Sweden, King Carl Gustav: "The national strategy against the coronavirus has failed"

• In Stockholm intensive care 99% full

• Coronavirus, Sweden closes high school

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December 17, 2020The King of Sweden, Carl Gustav XVI, described 2020 as a "terrible" year and said that the national coronavirus strategy has failed.

The ruler during the traditional annual television program covering the year with the royal family, said: "I think we have failed. We have a large number of deaths and this is terrible," the king said on the program.

"The Swedish people have suffered tremendously in difficult conditions. Let's think of all those people who have not even been able to say goodbye to their deceased family members. I think it is a hard and traumatic experience not to be able to say goodbye."

Sweden has been widely criticized for its unorthodox approach to pandemic management, relying mostly on non-mandatory guidelines and not using masks.

There have been 350,000 cases and more than 7,800 deaths in the country.

On 9 December, the health manager of the Swedish capital region, Bjorn Eriksson, in a press conference reported by local media, had raised the alarm:

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Instead of resorting to legal sanctions, Sweden appealed to citizens' sense of responsibility and civic duty.

Only recommendations are given and there are no fines if they are ignored.

The country has never imposed a nationwide lockdown and most schools, bars and restaurants remained open.

However, some secondary schools are now being asked to do distance learning.

Swedish state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell explained in November that the strategy was based on a combination of legal and voluntary measures.

Sweden has one of the highest Covid 19 death rates per capita in the world.

More than 90% of Covid-related deaths were among people aged 70 and over, and nearly half of all deaths occurred in nursing homes, the government says. 

Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said earlier this week that he believes many experts have underestimated the second wave.

"I think most experts have not seen such a wave coming. Rather, there has been talk of different clusters," Lovfen said in an interview with Aftonbladet newspaper.