A few weeks ago, Sweden was getting the evil eye from on lookers who mocked it's lack of strict response to COVID-19. One example is from The Telegraph, where an author titled their article "Sweden has shown how not to tackle coronavirus, as it fights now to save face". Those who buy into the propaganda of a necessary lockdown are quick to declare that non-lockdown is a disaster.
But the tables have turned on the medias attempt to portray Sweden as incompetent in the face of how to deal with COVID-19. Two days ago, The Telegraph's own "senior news reporter" reported on the WHOs recent statements about Sweden. The world has misunderstood Sweden's response, says the Telegraph, echoing the WHO.
You can listen to the WHO 'praise' Sweden here:
So much for Sweden being such a bad example. The bars, restaurants, libraries, public pools, and most schools remain open in the nation of 10 million. Skeptics were citical, but the WHO disagrees. It also made clear that Sweden didn't take a complete hands-off approach,a s tehre were some measures applied, but more so via cooperating with citizens.
"I think there’s a perception out that Sweden has not put in control measures and just has allowed the disease to spread. Nothing can be further from the truth."
"What it has done differently is it has very much relied on its relationship with its citizenry and the ability and willingness of its citizens to implement self-distancing and self-regulate. In that sense, they have implemented public policy through that partnership with the population."
"I think if we are to reach a new normal, Sweden represents a model if we wish to get back to a society in which we don’t have lockdowns."
Instead of issues dictates to be ordered, and fines or arrests for disobedience, Sweden is looking at it's population with more respect and dignity by asking for cooperation. Information was provided on suggested behavior for people to adopt.
As the Intellectual Takeout says, "this approach once was part of the fiber of the American system.".
"Measures based on individual responsibility used to be part of the American model, too, as codified in the Bill of Rights. Yet we have developed a culture of reflexively giving up that responsibility and those rights whenever we get scared: of terrorists, of economic hardship, of a virus."
"When our knee-jerk reaction to immediate problems is to coerce, as is so often the case, we push the obvious solutions to our problems into the background. And still, people cooperate."
Rather than approach COVID with a responsibility to upholding freedom, much of the world has chosen to use coercive force from the government. The old "ends justifying the means" seems to be the mindset.
One study published on April 16, attempted to predict Swedish hospitals being overrun in May, with a median mortality of 96,000. Imagine that, 96,000 dead is what this "scientists" predicted. Here we are in May, and it's just above 2,600, and hospitals are not overrun.
The situation is looking good, as I mentioned in my recent post on the numbers between lockdown US and non-lockdown Sweden.
On April 20, the "COVID-19 death" rate for the Swedish population was: 0.0154%.
On May 3, the "COVID-19 death" rate for the Swedish population was: 0.0260%.
This is an increase of 1.68 times, or 68%, in 14 days.
On April 20, the "COVID-19 death" rate for the US population was: 0.0129%.
On May 3, the "COVID-19 death" rate (from 67,046 deaths, worldometer) for the US population was: 0.0204%.
This is an increase of 1.58 times, or 58%, in 14 days.
0.0204% deaths in the population for lockdown (US) vs. 0.0260% deaths in the population from non-lockdown (Sweden). Which one seems more worth it?
Anders Tegnell, Sweden’s top epidemiologist, as stated they think Stockholm has reached close to 25% possible immunity, with herd-immunity possibly being reached in a few weeks. This is indeed the better way, if you ask me. The population death rates are almost the same for two spotlight countries associated with lockdown vs. non-lockdown. Voluntary action and cooperation instead of coercive force, is always a win.