Table 1.
List and timeline of restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Sweden.
| Date | COVID-19 restrictions |
|---|---|
| 2020 | |
| 12th March | A maximum of 500 people at public, cultural, and sports events |
| 19th March | Travel restrictions outside the European Union (non-EU citizens) |
| 25th March | Only table service at restaurants1 |
| 29th March | A maximum of 50 people at public events |
| 30th March | Bans on visits to older adult care homes |
| 18th April | New law enabling the closing down of restaurants1, shopping malls, etc., if needed (was never used and ended 1st July) |
| 1st July | New law regarding the responsibilities of restaurants1 to implement measures to reduce crowdedness and enable the Public Health Agency to directly impose restrictions on the establishments |
| 7th July | A minimum of 1 m between sitting groups at restaurants1 |
| 1st November | A maximum of 300 people sitting down at gatherings (with 1 meter distance between them) A maximum of 50 people at dance events |
| 8th November | A maximum of eight people per table at restaurants1 |
| 20th November | No alcohol service after 10 pm |
| 24th November | A maximum of eight people at public events |
| 21st December | Temporary travel restrictions from Denmark or the UK to Sweden |
| 24th December | No alcohol service after 8 pm A maximum of four people per table at restaurants1 |
| 30th December | Demanding negative test results for COVID-19 for travelers from the UK |
| 2021 | |
| 10th January | New law enabling the government to impose further restrictions |
| 10th January | Limited number of guests for shops, gyms, and public pools (10 sqm/person) |
| 1st March | Restaurants closing at 8:30 pm One person per table in restaurants within shopping malls (i.e., without own entrance) |
| 3rd March | Demanding negative test results for COVID-19 from non-residents entering Sweden |
| 1st June | A maximum of four people per table in restaurants1 within shopping malls Restaurants closing at 10:30 pm |
| 1st July | Vaccination certificate or negative test results required for traveling within the EU A maximum of eight people per table at restaurants1 A maximum of 50 people at private events Lifted restrictions regarding limited opening hours for restaurants1 |
| 29th September | All restrictions lifted |
| 23rd December |
Reintroduction of the following restrictions: Only table service at restaurants1 with a maximum of eight people per table and distance between tables Vaccination certificates when the number of guests exceeds 500 10 sqm/person for indoor fairs, markets, and cultural events Demanding negative COVID-19 test for traveling into Sweden |
1When referring to restaurants, other establishments serving food or alcohol (e.g., cafés and bars) were also included.