Sweden's Covid policies reversed.

A critic of both the UK, EU and the US policis towards the Corona virus (VG) and held out Sweden's attitude and policies as the correct way to go must even now be eating his own words !!!


Sweden passes tough new laws, abandons strategy

Emily Cleary
8 January 2021, 2:07 pm
Sweden has passed a new law giving its government power to enforce lockdown measures in the country, amidst rising coronavirus infections.

A bill was passed on Friday allowing the government temporary power to shut shopping centres and public transport and to fine people who break social distancing rules.

Unlike most European countries Sweden has, up until now, adopted mainly voluntary measures to limit the spread of the virus, partly because the government lacked wide-reaching legal powers to act.

The country never entered a full lockdown, unlike its Nordic neighbours who, as a result, have so far reported fewer cases per capita than Sweden.


Restrictions were largely voluntary in Sweden until the end of 2020 (TT News Agency/Claudio Bresciani via Reuters)

The daily number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Sweden has risen steadily over the past month (Our World In Data)
However, increased infection rates have seen cases spike and in November more stringent restrictions on its citizens were introduced. Gatherings of more than eight people were banned, but the government could only impose the restrictions on public events as Swedish law meant that the guidance was optional for private events.

The new law will give the government more power so it can restrict shop opening times and, if necessary, shut private businesses and public transport, and limit the number of people in public spaces like parks and beaches.

The new laws are the strictest measures yet for the country. However, authorities will not be able to impose curfews or a domestic travel ban under the new legislation.

"This is first and foremost about measures to hinder the spread of the virus, but without imposing unnecessary limits on things that can be done without risking infection," health and social affairs minister Lena Hallengren said during a parliamentary debate on Friday as politicians ended their Christmas breaks early to debate the measures.

Sweden registered 12,536 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, covering the period since 5 January, Health Agency statistics showed. Deaths now total 9,262, a rate per capita several times higher than that of its Nordic neighbours', but lower than in many European countries that opted for lockdowns.

During the debate about the new law, the government was widely criticised for being too slow in seeking broader measures to fight the second wave of infections.

It had originally proposed the new powers would come into force in March, but moved up the timetable to 10 January as health services came under renewed strain.

Sweden has been widely criticised for its more relaxed response to the spread of coronavirus, and its failure to protect the elderly during the first wave of the pandemic.

Elderly care residents died in their thousands unnecessarily, an official commission said.

Shortcomings in the nation’s elderly care system combined with inadequate steps taken by the government and agencies contributed towards the high death toll in nursing homes, it found.

The commission said existing structural issues in Sweden’s care system contributed to the high amount of deaths, despite an attempt to ring-fence the elderly off.

Commission chairman Mats Melin said: “The aspect of (the coronavirus strategy) which centered on protecting the elderly failed.

“There is no other way to view the fact that so many died. The government should have taken steps to ensure the elderly care was better prepared for the pandemic.”

 

I was actually wondering how the Swedish experiment would fare out when I first read of their unique approach to the coronavirus pandemic without much regulations, many months back.

 

Thats because almost as many people live in London as there are living in the whole country !

Or to put it Clearer
Population Density London 7'700 people per sq mile
population density Sweden 84 people per sq mile

Put that into perspective Population density of new zealand 50 people per sq mile
No of deaths from coronavirus 25

 

@Eisensulfid

From the same source,

Finland: 39,335 cases and 602 deaths
Norway: 56,927 cases and 482 deaths

Is there a reason why it would be fairer to compare Sweden to the UK than to its closest neighbors?

 

Easier keeping 84 People apart than 7'700 though This virus is catching everyone off guard though
interestingly when I worked in China in the 90s lots of people wore masks outdoors ( I thought it was because of pollution but who knows ! )