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Swedish King Says Nation’s Controversial Covid Plan Failed

King Gustaf calls virus strategy a failure, in rare rebuke
Swedish health-care system is buckling under the Covid crisis

SWEDEN-HEALTH-VIRUS — Photographer: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images

By

Rafaela Lindeberg, and

Niclas Rolander

December 17, 2020, 7:03 AM UTCUpdated onDecember 17, 2020, 4:25 PM UTC

Swedes are rapidly losing faith in their country’s response to the pandemic, with even the King delivering a rare rebuke to those in charge.

Significantly more Swedes have gotten sick and died from Covid-19 than elsewhere in the Nordic region. And with Stockholm recently almost running out of intensive care beds, frustration levels are high.