The Swedish public is among the least likely in the world to take extra measures to protect themselves from contracting COVID-19, according to a fresh poll published by YouGov on Tuesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2020) The Swedish public is among the least likely in the world to take extra measures to protect themselves from contracting COVID-19, according to a fresh poll published by YouGov on Tuesday.
Sweden has been one of only a handful of countries to have not implemented a nationwide lockdown in order to curb the coronavirus disease. Of 22 countries surveyed, Swedish people were the least likely to improve their personal hygiene, and the joint-least likely to avoid crowded public places, the pollster found.
Just 9 percent of Swedish respondents said they would wear a facial covering while in public, by far the lowest of any country surveyed, the pollster also stated.
Anders Tegnell, the architect of Sweden's no-lockdown COVID-19 policy, is highly regarded among the country's population, YouGov found. In total, 65 percent of respondents hold a positive view of the state epidemiologist, compared to just 30 percent who hold a similar view of Lena Hallengren, the country's minister of health, according to the survey.
More than half (54 percent) of Swedes also approve of the government's handling of the coronavirus disease pandemic to date. This figure is lower than Sweden's Nordic neighbors Finland and Norway, but significantly above respondents in Spain, the UK, US, and France, according to data provided by the pollster.
The poll surveyed 1,010 Swedish adults from September 18-21.
The Swedish government has not ordered schools, restaurants, and shops to close throughout the pandemic so far, although public gatherings were limited to a maximum of 50 people.
Sweden's Ministry of Health has confirmed 106,380 cases of COVID-19 to date, resulting in the deaths of 5,922 people.
A surge in new cases has been observed recently that has seen the number of positive tests registered each day reach June levels, and domestic media outlets have reported that tougher social distancing measures may be enforced.
