As recently as today, Friday, local restrictions were introduced in Blekinge.

Previously, similar restrictions have been introduced locally in several other counties - Stockholm, Västra Götaland, Östergötland, Uppsala and Skåne - which means that one should refrain from staying in, for example, shopping centers or gyms.

Sörmland has been spared from local restrictions, but now the county's infection control doctor, Signar Mäkitalo, says that this may change.

- The basis for the spread of infection is that people do not follow the already stated recommendations.

If people do not follow the recommendations, the risk of local restrictions is great.

It is not a question of, but of when they will be introduced in view of the rate of infection we have, he says.

Not current yet

Signar Mäkitalo cannot set a date for when local restrictions in Sörmland may become relevant.

Instead, he believes that there are several factors, in addition to how quickly the infection spreads in society, that affect how and when they may be introduced in Sörmland.

The burden on healthcare is included here, as well as how elderly care is affected.

When healthcare receives so many patients that it is difficult to cope, and the region is in a situation where they are unable to handle the samples and get an overview of the spread of infection.

Only then can it become relevant with local restrictions in Sörmland, says Mäkitalo.

On Friday, the Sörmland region stated that ten patients are being treated for covid-19 at the region's hospitals, two of whom receive intensive care.

- Happily enough, healthcare has not been affected enormously yet, and care for the elderly is not severely affected.

We can still handle the sampling, even if it is more difficult now than before, he says.

"The only ones who can influence"

If local restrictions are introduced in Sörmland, Signar Mäkitalo does not rule out that these may be similar regulations to those that are already in place in Stockholm as well as in Östergötland.

But Signar Mäkitalo's hope is still that we will not have to end up there, and therefore he is now appealing to the people of Sörmland.

- I hope I'm wrong.

One can always hope that it turns around next week, but it does not look good, and I am more worried than the other way around about what has happened.

It is those who live in Sörmland who influence this, no one else.