Sweden will launch a probe into the country’s handling of the coronavirus after controversially refusing lockdown measures, its prime minister announced Monday.
Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said a commission would be appointed before the end of summer to look back at the decision to keep most schools, restaurants and businesses open after the virus reached the nation.
“We need to take an overall approach to see how it has worked at national, regional and local levels,” Lofven told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. “We will make a decision for a commission before the summer.”
The Scandinavian country has received criticism for taking a more lax approach in battling the virus, often relying on residents to self-regulate.
Through some parts of May, Sweden had the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in Europe relative to the size of its population.
More than 4,000 Swedes have died during the pandemic — a per capita rate many times higher than in other Nordic countries, all of which implemented tighter restrictions.
With Post wires