Coronavirus: Sweden's isolated elderly urged to rejoin society

Nacka, near Stockholm: The Red Cross has been delivering to elderly people

Swedes aged over 70 and other at-risk groups should now follow the same coronavirus guidelines as the rest of the population, the authorities say.

Sweden previously advised those groups to avoid all close contact with people they did not live with.

But Sweden's public health chief said self-isolation had taken a toll on the elderly. The country has not imposed tough rules seen elsewhere in Europe.

Sweden's infection rate is rising, but other parts of Europe are hit harder.

A second lockdown is in force in the Czech Republic to tackle a big surge.

Belgium, the Netherlands, France and the UK are also hotspots, as countries generally scramble to make more intensive care beds available.

Sweden strives for 'a balance'

For months elderly Swedes and other at-risk groups have been advised to avoid going to shops, including supermarkets and pharmacies.

Johan Carlson, head of Sweden's Public Health Agency, said the recommendations had helped reduce the spread of the virus to vulnerable groups.

But he said there had been physical and mental health consequences for those groups. Given the duration of the pandemic, he added, it was unreasonable for them to continue carrying that burden.

"There will be a risk for individuals. We will see that a few people will get sick, but we have to find a balance," he said.

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The advice for the general population includes avoiding large gatherings - such as busy restaurants - frequent hand-washing, social distancing and working from home if possible, the BBC's Maddy Savage reports.

Uppsala, north of Stockholm, became the first region to introduce tougher local rules on Tuesday, with all residents advised to avoid physical contact with those they don't live with.

Sweden's relatively relaxed policy compared with most of Europe - for example no order to wear masks - has drawn intense international interest. The nation of 10 million prides itself on social consensus and persuasion, rather than government diktat.

Czechs urged to stay home

In the Czech Republic people must stay at home unless they have to go out to work. Exercising outside and shopping for food and medicine are also permitted.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said the harsh restrictions were regrettable, but without this the hospitals would be overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients within about three weeks. The lockdown is in place until at least 3 November.

The country of 10.6 million was among the first to lock down in Europe back in March, when the first wave struck, earning respect for its tough policy of closing borders and mass-producing millions of masks.

But now it has Europe's highest infection rate - there were 14,968 new cases on Wednesday - and Covid-linked deaths have risen to 1,739, of whom 69 died on Wednesday, according to official data.

Queuing for tests in Prague: the Czech infection rate is soaring

Some areas have recorded rates above 800 infections for every 100,000 people. In neighbouring Germany, 50 per 100,000 is considered the danger threshold.

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Meanwhile, Belgium's Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès, 45, is in intensive care. The former prime minister announced she had tested positive on Saturday, and said the infection "probably occurred within my family circle".

Her spokesperson described her as conscious and "relatively OK" on Thursday.

Belgium's current recorded death toll is 10,539 - its Covid-linked deaths per capita put it third-highest in the world after Peru and San Marino, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

At an EU foreign ministers' meeting on 12 October Ms Wilmès sat next to Austria's Alexander Schallenberg, who also tested positive later.