Sometimes it becomes clear why, as a journalist, you cannot rely on open interview responses from those in power.

When SVT examined the Swedish Work Environment Authority's handling of the oral protection requirements, the truth has often been far in the hands of the actors involved - or even denied.

As when we first asked the Director General of the Work Environment Authority if there had been any sharp criticism of the Public Health Authority's lowered requirements for protective equipment.

She rejected the information - and we got to seek the truth in other ways.

The conclusion disappeared

The examination of the oral protection battle has shown how the conflict line today has in practice moved into the Swedish Work Environment Authority. One side has wanted to stand by the position that mouth protection should always be required under the visor - the other has, after pressure, wanted to follow the line of municipalities and the Public Health Authority, that the issue should be decided locally, after assessing each work step.

When comparing the deleted expert opinion with the authority's final opinion to the administrative law, the difference becomes clear. The expert opinion states that the visor alone does not protect against infection - but in the opinion, that conclusion is absent, where local managers and safety representatives will decide "whether" the visor protects.

Refusing interviews

During the investigation, the authority's management provided telephone interviews and written answers to questions, and also offered to participate in SVT's Morning Study.

However, we have repeatedly refused to our proposal for a recorded TV interview where we together go through what really happened.

The authority's press officer has clearly indicated that it is simply that you do not want to be interviewed by me.

The fact that the authorities explicitly refuse to put up a demanding interview with a reporter who is very knowledgeable about the subject is obviously boring, not least for the audience. But, of course, this cannot hinder our scrutiny.

We may only choose other tools to get answers.