STOCKHOLM — Sweden will lift pandemic restrictions next week as the country, while still experiencing record levels of infections, banks on surging immunixjmtzywty from booster shots and past infection and manageable hospitalization levels to keep COVID at bay.
"It is becoming time to open up Sweden again," Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told a news conference.
- Newsletter sign-up: Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox
Sweden extended its current pandemic measures, which include bars and restaurants having to close early and a cap of 500 people inside larger indoor venues, by another two weeks in late January, but flagged they might be removed after that.
RELATED IMAGESview larger image
People queue for drop-in COVID-19 vaccinations at the Stockholm City Terminal station on Jan. 13, 2022. (Anders Wiklund/TT via AP)