Thread by @zin_zah

svd.se/revanschen--id…

The revenge: "Today everyone follows Sweden's strategy"

The public health authority and state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell was strongly questioned during the corona pandemic when many Swedes died.

"The public health authority and state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell was strongly questioned during the corona pandemic when many Swedes died.
Sweden has been mocked, called a caricature and scolded for its unique corona strategy."

"Now all countries in Europe follow the Swedish model - but no one would dare to admit it, say leading virus experts that SvD has spoken to."

"- If we followed the Swedish strategy, we would get two million dead. Sweden has great difficulties. Sweden suffers enormously. I mean, Sweden suffers enormously, said the President of the United States."

"He is not alone in having criticized what has become known as "the Swedish strategy" in the fight against the coronavirus.The choir of detractors has been large and loud."

"The decision not to shut down society, but to rely on citizens' care for distance and hygiene, has been called "irresponsible" and "ruthless". Dry comments that "Sweden puts the economy first and lets the old die to save jobs" have been heard from countless sources."

"But now the wind seems to be turning.

From blamed to praised

Sweden has gone from being insulted to respected for a corona strategy that is different from the rest of the world."

"A kind of revenge, according to prominent epidemiologists and international virus experts that SvD spoke to.

One of them goes even further. Antoine Flahault is Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Geneva and Head of the Institute of Global Health."

"Today, all countries in Europe more or less follow the method from the Swedish model- but no one would admit it. That is not politically correct. Almost everyone has criticized the Swedish strategy and called it inhuman and a failure. You can not turn around now, says Flahault."

"- The Swedish method has been seen as a caricature. It has been described as a strategy to prioritize the economy and obtain group immunity, while neglecting deaths."

"But in the face of new virus waves, most European countries now choose to go the Swedish way, according to Flahault. They try to avoid shutting down communities again - so-called lockdown. Schools, restaurants and shops are kept open. Public transport is rolling."

"Citizens are encouraged to listen to advice on distance and hygiene. The mantra of "test-track-isolate" is repeated incessantly.

- New shutdowns would be catastrophic for the economies. Now they are trying the Swedish method."

"There, they have managed to make citizens understand and participate in the fight against the virus without mandatory laws and regulations.

- The Swedish model is seen today as sensible or as a unique alternative to lockdown."

"Although Sweden's path does not really differ much from other countries, in practical terms, Flahault believes.

- You had your own lockdown. Bars and restaurants were open but remained fairly empty."

"Domestic airlines reduced traffic, not out of coercion but out of a lack of passengers. People started working from home and avoided public transport.

Today, several countries are testing similar approaches."

"- Countries want to try something more mature, more responsible and inclusive. However, they may not be as mature when it comes to public health. It remains to be seen whether the Swedish model works in other countries."

"Right now, the figures look good for Sweden, with a low spread of infection and few deaths - is that a reason why other countries are looking here?"

"Trust and equality

Sweden today has a declining trend with around 150 new cases per day and low spread of infection."

"France, which had a hard lockdown for two months, is currently experiencing a dramatic increase of around 7,000 new cases the other day, according to Johns Hopkins University. It is similar to the disaster figures at the end of March."

"In Spain, the number of new cases has increased since mid-July, over 8,500 new cases on Wednesday.

The trend with new virus cases is partly due to more testing."

"But David Nabarro, special envoy for covid-19 at the World Health Organization (WHO) and head of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London, believes that Europe is now actually seeing more outbreaks."

"Nabarro also believes that parts of Sweden's corona management deserve praise. In an exclusive interview with SvD, he says that the method of "understanding and trust" between authorities and citizens is a model for other countries."

"- The authorities in Sweden considered that they had sufficiently good relations with the citizens to achieve the desired changes. They did not have to use rules and coercion. That's remarkable."

"- I advocate that this type of trust between authorities and people is used more widely in the world.

But in Sweden there is also another advantage, according to David Nabarro: women in management positions."

"- Sweden has one of the most feminist governments in the world. Women are more focused on cooperation and that is exactly what is needed now. Men in the Swedish government also focus on consensus.

That is something the world has to learn from, Nabarro emphasizes."

"- One should focus more on this type of less competition within countries' managements when it comes to existential external threats."

"Other experts are not as overwhelming when it comes to the Swedish strategy. Marc Van Ranst, university professor and virologist and head of the Belgian Institute of Public Health, thinks that the image of Sweden is currently on a roller coaster."

""Sweden has it pretty easy for itself"
- Sweden is slandered, glorified, slandered and glorified again. It is too early to say which method is best, he says.

He believes that the world has been thrown into an absurd competition."

"- It has become an international competition with winners and losers, gold medals and silver medals. People are like crazy. It is not an Olympics, says Marc Van Ranst."

"- It is a health crisis and in many ways an economic crisis where countries do the best they can based on their conditions. Here, Sweden has it pretty easy for itself."

"Sweden is a country with low density on the outskirts of Europe, well-informed citizens and good healthcare. It cannot be compared to a small, densely populated country in the middle of Europe."

"- If the government in Sweden says something, a majority of the population usually agrees. If you do the same here in Belgium, people will say "forget it, let's do the exact opposite"."

"- These cultural differences make it difficult to export the Swedish virus model.

Countries should have a strategy that is both scientifically sound and culturally acceptable, emphasizes epidemiologist Dorit Nitzan, Head of Disaster Preparedness at the WHO in Europe."

"- Sweden is an example of how the strategy should be adapted to the people's behavior. But Sweden is privileged. You did not need a lockdown to deal with cases of infection. In other countries, healthcare collapsed and lockdown became the only way out, she says."

"The WHO therefore does not want to directly recommend countries to follow other countries' virus management, but to adapt to national contexts."

"- There is no one-size-fits-all solution. But to call the Swedish strategy irresponsible is really exaggerated, says the disaster manager.

Another heavyweight in the WHO is Mark Ryan, Head of Disaster Preparedness. He has emphasized Sweden as a model."

"- When we are to reach the "new normal", Sweden can be a future model country - if we want to avoid a total lockdown, he says.

There is a partnership with the population in Sweden, he points out."

"- It is also impressive how decisions are made based on scientific interpretations of facts, and not political interpretations of facts.

The back - and the death toll
However, all virus experts address Sweden's weak link: nursing homes."

"More than 5,800 have died in the Sweden from the virus, compared with Norway's 265 deaths or Finland's 336.

- The many deaths in nursing homes are very unfortunate. Many mistakenly took it as an argument that Sweden's method did not work, says epidemiologist Antoine Flahault."

"- But it's unfair. The high death rates are not related to the fact that Sweden did not shut down. It is linked to a lack of protection in the homes.

The head of the Belgian public health institute does not think it is about money."

"- Retirement homes have become a business model. You can make money on nursing homes and society has strangely enough allowed this."

"They could have invested in more protective equipment, but did not do so because it did not end up with money in the pockets of the owners, says Marc Van Ranst.

- The lives of the elderly are not worth much - and they die."

"Once the vaccine is in place and the results are above international death rates, it is not certain that the Swedish death toll will stand out as strongly as it does today."

"On Friday, for example, the information came that the US death toll per 100,000 inhabitants has now passed Sweden's - which Trump had as a nightmare country.

This is also emphasized by WHO Envoy David Nabarro.

- One should not be too critical or draw hasty conclusions."

" I understand that questions are asked and comments are made. But we do not yet have the whole picture to be able to make international comparisons. The history books will give us the answers.

- Then the Swedish strategy can be compared with others."