- It feels really nice. We have been completely infection-free for about six weeks now, says Boel Simonsson, operations manager for Bäckgården's nursing home.

The accommodation in Gnosjö is one of the nursing homes in Jönköping County that has had the most deaths in covid-19. In total, 22 out of 26 residents tested positive for covid-19 and 16 in the staff. Nine of the residents have died due to the infection, in addition to which three more have died of other causes during the spring. In total, this has meant that almost half of the places in the accommodation have been empty. But these days, new tenants are starting to move in again after all staff and residents tested negative, which Värnamo Nyheter was the first to say.

- It has been very empty for a while while we had many in line who want to enter. On Thursday, the first person moves in and on Monday, two more will arrive. Then we receive more afterwards.

The large number of deaths at Bäckgården meant that IVO, the Swedish Health and Care Inspectorate, on 7 July pointed out the municipalities of Gnosjö and Vaggeryd as the county's two worst affected by the pandemic. Thus, the municipalities are currently also the subject of a review by the authority regarding the work of preventing the spread of infection.

- The infection was very aggressive in the beginning. First a patient became ill with fever and cough and then when two more got the same symptoms in the afternoon, we understood that it was something other than just fever, says Boel Simonsson.

At one point, the infection was completely gone from the accommodation, and then returned to a ward that had not previously been affected.

- Everyone is afraid that it will come back again, but we do everything we can to prevent it from happening. If you get a slight runny nose now, a special covid team is involved who only has contact with that person.

IVO's review of Gnosjö and Vaggeryd municipalities as well as three designated residences in the county (Solstickegatan in Jönköping, Solbacka in Gislaved and Furugården in Vaggeryd) are planned to be completed in the autumn of 2020.

In April, SVT met Veronica Olmos Oscarsson, who works as an assistant nurse at Bäckgården's nursing home. Hear her in the clip below.

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