The measure complements other infection control measures set out for the autumn due to the increased spread of Covid-19. "The aim is to further reduce congestion in public spaces including public transport. We also wish to point out the importance of pupils to follow the general advice regarding social distancing outside of school hours," says Johan Carlson, Director General of the Public Health Agency of Sweden.

A report has found that pupils who took part in last spring's introductory programmes, including language introduction, faced particular challenges in distance learning. The same applied to pupils with social anxiety or overcrowding at home, pupils with a need for close contact with their teacher, or pupils with organisational difficulties. Such pupils are therefore exempt from this new recommendation.
Other exemptions to the Public Health Agency's recommendation are:

•  in-person obligations that cannot be postponed,
•  national tests
•  examinations that cannot be performed at a distance,
• pupils taking part in the introductory programmes, including language introduction, and
• pupils who are otherwise vulnerable during distance learning.