After increased infections in late fall resulted in increased hospitalizations and deaths, Sweden abandoned its "one-on-one" anti-epidemic efforts in Europe.

The Swedish "experiment" with Covid-19 has ended.

The restrictions that started this month put an end to an approach that has put Sweden at the heart of a global debate between opponents and supporters of restrictive measures by governments.

Admirers of Sweden's approach praise its benefits to the economy and its respect for basic freedoms.

When the pandemic swept through Europe in March, Sweden did not take the same measures as other countries in the region, did not require masks and kept bars and nightclubs running, they were counting on chimpanzees.

Until last month, Swedes still attended crowded cultural and sporting events.

A few weeks later, the number of Covid-19-related deaths reached nearly 700 per million population, infections increased exponentially and hospitals filled with Covid-19 patients, the government had to "turn around".

In his televised speech on November 22, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven begged the Swedes to cancel all unnecessary meetings and to ban gathering of more than eight people, leading to the closure of cinemas and

"Swedish officials have chosen a completely different strategy from the rest of Europe, so the country suffered a lot in the first wave," said Piotr Nowak, a doctor who treats patients.

Last week, Covid-19 deaths in Sweden exceeded 7,000.

"We don't want to call Sweden 'black sheep', but they are clearly a different sheep," said Vivikka Richt, a spokesman for Finland's Health Ministry.

Dr. Nowak said health workers have never been as optimistic about "public immunity" as public health officials have and have repeatedly warned that it is impossible to control the virus with mental expectations.

One reason Sweden has maintained with its approach in the long run despite many worrisome signs is the high degree of independence and authority that health and other similar state agencies enjoy.

The pandemic face for the "one-on-one" strategy is Anders Tegnell, Sweden's chief epidemiologist.

In recent months, Tegnell predicts that Swedes will gradually build immunity to the virus through controlled exposure, arguing that vaccines will take longer than expected development and mortality.

Instead, the first Western vaccine was licensed in the UK last week, Sweden's mortality is still much higher than its neighbors, and Tegnell admitted in late November that the case increase

Meanwhile, Sweden's strategy did not bring the economic benefits that its proponents had predicted.

A series of restaurants, hotels and retail businesses closed.

"This is worse than blockade and this is a catastrophic year for industries. They don't have to shut down so they don't give us any substantial support, but they advise everyone.

Lars Calmfors, an economist with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, said the fear of the virus and recommended avoiding social interactions by the government to have caused domestic demand to decline, hurt

In Stockholm, Anna Lallerstedt had run three famous restaurants opened by her parents in the 1980s. Last month, she had to shut down two of them, laying off nearly 100 people.

Tegnell's role in the government's anti-pandemic effort has now dwindled.

An Ipsos poll in November found that 82% of respondents worried about the pandemic burden on hospitals, while 44% said officials had not taken adequate measures, up from

"The spread of infection is on the rise in Stockholm and we are in a very, very serious situation," said Björn Eriksson, Medical Director and Hospitals of the Stockholm region, the most populous region of the country.

Eriksson says the capital's medical staff struggle to care for the large number of patients and the pressure the pandemic puts on the health system can only be alleviated with stricter restrictive measures.

"We like to consider ourselves very rational and pragmatic people," Calmfors said.