[imagesource: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP]

Over the past few weeks and months, it has become clear that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to an effective lockdown.

There are certain measures that absolutely have to be put in place, like extensive testing, but successful countries around the world have used slightly varying approaches en route to success.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced this week that “we have won that battle”, adding that the virus is “currently eliminated” from the country.

Another interesting case study is Sweden, which has been steadfast in its refusal to enact a lockdown. Many children continue to go to school, businesses like salons and restaurants operate, and citizens are encouraged to practice safe physical distancing take personal responsibility.

Even amongst the Nordic nations, Sweden is an outlier. This via CNN:

Many of those clamouring for the relaxing of lockdown measures in countries like the US and South Africa have pointed at Sweden as evidence that draconian measures are not necessary.

On that front, though, the tide may be turning, as CNN reports:

The death rate in Sweden has now risen significantly higher than many other countries in Europe, reaching more than 22 per 100,000 people, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University, controlled for population…

Sweden has registered 18,926 coronavirus cases and 2,274 deaths among its population of 10.3 million people…

Further afield the Czech Republic, which has a similar-sized population — 10.7 million — to Sweden, has recorded 7,449 cases and 223 deaths — around two deaths per 100,000 people. It took a markedly different approach to the pandemic by shutting schools, closing restaurants and bars and most stores, restricting travel and ordering mandatory quarantines for travelers from at-risk regions in early March.

Sweden’s death toll doesn’t come close to the likes of Italy, although it has a far younger population, with fewer smokers and close-knit multigenerational households, amongst other factors.

Whilst South African has bought valuable time by enforcing a lockdown, which has allowed healthcare facilities and workers prepare for an inevitable surge, experts in Sweden say they had no such need to do so:

[Jan Albert, a microbiology professor] said that he believed that stricter lockdowns “only serve to flatten the curve and flattening the curve doesn’t mean that cases disappear — they are just moved in time.”

“And as long as the healthcare system reasonably can cope with and give good care to the ones that need care, it’s not clear that having the cases later in time is better.”

I think this is particularly important – when your friend on Facebook asks why we couldn’t go Sweden’s route and ask people to play ball, the fact that our healthcare system desperately needed time to prepare is just one reason to unfollow them.

Sweden has banned gatherings of more than 50 people, and “strongly recommended” citizens to avoid non-essential domestic travel, but government officials are coming under increased scrutiny as the death toll rises.

The country’s foreign minister, Ann Linde, spoke earlier in the week:

“There’s been a lot of misunderstanding…We have pretty much the same goals as every other government … And as we have always said, we are perfectly ready to go with more binding regulations if the population does not follow.”

She said the fairly high death toll was “certainly not part of the plan” and said the high number of care home deaths was “one area where we have failed.”

Fair play to the Swedes – at least they can admit where they have failed, whereas other world leaders are unable to stomach even the slightest criticism.

As with most things coronavirus-related, we may only know whether or not Sweden’s approach was a success months down the line.

You can read CNN’s full article here.

[source:cnn]