Despite implementing a lot much less restrictive insurance policies, Sweden has had a decrease proportion of deaths and infections than SpainThough, in line with Daniel López Acuña, the Swedish mannequin can’t be in contrast with the Spanish one as a result of they’re very totally different societiesSweden, which isn’t even closed the first lecture rooms, “wager on the mistaken horse”, considers the previous director of the WHO
Three years in the past, whereas Spain was experiencing its first days of confinement, different international locations reminiscent of Sweden continued with out taking restrictions. It is the story of a pandemic and alternative ways of coping with it: probably the most restrictive mannequin reminiscent of that of Spain, France or Italy, or that of rather more lax international locations reminiscent of Sweden. Today, with the numbers in hand, it’s now attainable to supply a comparative evaluation of the totally different methods and see if being Swedish with the coronavirus was value it or not.
The figures dealt with by the World Health Organization (WHO) point out that greater than 23,000 deaths have been registered in Sweden because the starting of covid-19, 2.2% of its 10.4 million inhabitants. A proportion that in Spain has been even increased, with nearly 120,000 deaths out of its 47 million inhabitants, 2.5%. The comparability in variety of infections can be favorable for Sweden. In the Scandinavian nation, 26% of the inhabitants was contaminated, whereas in Spain 29% have been contaminated.
So, in line with these information, the Swedish technique, which opted for the advice and never the prohibition, interesting to particular person accountability, which prevented the generalized confinements, the necessary use of the masks and even saved the nursery colleges open, was not so unhealthy with regards to coping with the pandemic. In addition, the financial system of the Nordic nation, normally, didn’t undergo a ‘blackout’ much like that of different European international locations during which the confinement solely left important sectors lively.
The drawbacks of turning into Swedish
But actuality has nothing to do with this comparability, says epidemiologist Daniel López Acuña. Because the Swedish mannequin has introduced 1000’s of drawbacks. “They have been extra lax, however they didn’t have fewer issues”, by no means, emphasizes the previous director of the WHO.
According to the professional, one of many reference voices of this pandemic, what can’t be carried out is to check the Swedish figures with the Spanish ones, as a result of the dynamics and social realities are very totally different. It should be carried out with international locations with a sociology and demography much like Sweden’s, reminiscent of Denmark, Norway or Finland. In this comparability, the Swedish mannequin doesn’t come out effectively. The loss of life price in Sweden is double that of its Norwegian neighbors and is markedly increased than that of Danes or Finns. This is seen within the information from Our World in Data.
Deaths from covid-19Our World in Data
A “very excessive” mortality within the aged
At the beginning of the pandemic, Sweden selected to let the an infection flow into freely, with out adopting restrictive measures. His intention was to thus obtain the long-awaited group immunity. But he was mistaken, explains Daniel López Acuña emphatically. “The Swedish authorities wager on the mistaken horse, as a result of they didn’t bear in mind the excessive danger for the aged and the persistent covid.”
And that’s what occurred, notes the epidemiologist. During the primary 12 months of the pandemic, there was a “very excessive” mortality within the aged, “a lot increased than in Spain and different European international locations, for which the Swedish officers got here to apologize.”
Less diagnostic assessments and a “delayed” vaccination
The Swedes additionally selected to hold out a lot fewer diagnostic assessments for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and carried out a vaccination marketing campaign “rather more delayed” than that of their European companions in kids underneath 15 years of age, considers the previous chief of World Health Organization.
1) Many folks have been taken abruptly that on a day like as we speak, three years in the past, a state of alarm was declared and a extreme confinement started that will final for a number of weeks. Fortunately, they acted with willpower and forcefulness and that saved many lives.
— Daniel Lopez Acuna (@lopezacunad) March 14, 2023
An “misguided” coverage, insists Daniel López Acuña, like that of all these international locations that opted to let the coronavirus run to realize “pure” immunity, though this has proven that group immunity is neither achieved neither is it Get long-lasting immunity. With this, solely “very extreme” footage of the illness are obtained.
After three years of the pandemic, Daniel López Acuña explains to NIUS, there are issues which are clear, reminiscent of:
All international locations on the planet ought to have pandemic plans, though not all have them, “see the case of Spain,” denounces the epidemiologist. Faced with the arrival of a brand new virus with pandemic potential, it’s important to undertake draconian measures by lowering mobility. In Spain, says López Acuña, “we’d have had tens of 1000’s extra deaths if the states of alarm, the confinements and the quite a few restrictions had not been decreed.” The covid-19 vaccine is just not sterilizing and the immunity it supplies is just not long-lasting, so it should be renewed yearly and never suppose that that is over.