Sweden extends virus restrictions; Danes likely to end them

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Sweden will extend several restrictions for another two weeks while neighboring Denmark was expected to announce that it no longer considers COVID-19 as “a socially critical disease” as of next month and will remove most restrictions. Sweden’s Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren said the country was seeing “an extremely record high spread of infection,” the existing measures ”need to remain in place for another two weeks.” It was not immediately clear what restrictions Danes will end. But a letter from the health minister to lawmakers says the “categorization of COVID-19 as a socially critical disease will be abolished as of Feb. 1.”