A new variant of covid-19 has arrived in Sweden. But it seems to be harmless – even for risk groups, says Johan Styrud, chief physician.
– Each mutation has been a little less dangerous, he says.
There are people in Sweden who are infected with the new covid variant Eris, the Public Health Authority tells Aftonbladet.
But reports from other countries show that the new mutation does not seem to be particularly dangerous, according to Johan Styrud, chief physician and chairman of Stockholm’s medical association.
You don’t get nearly as sick as when covid-19 first came to Sweden, and it also seems to be less dangerous than the latest mutation, even if everything is preliminary, he tells TT.
The symptoms are like a cold, a bit of body ache and fever.
There are so far few reports on how risk groups are affected by Eris, but those that exist show that the infection is harmless even for them, says Johan Styrud.
He does not believe that Eris will mean new restrictions in society to limit the infection.
My personal opinion is no. I can’t see any argument for that. The infection is so harmless that it would not be reasonable to make the kind of major restrictions that were made in 2020 and 2021, he says.
As for vaccinations, it is too early to tell whether the shots the public has already received are protecting against Eris, or whether new doses are needed.
Johan Styrud believes that the contagiousness may be higher compared to previous mutations.
It may be about as contagious as a cold. Colds spread like the plague in a room or in an airplane, he says.
How many have contracted the infection in Sweden is difficult to say because so few tests are done, according to Johan Styrud.