10 points from Swedish controversial approach to coronavirus pandemics – Daily News

Sweden is clearly an outlier in a global campaign to combat death and illness from coronavirus pandemics.

There is no blockade in Sweden. Bars, restaurants and even nightclubs have not been closed since COVID-19 first arrived on the shore on January 31st. Elementary and junior high schools remain open, but high schools and colleges now rely on distance learning.

There are no orders by the government to wear masks or keep a social distance, but the latter is recommended and most citizens voluntarily adhere to it. In fact, voluntary compliance and personal responsibility are at the core of Sweden’s strategy to slow the spread of the virus.

However, that approach is not completely taken over. In Sweden, gatherings of more than 50 people and visits to nursing homes are prohibited, resulting in approximately half of the deaths from COVID-19. We encourage working from home if possible.

Not all Swedish virologists and immunologists are convinced that they are on the right track, but the country’s soft approach was devised by scientists and backed by the government. Sweden has been widely criticized around the world for its strategy, which its nationals are very open to.

So how are things going?

In Sweden, the number of deaths associated with the number of cases of COVID-19 was higher than in its Nordic neighbors Norway and Finland, both of which were subject to complete blockade. As of Friday, May 8, Sweden recorded 25,265 coronaviruses and 3,175 deaths in a population of approximately 1.02 million. About half of the Norwegian population has 8,055 cases and 218 deaths. On the other hand, Finland (population 5.5 million) has 5,738 cases and 260 deaths.

Dr. Anderstegner, a state epidemiologist who devised measures against coronaviruses, spoke about Sweden’s experience and lessons at a Friday webinar hosted by the International Center for Journalists. Here are 10 points from Tegner as California and other countries began to open their economies.

1. Sweden discovers the virus early and starts testing early

Mr Tegner said the Swedish medical system was not overwhelmed by the early detection of cases. Some other countries were overwhelmed, he said, “they didn’t see a late start, and only noticed when there were already too many cases.” Sweden also started testing early and saw a pandemic on their spring break trip. In February, spring vacation began in earnest in Europe, when the incident began to surface.

2. Causes of concern due to high infection and lethality

One of the main reasons for Sweden’s high mortality rate is the spread of the virus in homes for the elderly, Tegner said. About 70,000 people live in these homes in Sweden, where deaths account for more than 50% of all coronavirus-related deaths in Sweden.

3. Achieving “group immunity” is not Sweden’s goal

According to Tegner, the country’s goal is to limit the spread of society while it is functioning. He said it was achieved except for the higher death toll of the elderly. However, the immunity that many gain from coronavirus-infected individuals keeps the spread of infection at a reasonable level until a vaccine is available (which can be off for at least 12-18 months). Will help. If the majority of the population is immune to infectious diseases, this provides indirect protection or “herd immunity” to those who are not immune to the disease.

4. I don’t know how long this immunity lasts

Tegner said that with coronavirus, the level of antibodies a person has varies from case to case. So far, no single person has been infected with COVID-19 from Sweden. They know this because Sweden has a strict identification and tracking system. What they don’t know is how long this immunity lasts, Tegner said. Their virologists say this can last up to 6 months. But they certainly don’t know. That said, Tegner believes that the reason for the gradual decline in case numbers in Stockholm, the epicenter of the Swedish outbreak, is due to immunity. He believes he has enough immunity to contain the incident. He also wants that to happen if there is a second wave of infections in the fall.

5. It is not mandatory to wear a mask in public

Tegnell says there are two main reasons why Sweden did not require citizens to wear masks: First, the science behind him is ambiguous-everyone in Hong Kong has one “very It only points to “theoretical” studies. In his opinion, no studies have clearly shown that masks are effective when worn by the public. Second, the Swedish government does not want the sick to go public, Tegner said. He is worried that sick people may be more likely to go out if masks are encouraged.

6. There is no financial incentive for Swedish sick people to go to work

Sweden has made it possible for sick people to stay home by paying for them from the first day of work. When people are paid for sick days, they have no financial incentive to go to work. This also helped the country control the spread of the virus, he said.

7. Why high school and college students aren’t attending yet, but younger children are still attending school

According to Tegner, distance learning works very well in high schools and colleges, and students can still be educated. However, he says there is no evidence that the virus has spread significantly among children under the age of 16 and there is no evidence that the virus has spread from children to adults. According to Tegner, the survival rate for people who come to ICU is about 80%. About 85% to 90% of deaths nationwide are people over the age of 80. The recovery rate for young people is “very high,” he said.

8. Pandemics Disproportionately Affect Immigrant Communities

This is largely due to socioeconomic conditions, Tegner said. Immigrant families tend to live closer and share housing among different generations. He also said the disease came to these communities early (February to early March) and spread rapidly without anyone’s knowledge.

9. Fake information wasn’t a big deal

Tegner says there is a high level of trust between residents and government agencies. As with the rest of the world, rumors are swirling in social media, but that doesn’t affect the majority of people who feel’knowledgeable and not afraid ‘,’ ‘he said. The fear of losing their job. Only 5% to 10% are actually afraid of the epidemic in Sweden, based on the survey, Tegner said. Also, Swedish law states that if a COVID-19 case is discovered, it must be reported to the medical department within 24 hours, and many must. Mr Tegner said government data has a high level of public trust and confidence.

10. Physical distance is an important part of keeping the economy open

Mr Tegner said people were good at isolating themselves, so they see the Swedish approach as successful. He warns people against using the Swedish model to claim that he can go anywhere and interact with anyone. He says maintaining social distance is the most important thing that can be done to prevent the spread of coronaviruses.