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Sweden's King Says His Country 'Has Failed' Handling COVID

VOA News

   Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf says his country has "failed" in its
   response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Swedish people have suffered
   "enormously" as a result.

   In pre-recorded comments released Thursday, the king said many people
   have died in Sweden from the virus, and "that is horrible."

   The 74-old king, whose son and daughter-in-law tested positive for the
   virus last month, was asked if he was fearful of getting COVID-19
   himself.

   "Lately, it has felt more obvious," he said. "It has crept closer and
   closer. That is not what you want."

   The king made the comments as part of a year-end holiday broadcast
   scheduled to air Monday on Swedish television. The monarch plays a
   ceremonial role and holds no political power.

   Sweden initially took a different approach to the pandemic than its
   Nordic neighbors, Norway and Denmark, as well as other nations in
   Europe. The government never imposed lockdowns or mandated face masks,
   allowed restaurants and businesses to remain open, and relied mainly on
   voluntary social distancing and hygiene recommendations to slow the
   spread.

   But the nation saw a rising death toll, particularly among elderly
   residents of care facilities, and its per capita death rate far
   exceeded that of Norway and Demark.

   In a preliminary report released Tuesday, an independent commission
   appointed by the Swedish government said the government failed to
   sufficiently protect the elderly in care homes from the virus.

   In recent weeks, the government has imposed tighter COVID-19
   restrictions, mandating remote learning for schools, limiting the size
   of public gatherings and banning the sale of alcohol after 10 p.m. in
   bars and restaurants.

   Sweden's total COVID-19-related deaths stand at 7,667, much higher than
   its regional neighbors, but still lower than other European nations
   such as Britain, Spain, Italy and France, all of whom imposed
   lockdowns.