More than 600 people died as a result of the heatwave two years ago, according to calculations from Christofer Åström at Umeå University. He researches health risks at high temperatures.

- 2018 became an alarm clock for many that maybe they had not prepared enough, he says.

This week, SMHI warns of high temperatures in large parts of the country and Christofer Åström believes that heat waves can now hit even harder because the heat has the same risk group as the corona virus: the elderly with underlying diseases.

- One measure that many people took after 2018 was to ensure that there is at least one cooled-down room, often a gathering room, for the elderly. But these rooms will not be used as many residents will be isolated in their rooms anyway.

Therefore, a new summer like 2018 could have more consequences, according to the researcher who has previously worked on behalf of the Public Health Authority.

- I think it would be much worse now.

Lacks contingency plans

When the National Board of Health and Welfare evaluated the summer of 2018, it became clear that it may be difficult for municipalities to handle several crises in parallel.

The authorities' data also show that approximately 15 percent of all municipalities lack a contingency plan for high temperatures in the elderly. Nevertheless, it is difficult to draw any conclusions about what a hot summer can mean, according to the National Board of Health and Welfare.

Tegnell: Fans are important

The public health authority's state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell is not particularly concerned about the preparedness of the elderly.

- Everything that should be in place already for covid-19 must continue to be in place when it gets hot. Just like any action that one has prepared for when it gets hot should be in place.

In 2018, many elderly care businesses bought fans to cool down, but the Public Health Agency warns against using them in common areas, as the coronas center can then be spread over longer distances. However, the fans can still be used in their own rooms, according to Anders Tegnell.