Decision on stricter general recommendations in Kalmar, Västerbotten and Norrbotten Counties

As of 10 November, everyone in Kalmar, Västerbotten and Norrbotten Counties is encouraged to:

• If possible, physical contact with people other than those with whom you live should be avoided. This means, among other things, advice against arranging or taking part in parties or similar social gatherings.
• You should also avoid certain types of activities if they are impossible to carry out with physically distancing yourself from other people, such as contact sports, healthcare or beauty treatments that are not for medical reasons.
• Refrain from visits to indoor environments such as shops, shopping centres, museums, libraries, swimming pools and gyms. Necessary visits to grocery stores and pharmacies are allowed.
• Refrain from participating in gatherings such as meetings, concerts, performances, sports training, matches and competitions. However, this does not apply to sports training for children and young people born in 2005 or later.
• Necessary close contact is allowed, for example during healthcare visits and medical examinations.

For residents in Norrbotten and Västerbotten counties, following also applies:

• Refrain from making unnecessary trips. Trips within or between regions can contribute to increasing the spread of infection because you often meet new people, which results in the start of new chains of infection. One should therefore refrain from such travel insofar as possible. This advice is not intended to prevent people from, for example, going to work, studies/employment or care that requires you to be on site.

The decision also includes stricter general recommendations for workplaces and businesses – such as shops, shopping centres and sports facilities – in Kalmar, Västerbotten and Norrbotten Counties:

• All businesses should take steps to ensure that each and every one can follow the general recommendations. Employers should take measures such as encouraging personnel to work from home, offering more opportunities for remote work and postponing business travel, conferences and other physical meetings. Other businesses can minimise the number of visitors present on their premises at the same time, adapt opening hours or offer digital alternatives.

The stricter recommendations are applicable until 8 December 2020 but may be extended.