Sweden still hasn't locked down. But normal life is a luxury for only a few

Fredrik Flegar manages the bar at Pustervik, where his hours have been reduced by 80 percent due to the coronavirus pandemic. The concert venue had to cancel all shows, but in April, it hosted a virtual performance to raise funds. “First I was really worried, but after the virtual benefit concert we had here, I feel better,” says Flegar.

“Of course we also [get] customers who stand way too close, but lately I’ve seen more people commenting on it and making sure others keep [their] distance,” says Anita Morales, who has been working at Willy’s for three and a half years.

Families like Isabelle Hoffren (left) and Gunilla Cronholm were eager to support the April 3 opening of Gothenburg’s first drive-in cinema at an event area known as the Banana Pier. “People want to experience something collectively without it being a gathering of people,” says Anna Remegård, one of the organisers behind the opening of the drive-in.

“I’m tired of sitting at home all day, so it’s great to be out and feel like you’re among people again,” says Gunilla Abrahamsson, who feels too vulnerable to go outside, even for groceries. A drive-in movie, she decided, was safe. Sweden is relying on citizens to be responsible for their own safety.

Felicia Soufi treats patients with mental health issues at Eastern Hospital, in Gothenburg. The psychiatric ward where she works has been converted to hold COVID-19 patients. “I’m still not sure how worried we should be,” she said. “New information is coming all the time. Right now I'm not that worried about being sick, but of me carrying the infection and infecting someone who gets really sick.”

Zamenhof’s arcade may be empty, but the restaurant and bar still has customers, just not as many as usual. New restrictions force restaurants and bars to allow only as many guests as can be seated, causing these businesses to lose money.

Kim Christersson sips coffee while catching up with Isabel Andersson, the bartender at typically crammed Publik. New restrictions require bars to allow only as many patrons as they can seat. “It’s sad to see how so many friends in our industry are struggling these days,” says Andersson.

In early April, music hall Pustervik held a virtual benefit concert, raising more than £40,000. The money will help the venue support itself, after it had to cancel all of its bookings due to coronavirus.

Viktoria Silander, a nurse at Eastern Hospital, tests potential COVID-19 patients. She says she’s been struggling to get her teenage children to follow social distancing rules. “Sometimes this feels a bit like a test, both for us and the next generation, to see how much we can handle,” she said. “So next time we are even better prepared.”