than tripled in just two weeks. It is about staff in the emergency and intensive care unit (IVA).

- It is strained throughout Sweden, and these figures are representative of what it looks like in other hospitals in the Stockholm region, says Johan Styrud.

Serious situation

The increase in the number of sick leave has been rapid and is a result of the Public Health Authority's call for everyone who knows the cold symptoms to stay home from work. At the same time, none of the sufferers have been confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus Covid-19.

"The situation is serious, but it is under control," says Helena Karlsson, HR director at Södersjukhuset.

- We are trying to solve the manning. It can be about moving staff from one department to another, hiring extra staff and ordering overtime, she says.

Unclear patient situation

Whether the patient safety is threatened by the difficult situation around staffing is not clear.

By e-mail, Södersjukhuset's press service announces the following:

"Patient safety is always affected and in particularly stressful situations like this it is affected more."