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These articles always give a sense that it's business as usual in Sweden. It isn't. I have been working from home for three weeks now, but I have had to go into

by Pinus 7y ago

These articles always give a sense that it's business as usual in Sweden. It isn't. I have been working from home for three weeks now, but I have had to go into central Stockholm a couple of times, and it is almost eerily empty. Restaurants and cafés have a handful of clients, spread out in the corners, at peak lunch time when they would normally be crammed full. Shops are open, but the client-to-staff ratio is close to 1:1, and most have reduced their opening hours. Some article mentioned that cinemas are open. This is technically true -- they haven't been ordered to close -- but the big chain that runs most of them has shut those down on their own initiative. I don't claim that the level of restrictions is optimal, or that tighter restrictions would not be beneficial, but business as usual it isn't.

standardUser 7y ago
Your comment was far more informative than the article! Thank you.
cpach 7y ago
True. It is definitely not business as usual. I haven’t been to the office for the last four weeks. I’ve only been to the supermarket one or two times during this period. And I won’t travel to my hometown to see my mom or grandma either until it is safe to do so. So business as usual it is definitely not. [Edited to add/correct some more info.]
DavidVoid 7y ago
One of the reasons the government hasn't ordered a police-enforced lockdown here is that it probably wouldn't make much of a difference. Most businesses and people are already following the government's recommendations by staying at home as much as possible. That said, there are some laws in place. Since three days ago you are no longer allowed to visit retirement homes for example. https://www.krisinformation.se/en/news/2020/march/national-ban-on-visiting-retirement-homes https://www.krisinformation.se/en/news/2020/march/national-b...
filleokus 7y ago
Just to chime in, this has been my forth week working from home, and in that time I can probably count the number of people I've interacted with for any period of time on one hand. Literally every single person I know have been doing the same (my friend group and family is biased to people able to work from home of course, but still). I met two friends last night for dinner at a restaurant (yes, perhaps irresponsible but I was going insane). Normally a very popular place requiring booking weeks in advance. Yesterday it was us, the owners and one couple in a place with like 30+ tables. Of course you can get photographs on a sunny Sunday of people sitting outdoors at a café or something. However irresponsible that behaviour might be, it's not representative of the current situation.
yokaze 7y ago
According to Googles Mobility Report (https://www.blog.google/technology/health/covid-19-community-mobility-reports/ https://www.blog.google/technology/health/covid-19-community...): Sweden: Retail: -24% Grocery: -10% Parks: +43% Work: -18% Resid.: + 5% So, apparently you'll have to look in the park for your compatriots. For comparison: Germany: Retail: -77% Grocery: -51% Parks: -49% Work: -39% Resid.: +11% Spain: Retail: -94% Grocery: -76% Parks: -89% Work.: -64% Resid.: +22% I have the feeling, each and every country has to go through the process that they think, they are unique snowflake.

by Pinus 7y ago

standardUser 7y ago

Your comment was far more informative than the article! Thank you.

cpach 7y ago

True. It is definitely not business as usual. I haven’t been to the office for the last four weeks. I’ve only been to the supermarket one or two times during this period. And I won’t travel to my hometown to see my mom or grandma either until it is safe to do so. So business as usual it is definitely not. [Edited to add/correct some more info.]

DavidVoid 7y ago

One of the reasons the government hasn't ordered a police-enforced lockdown here is that it probably wouldn't make much of a difference. Most businesses and people are already following the government's recommendations by staying at home as much as possible. That said, there are some laws in place. Since three days ago you are no longer allowed to visit retirement homes for example. https://www.krisinformation.se/en/news/2020/march/national-ban-on-visiting-retirement-homes https://www.krisinformation.se/en/news/2020/march/national-b...

filleokus 7y ago

Just to chime in, this has been my forth week working from home, and in that time I can probably count the number of people I've interacted with for any period of time on one hand. Literally every single person I know have been doing the same (my friend group and family is biased to people able to work from home of course, but still). I met two friends last night for dinner at a restaurant (yes, perhaps irresponsible but I was going insane). Normally a very popular place requiring booking weeks in advance. Yesterday it was us, the owners and one couple in a place with like 30+ tables. Of course you can get photographs on a sunny Sunday of people sitting outdoors at a café or something. However irresponsible that behaviour might be, it's not representative of the current situation.

yokaze 7y ago

According to Googles Mobility Report (https://www.blog.google/technology/health/covid-19-community-mobility-reports/ https://www.blog.google/technology/health/covid-19-community...): Sweden: Retail: -24% Grocery: -10% Parks: +43% Work: -18% Resid.: + 5% So, apparently you'll have to look in the park for your compatriots. For comparison: Germany: Retail: -77% Grocery: -51% Parks: -49% Work: -39% Resid.: +11% Spain: Retail: -94% Grocery: -76% Parks: -89% Work.: -64% Resid.: +22% I have the feeling, each and every country has to go through the process that they think, they are unique snowflake.