During these hard times, there is a specific group of people that we call heroes: healthcare workers. Doctors, nurses, and everyone in between are fighting every day to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus as well as nurse those who are infected back to health.
Seeing an opportunity to show their appreciation, Swedish candy store BonBon NYC created special goodie bags full of their delicious treats to give to healthcare workers at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. More than two dozen bags were packed and delivered by BonBon’s staff. They documented their gratitude on Instagram with the caption:
“A small token of appreciation to the healthcare workers at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, one of many groups fighting at the frontlines everyday to keep us safe! Thank you ???♥️ #staysafe #staysweet #stayhome”
BonBon NYC was started by a group of three Swedish friends — Robert Persson, Selim Adira, and Leo Schaltz — and currently carries more than 160 different kinds of candies (including many Swedish favorites!) If you are in the NYC area and miss your fix of Swedish treats, you can order delivery via Postmates, Doordash, and UberEats.
Ann Linde, Sweden’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, went live today on an interview with CNN to describe the steps her country is taking in order to fight the COVID-19 pandemic that has spread throughout the world.
Linde highlighted six key points in her interview, which include the following:
1) Limit the spread of infection in Sweden
2) Ensure resources for healthcare workers and facilities
3) Limit impact on socially important activities
4) Explain consequences for citizens and businesses that do not follow quarantine rules
5) Limit panic through clear and concrete information
6) Take the right action at the right time
SVERIGES STRATEGI: STOPPA SMITTSPRIDNINGEN OCH SKYDDA RISKGRUPPERNAMedverkade idag i CNN för att beskriva den svenska uppmärksammade strategin i kampen mot covid-19-pandemin för en internationell publik.Sveriges strategi är att stoppa smittspridningen och skydda riskgrupperna. Regeringens fokus är och har varit att med utgångspunkt från expertmyndigheternas råd säkra att rätt åtgärd sätts in vid rätt tillfälle för att först och främst värna befolkningens hälsa och säkerhet. Alla nationella råd och rekommendationer måste dock sättas i vår specifika kontext. Att olika länder agerar olika beror på flera faktorer, framför allt smittspridningsmönstret och samhällets uppbyggnad. Vad som är rätt tillvägagångssätt i ett land behöver inte betyda att det är rätt i ett annat. Det är inte heller ”business as usual” i Sverige. Vårdpersonal sliter, äldre får inte träffa sina barnbarn, företagare kämpar. Hela det svenska samhället är påverkat. Sveriges strategi syftar i korthet till att:1) Begränsa smittspridning i landet.2) Säkerställa resurser till hälso- och sjukvård.3) Begränsa inverkan på samhällsviktig verksamhet.4) Lindra konsekvenser för medborgare och företag.5) Begränsa oro, bland annat genom information.6) Sätta in rätt åtgärder vid rätt tillfälle.
Like many other countries, Sweden’s main strategy is to stop the spread of infection and protect the groups that have the highest risks of contracting coronavirus (i.e. older citizens and those with suppressed immune systems).
The interview also touched upon a comment that US President Donald Trump recently stated, which was that Sweden was “severely suffering” during the pandemic.
However, Foreign Minister Linde rejected the notion and went on to explain that several myths have been spread about Sweden’s strategy.
Linde notes, “The government’s focus is and has been to ensure, based on the advice of the expert authorities, that the right action is put in place at the right time to protect the health and safety of the population.”
She goes on to say that each country has its own set of unique problems and ways of fighting the coronavirus. “The fact that different countries act differently depends on several factors, especially the pattern of infection and society’s construction. What is the right approach in one country doesn’t have to mean it is right in another.”
As for the fact that Sweden doesn’t have any official quarantine measures in place? Linde says that it all boils down to trust: “There is a great deal of trust between the people and the authorities between politicians […] When the Public Health Authority makes a recommendation, there is a very strong will on the part of the people to follow it.”
Tv-sänt tal av H.M. Konungen med anledning av covid-19-pandemin. Söndagen den 5 april 2020 höll H.M. Konungen ett tal i Sveriges Television med anledning av covid-19-pandemin. Kungen höll talet från Stenhammars slott i Södermanland, där Kungaparet befinner sig sedan virusets utbrott i Sverige.
The king of Sweden addressed his people in a televised speech, aired yesterday evening (Swedish time). His majesty touched on Easter approaching, pointing out how this year, celebrations will have to be different. He also offered words of comfort saying; “In a few weeks’ time, I will be 74. That’s quite an age. But this also means that I have experienced many of the crises that our country has endured.“
And if one thing can be certain, the European senior royals have seen a lot. Speaking from experience, the king said: “however deep or protracted a crisis becomes, it will ultimately come to an end.“
You can read the translated transcript below the video.
The week leading up to Easter is commonly called Holy Week.
Today, Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of this solemn week. And in many places the mood is more solemn than ever.
COVID-19 has Sweden and the world in its grip. Streets and squares are empty and quiet.
The pandemic has dealt a major blow to our businesses, workers and the Swedish economy – to Swedish society as a whole.
At the same time, in other parts of our society, the week ahead will be all but quiet.
Civic mobilisation is taking place. I am thinking in particular of the health care sector. There, employees and volunteers are now working – together – to save as many lives as they can.
This is a huge task. It requires courage. And it will require endurance. To all of you involved in this vital work, I offer my heartfelt thanks.
Let us turn our thoughts to everyone who is working to ensure that the rest of Sweden continues to function – despite the constraints of the situation and despite the risks to their own health.
And to those of you making sure that older people receive the care they need, that we can buy food, that public transport continues to operate, and everything else we so easily take for granted – my warmest thanks to you all.
As I mentioned, Holy Week leads us to Easter. For me, and for many people in our country, this is an important celebration and one we look forward to.
It is a time when we are keen to travel and perhaps spend time with family and friends. Many go to church.
But, this Easter, some of this will not be possible. We have to accept this. We have to rethink, prepare ourselves for staying home.
We might feel sad about this. But there will be more Easter holidays. After all, for most us, this will require relatively minor sacrifices – especially if we compare this to falling seriously ill or losing a friend or member of our family.
Today, I am thinking especially of all the children in our country who are now at risk of losing grandparents. Of missing out on the security and wisdom they can offer.
For their sake, we must act responsibly and selflessly. Everyone in our country has this obligation. Each and every one of us.
There is still a great deal of uncertainty. But one thing is certain: we will remember these times and look back on them.
Did I think about other people? Or did I put myself first? We will have to live with the choices we make today, for a long time to come. They will impact many.
Easter will soon be here. And whether or not we celebrate it, I believe that we can embrace its message:
The journey is long and arduous. But in the end, light triumphs over darkness, and we will be able to feel hope again.
In a few weeks’ time, I will be 74. That’s quite an age. But this also means that I have experienced many of the crises that our country has endured.
I have seen how crises help us to re-evaluate, to distinguish between important and unimportant. How fear turns into an understanding of the seriousness of the problem and how it can be solved.
And one thing I have learned is this: however deep or protracted a crisis becomes, it will ultimately come to an end.
And when this one does, we will all benefit from the consideration and strength that the Swedish people are now demonstrating.
This strength will be an asset to our country – in the future that we are longing for.
It remains for me now to wish you and everyone in Sweden an enjoyable Easter – in spite of everything.
And though it might be hard, remember: you are not alone.
In a historical — and heartwarming — moment, SAS airlines has undergone the longest direct flight in the company’s history.
The flight will depart from Peru’s capital, Lima (LIM) and take the 11,000 kilometer (~6,800 mi.) long journey all the way back to Denmark’s Copenhagen (CPH) airport. What makes this flight extra special is the fact that all 290 of the passengers on board are evacuated Scandinavians who will be traveling back to their home countries.
SAS’ Press Manager notes, “[This flight] is about 3,700 kilometers longer than our longest ‘normal’ route to Los Angeles. Historically, in 1956, SAS flew from Stockholm to Australia during the Melbourne Olympics. But it was with three stops along the way.”
Peru has been in the midst of the coronavirus crisis and is slowly shutting down the country by adding curfews from 8 pm to 5 am; banning the use of private cars at night, and closing the border.
One of the Danes on SAS’ flight explained the situation she was in: “It’s been some long days. For example, we did not have water for bathing or anything. The tightening by the authorities makes you really look forward to coming home to Denmark, where you do not have to worry about food and drinking water.”
Another Dane praised the efforts of the Danish government amidst the chaos:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has really been good at helping. It is a very good service we have been given.”
The passengers had to buy their own tickets, which were priced at 7,500DKK ($1,100 USD) for a seat in the Go class, 10,500 DKK ($1,500 USD) in Plus and 13,500 DKK ($1,900 USD) for a seat in the Business Class section.
However, the battle isn’t over yet. Erik Brøgger Rasmussen, director of the Foreign Ministry’s Citizens’ Service, told a press conference that there are still Danes trapped in Peru. An employee of the Foreign Ministry has been sent to the South American country by plane and will stay in Peru to work and get the rest home.
In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, IKEA has stepped up and offered one of its in-store parking lots to be used as a coronavirus testing center.
The makeshift testing center is set in IKEA’s Wembley store in the UK and could be one of several NHS coronavirus testing sites set up at IKEA branches across the country, notes the Swedish furniture giant.
The facility, which is only available to NHS workers (National Health Service, the publicly funded healthcare system of the United Kingdom) for coronavirus, has nurses taking swabs through car windows.
An IKEA spokesman notes, “We are incredibly proud that we are able to support the government and the NHS in this small way, and are working with them to identify any additional sites that could also support the national effort.”
The spokesman condemned by saying that the company has also responded to requests from intensive care units and doctors across the country, and delivered thousands of disposable paper tape measures.
Besides opening up the parking lot, IKEA has also announced a grant of 26 million Euro to “protect the health of communities, its co-workers, suppliers, and consumers impacted by the spread of coronavirus.” The money will be spread across multiple countries in order to provide care and supplies to those who need it most.
We’re proud to see IKEA helping the community, one parking lot at a time!
Over the weekend, Skansen received more than 3 million SEK (a little over $300,000 USD) after people bought souvenirs, annual passes, and monetary donations.
CEO John Brattmyhr notes, “The commitment we have received is absolutely incredible… Our systems cannot really handle the storm.”
He continued, “We sold 8,000 annual cards this weekend! And through our webstore, we sold souvenirs for SEK 300,000. In addition, people donated more than SEK 300,000.”
Indeed, there were even comments on the Facebook group stating that they could not buy an annual pass because Skansen’s website was overloaded.
One user wrote, “Two times I have already tried to buy an annual card at Skansen. I got [an error message] both times… This is a positive sign.”
Sustainable Brand Index, Europe’s largest sustainability survey, has just published its annual rankings — and one of our favorite Swedish heritage brands won an award.
Fjällräven, the Örnsköldsvik-based outdoor equipment brand known for its colorful backpacks and cute fox logo, was voted as Sweden’s most sustainable brand in the “Clothing and Fashion Brand” category.
With over 1,400 brands competing in the category, Swedish consumers agreed on Fjällräven being the most sustainable brand. Digging deeper into core values of the company – their win comes as little surprise.
Christiane Dolva, Head of Sustainability at the company, notes that “Sustainability is a deeply rooted value at Fjällräven and it remains at the core of everything we do… We’re extremely happy to see that consumers recognize Fjällräven as a sustainable brand and that they value our constant efforts.”
Fjällräven’s products are famous for their durability and sustainability. In fact, the company’s founder, Åke Nordin, grew up along Sweden’s rugged coast and needed a backpack that would survive the harsh environments of nature in his backyard. Using his dad’s tools and mom’s sewing machine, Nordin designed his first piece of gear, which was a wood-framed backpack, in his basement.
From that moment onwards, Nordin became an entrepreneur, solving the most common problems back in the ’60s and ’70s, which were lightweight yet durable outdoor equipment.
By the end of the decade, Fjällräven had become the go-to supplier of gear for Swedish expeditions.
“Products should be durable and long-lasting in the physical sense, but also in the emotional sense. After all, what good is a garment made with the world’s most durable fabric, if it feels outdated only a year after you buy it? For this reason, timeless design is a very high priority for us.” continues Christiane Dolva.
Besides using recycled polyester, organic materials, and clean production methods, Fjällräven also advocates for animal welfare and social sustainability. In fact, Fjällräven’s Down Promise lets buyers trace where their clothing’s material comes from. “We’re delighted when we see our products handed down from one generation to the next because it means we have succeeded in creating a long-term relevance that helps make a more sustainable behavior possible.”
Skansen, the famous open-air museum in Sweden’s capital, is in the middle of battling a financial crisis.
The museum, which is currently run as a foundation, is quickly running out of money due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since the COVID-19 crisis hit Sweden, Skansen has had virtually no visitors. In fact, the visitor statistics have been down to a fifth of its usual capacity.
John Brattmyhr sent a plea letter to the Swedish Minister of Culture describing the museum’s acute liquidity crisis:
“When the money is gone, you’ll lose command over the ship,” says Brattmyhr.
Skansen, the first, and oldest, open-air museum and zoo in Sweden, is located on the island Djurgården in central Stockholm. It was opened in October 1891 and has been thriving ever since.
All 100-something summer employees have been put on furlough. The permanent staff of just over 200 people is also threatened.
Skansen’s CEO estimates that the museum will see a loss of SEK 60 million this year. To put it in perspective, only 6,000 guests came to Skansen this weekend, compared to 20,000 on a regular weekend.
On a similar note, Allsång på Skansen (Sing-along at Skansen), a popular sing-along show that’s held every year in the museum, is at the risk of being canceled due to Sweden’s “no gatherings of more than 50 people” rule to fight coronavirus.
“We are looking at various alternative solutions for the program this summer,” says project manager Per Rådelius.
Can Skansen ride out its financial crisis? We’ll be crossing our fingers for them!
CARSON, CA - AUGUST 24: Zlatan Ibrahimovic #9 of Los Angeles Galaxy during the Los Angeles Galaxy's MLS match against Los Angeles FC at the StubHub Center on August 24, 2018 in Carson, California. The match ended in a 1-1 tie. (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images)
In typical Zlatan fashion, the football superstar has launched a campaign called ‘Kick the Virus Out‘ to raise money in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The famous Swede has ties to one of the hardest-hit countries, Italy, as he is playing his second term at AC Milan. The country currently has more than 86,500 cases of coronavirus infections and more than 9,000 deaths.
“Italy has always given me so much and, in this dramatic moment, I want to give back even more to this country that I love,” Ibrahimovic wrote in an Instagram message after announcing a hefty donation of €100,000 (US$108,000) to the cause.
“I decided, together with the people who are working with me, to create a fundraiser for Humanitas hospitals and to use my communication power to spread the message wider.
“It’s a serious issue and we need concrete help that’s not just about a video.”
Ibrahimovic’s fund states that all of the money raised will be directly donated to Fondazione Humanitas per la Ricerca, an Italian foundation dedicated to the medical sciences. The money will be dispersed to help support the intensive care and emergency units of Milan, Bergamo, Castellanza and Torino’s hospitals.
“I count on the generosity of my colleagues, of all professional athletes and of those who want to make a small or large donation according to their possibilities, to kick this virus away.
“Together we can really help hospitals and doctors and nurses who selflessly work every day to save our lives. Because today we are the ones cheering for them!
“Let’s together kick the CoronaVirus away and win this match!”
Amidst the coronavirus crisis, it’s no surprise that one of the hardest-hit industries is tourism and aviation. In fact, Scandinavian Airlines (Also known as SAS) has temporarily laid off about 10,000 of their staff, or about 90% of its workforce, as demand for flights has virtually disappeared after many countries closed off their borders.
However, even in terrible situations comes a light of opportunity. One of Sweden’s largest hospitals has partnered with Sophiahemmet University to run a three-day pilot course for 30 laid-off SAS employees at the end of March. During the course, students will learn how to properly provide information to patients and their families, sterilize beds, handling equipment, and complete basic administrative duties.
“Cabin crew members, because of the physical nature of their jobs, tend to be relatively young and healthy. They’re also used to working in tough conditions and all through the night,” noted Johanna Adami, principal at the Sophiahemmet University.
“Most importantly they’re already trained to a very high first-aid standard and used to following emergency protocols. Indeed, if any sector knows how to manage, reassure and prioritize among large, unruly crowds it is cabin crew.”
Fredrik Hillelson, CEO at Novare Human Capital, is coordinating the efforts for the program and stated that around 250 out of 1,100 contacted SAS workers have said they want to take part in the training so far.
“It is a small bright light in all the darkness to be able to do something positive, not just talking,” he told newspapers.
The course will reportedly be free of charge. Funding is provided by the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg foundation.
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