JERUSALEM (VINnews) — During the first stage of coronavirus in March and April, Sweden took a different approach to most of the world and did not initiate a total lockdown. Instead it adopted a number of rules, including a strict prohibition on visiting senior citizen’s homes and no gatherings of more than 50 people. Schools were open up to 10th grade. The Swedes kept restaurants, cafes and bars open.
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Instead of confining people to their homes, the government issued several guidelines to help people through the pandemic such as staying home if they were ill, washing hands and social distancing. The country did advise people not to go out unnecessarily but the lockdown was totally voluntary- people decided for themselves how to combat the invisible virus.
At first it seemed that Sweden had paid a heavy price for its almost leisurely approach to the pandemic. In April for example Sweden had 2,544 deaths from COVID-19 compared to 202 deaths in Israel, despite the fact that the two countries have similar populations. However by August it appeared that the trend had switched, with Sweden reporting just 78 deaths from the virus while Israel had 427 deaths in the corresponding period.
Why did Sweden see a positive change where Israel and many places in the world have seen a spike in cases and in mortality? One possibility is that Sweden reached the point of herd immunity, with most people having been lightly affected. This can halt the virus’s transmission to those who were not yet infected.
Johan Carlson, an epidemiologist and the director of the Swedish public health agency, maintained that Swedes were indeed benefitting from the herd immunity strategy.
“Our strategy was consistent and sustainable,” Prof Carlson, a leading figure behind the herd immunity policy, said. “We probably have a lower risk of [the virus] spreading than other countries.”
However Sweden’s state epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell, said that the improvement was the result of proper care for the aged but he was less sanguine and urged caution since “each country is at a different stage and nobody knows what challenges will yet be faced.” Other scientists said that there is no herd immunity and a second wave could yet hit Sweden.
Sweden’s success has led others to ponder whether herd immunity might help them as well. Some reports had suggested that the US, one of the hardest hit countries, might consider adopting Sweden’s strategy.
However White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr Deborah Birx rejected the reports, saying she didn’t want to endanger American lives.
Dr Birx told reporters at St Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia, Michigan, that American lives were non-negotiable for the sake of herd immunity.
“Neither I, nor anybody in the administration, is willing to sacrifice American lives for herd immunity. We’ll get to herd immunity through a vaccine and that’s the right way to do it.”
We don’t want to endanger American lives; but we’ll make it as awful as possible for as long as possible, and at the end lose the same amount, this is the thinking of stupid ppl without a spine
If there is a Nobel Prize for Common sense Sweden Dr. Carlson should be the recipient. Sweden did the opposite of What the WHO and Bill Gates demanded of the world and proved the Vaccine prophets and profiteers wrong. Heard immunity works.
Liam K. Nuj list below shows the actual death numbers from covid in a world population of 7 billion are statistically insignificant. Whereas anuual death from influenza is greater than the COVID pandemic every year? How is it then that Covid is called a pandemic?
Is Covid merely a Politically Correct Pandemic that everyonw wants to beleive in?
How is it that facts dont matter or are supressed and unbelivers fined?
Notice that the same who a hysterical about covid also bleived Al Gore and that Florida by now should be under 4 feet of ocean water fro Icecaps melting on a cooling planet.
Remember Bill Gates has said we need to block heard immunity or there is no point in vaccines.
In proper science nomenclature, there are different types of what is defined as ‘herd immunity’. When immunity is gained from natural exposure to particular germs or viruses it is called ‘natural immunity’. When pharmaceutical companies attempted to compel competition with natural immunity through spurious vaccines (many that also require boosters since they don’t actually work long-term, or altogether), there had to be a differentiation which was referred to as ‘acquired immunity’. Conveniently, pharmaceutically-interested concerns, including this and many other governments, typically refer to vaccine-acquired immunities as just simply ‘immunity’ as well when they can. Less questions that way of course.
There is no secret. They have 580 deaths per million, second only to Italy. They are just letting Granny die.