COVID-19: SWEDEN - YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST

A pal is from New Zealand, and recommended the NZ Herald as a source of good information about what is happening there for COVID-19.

Until a recent outbreak, they hadn't had any local cases of COVID-19 for 102 days. 

So it was a surprise to see this article about Sweden in the Herald, titled "Sweden's controversial virus strategy 'vindicated', say experts".




The article goes on to say:

• "While the Scandinavian nation's death rate overall is one of the world's highest – due to a huge spike at the beginning of the pandemic – the daily rolling average is now negligible... it's a 'vindication' of Sweden's controversial strategy"
• "Our [Sweden's] strategy was consistent and sustainable"
• "As a society, we [Sweden] are more into nudging: continuously reminding people to use measures, improving measures where we see day by day the that they need to be adjusted"
• "Sweden's pre-vaccine approach to dealing with Covid-19 is more sustainable and preferable to rolling lockdowns and re-openings which Dr Anders Tegnell, the Swedish chief epidemiologist, has labelled 'disastrous in many ways' "
• An Australian, Professor Peter Collignon, said "In my view, neither the New Zealand nor the Swedish approach is the way to go...The trouble with Sweden is it's had a lot of deaths; the trouble with New Zealand is elimination is difficult to achieve"
• Dr Tegnell has cautioned against declaring Sweden a success story, just yet. "It could take until next year to know if the approach was right"

You would have seen a very similar assessment and conclusion here nearly a week ago titled "COVID-19: SO WHY NOT SWAP TO SWEDEN'S STRATEGY?".  You heard it here first.