U governments that locked down are increasingly emulating the one that did not, but experts warn that Sweden’s Covid approach, relying more on voluntary compliance than coercion, will not suit all – and big questions remain over whether it has worked for Sweden.

As infections surge in several European countries, France, which is currently averaging nearly 12,000 cases a day, has ruled out another national lockdown, instead pursuing a strategy the prime minister, Jean Castex, calls “living with the virus” and imposing local measures.

Spain, which this week passed 700,000 cases, has also rejected a second shutdown. “We have the tools we need,” said the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez. “But we need the help of our citizens. Individual commitment is fundamental.”