Much has been written about Sweden’s decision to not impose stringent lockdowns on their entire country and economy in the face of the Covid19 pandemic. But the latest data seems to show their decision was wise.
Deaths from Covid19 have decreased dramatically according to Sweden’s chief health official Anders Tegnell. “Actually our mortality rates started falling much earlier on than our case numbers indicating that we’re actually seeing things that can be done to keep mortality down while still having a fair number of cases in the population,” Tegnell told UnHerd in an interview.
“It really is yet another sign that the Swedish strategy is working,” Tegnell said. “It is possible to slow contagion fast with the measures we are taking in Sweden,” he told Reuters
Further upside is that Sweden did not destroy its economy in achieving positive mortality rates. In fact, as Business Insider points out they’ve actually managed some growth.
“Unlike most European countries, Sweden didn’t impose strict lockdown measures. Now it’s reaping the rewards — economically speaking, at least. A report from Capital Economics published on Tuesday found that the Swedish economy was the least harmed in Europe, describing it as the ‘best of a bad bunch.’”
“Though Sweden was not immune to the pandemic’s economic impact, it was the only major economy to grow in the first quarter of the year, the report noted.”
This of course, has led to harsh criticism from the mainstream media on Sweden’s approach. A sampling of headlines on the country read as follows:
- Sweden becomes an example of how not to handle COVID-19, CBS News
- Lack of Lockdown Increased COVID-19 Deaths in Sweden, U of V Newsroom
- Sweden Has Become the World’s Cautionary Tale, New York Times
- Sweden Stayed Open And More People Died Of Covid-19, But The Real Reason May Be Something Darker, Forbes
The one thing the mainstream media can’t change though is the facts. And that the arc of the virus, in terms of spread, hospitalizations and deaths is bending in Sweden’s favor.
