3 MEASURES IN C ASE OF A SUSPEC TED OR CONFIRMED INFEC TION 3 Measures in case of a suspected or confirmed infection The Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s investigations have shown that all the agencies investigated developed routines for how staff should act in the event of a suspected or confirmed infection of Covid-19. The routines were designed differently due to, inter alia, differences in the agencies’ regulations. However, all the routines were alike in that staff were supposed to separate people under their responsibility who had suspected or confirmed infections from others. 3.1 The Swedish Communicable Diseases Act and the Public Health Agency of Sweden’s general advice In general, it is crucial in the work of preventing the spread of infection that a person, who is suspected or confirmed as being infected with a disease covered by the provisions of the Communicable Diseases Act, takes their responsibility and voluntarily does what is required of them. The treating doctor must give the person carrying, or suspected of carrying, the disease individually designed medical and practical advice on how they should avoid exposing others to the risk of infection. Furthermore, the treating doctor can decide on individually designed rules of conduct in order to prevent the spread of infection.1 Only if it is clear from the circumstances that an individual is not prepared or able to comply voluntarily with the measures required to prevent or, as far as possible, reduce the risk of the spread of infection can the admi1 Chapter 4, Sections 1 and 2 of the Communicable Diseases Act. nistrative court take a decision on isolation. The same applies if there is a valid reason to assume that an individual is not following the rules of conduct that have been decided. A decision on isolation may only be taken if there Infectious diseases is a significant risk that other doctors can request people may become infected.2 that a person be Furthermore, the infectious diplaced in isolation seases doctor may decide on temporary isolation if someone carries or is suspected of carrying a disease that poses a danger to the public and, through their behaviour, exposes someone else to immediate risk of infection. Such isolation is to take place in a care facility operated by a region.3 According to the Public Health Agency of Sweden’s general advice, anyone who knows they are infected or who has Covid-19 symptoms should stay at home and avoid social contact.4 The regional infectious diseases doctor can decide on quarantine if there is a risk of spreading a disease dangerous for the general public.5 Furthermore, the infectious diseases doctor may decide that the person who has, or can be assumed to have been exposed to, the disease should be quarantined in a specific building as a whole or part of a building or within a certain area. Such a decision entails a ban on leaving the building, part of the building or area and a ban on receiving visits there. 2 Chapter 5, Section 1 of the Communicable Diseases Act. 3 Chapter 5, Sections 3 and 4 of the Communicable Diseases Act. 4 The Public Health Agency of Sweden’s regulations and general advice (HSLFFS 2020-12) on everybody’s responsibility to prevent infection of Covid-19 et al. 5 Chapter 3, Section 9 of the Communicable Diseases Act. – 14 –