The prime minister believes that more people should be tested for covid-19.

-I feel frustrated there. There should have been more people tested at this time, he says in an interview in SR Studio One.

Although Sweden has the capacity to test 100,000 people a week, just under 29,000 people were tested last week.

One reason for no more testing could be ambiguity between the state and the regions, according to Löfven.

-We entered early with a test billion, we have told the regions and municipalities that it should never fall on the money. We take the extra costs.

Four prio groups

The prime minister also says that the regions should take responsibility for testing all four priority groups that the Public Health Authority pointed out in their strategy for testing covid-19.

-We have just settled with the regions. The regions now say that they intend to test all the four categories that the Public Health Authority has raised, he says.

But that is not true, according to Sweden's Municipalities and Regions (SKR).

“The regions have made it clear that they are now taking responsibility for testing the priority groups 1-3. Regarding Group 4, SKR and the regions have not been asked. If it were to be asked, it is of course something that must be discussed and then the purpose and financial conditions would have to be clarified, ”says Emma Spak, section manager of health and medical services at SKR, in a press release.

According to SKR, the regions are now building capacity to test the priority groups 1–3, that is, patients, health care professionals and people in other socially important occupations. Group 4 includes "other relevant sections of society".

"Way to play the cards"

Social Minister Lena Hallengren (S), for her part, believes that the regions should also take responsibility for Group 4 as the testing capacity is built up.

- Then I assume that group 4 will be tested in the same structure as the other groups. Then it is obvious that the regions are then also responsible for group 4.

TT: SKR claims that they have not been asked to test Group 4. Is that correct?

-The government does not ask questions to regions. It's a misunderstanding and it's a way to play the cards away, I think, says Lena Hallengren.