Social insurance

Here you can read more about current measures in health and social care and health and social care staff. This is the fourth article in a series about the work of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in response to the COVID-19 virus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the whole world and represents a global challenge the likes of which we have not seen for decades. All affected countries are now trying to solve the crisis with as few negative consequences as possible for people’s lives and health.

Here you can read about measures, advice and restrictions that concern older people, people with health conditions, risk groups and health and social care staff. This is the third article in a series about the work of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in response to the COVID-19 virus.

Several of the economic measures presented by the Government, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party to mitigate the impact of the virus outbreak will be reinforced, including reimbursement for the first day of sickness and central government responsibility for businesses’ sick pay costs. In addition, the ceiling for unemployment benefits will be raised from day 101.

The Government continues to maintain a close dialogue with relevant expert government agencies on effective measures to counter the spread of the coronavirus, which can cause COVID-19. Read more below about the most recent recommendations and decisions in the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs’ policy areas of public health, medical care, social care and social insurance.

There is now an ongoing outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The Swedish Government is following developments carefully and is in continuous contact with the responsible authorities. Below is a selection of the Government’s decisions and initiatives that have been taken so far in the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs’ areas.

The Government is proposing to temporarily suspend the medical certificate requirement from the eighth calendar day of a sick pay period.

(New version) Due to the COVID-19 virus, the Government has announced that the sickness benefit standard deduction will temporarily be abolished in that the central government will pay sickness benefit for the first day of sickness. The ultimate aim of this measure is to reduce the spread of infection in society. The new regulation is in effect from 11 March until 11 May 2020.

In the Budget Bill for 2020, the Government presents a range of proposals to increase security and welfare in Sweden. Here you can learn more about the proposals related to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.