Sweden: The no-lockdown policy of Anders Tegnell might turn out to be the smartest approach towards COVID-19!
- Starting in December 2019 in Wuhan in China, coronavirus has engulfed the world.
- Every country took measures to halt the spread of the deadly virus in its own way.
- Some preferred to have a mass complete generalized lockdown.
But some like the Netherlands did an ‘intelligent lockdown’ in which they decided to curb only those places and people movement where risk was high.
While some like Sweden headed by a chief epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell decided not to impose any lockdown. They relied on the intelligence of their citizens and trusted them to follow precautions and care to prevent the wide transmission of the virus into the community.
Sweden and its COVID-19 statistics as compared to other surrounding countries
Sweden opted for a no-lockdown policy against the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy has been heavily criticized but it does have its plus points in the long run.
Anders Tegnell, Sweden’s top epidemiologist feels that a complete lockdown is not the answer to a pandemic that is here to remain for a very long time.
He states that the no lockdown policy is the only realistic way against COVID-19 which humans have to fight for in a long and uncertain way.
But it is still lesser than European nations such as Italy and the UK where despite the lockdown, coronavirus cases and mortality were still higher when compared to the population.
What Anders Tegnell states?
Anders stands by what he has decided for the good of his people. He said:
“I’m looking forward to a more serious evaluation of our work than has been made so far,”
“There is no way of knowing how this ends.”
He has lambasted the WHO for making a complete mistake as regards coronavirus-tackling methodology. Though WHO initially placed Sweden on the list of countries with a fast transmission rate, it has since changed its statements on it. It has now been said that the condition as regards coronavirus in Sweden is stable.
WHO now says:
“there are several very positive trends in Sweden, notably, a continued decrease in new cases presenting with severe disease, a gradual decrease in patients admitted into intensive care since April, and continued decreasing numbers of new Covid-19 deaths.”
“Sweden has involved the community in the response, and has been able to keep transmission to levels that can be managed by the Swedish health system,”
More expert opinions
Also, read Sweden’s No-lockdown policy! Why, how, and is it working?
Anders feels that lockdown is a temporary measure and will by no means prevent the virus from returning.
Additionally, he feels that lockdown comes with an avoidable costs such as domestic violence, loneliness, economic problems, and mass unemployment.
Associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard’s School of Public Health in Boston, William Hanage also feels that Sweden’s less stringent approach towards COVID-19 is unusual. But he feels that it is sustainable and smart and widely misunderstood.
He added:
“….The full accounting will only be possible after the pandemic.”
“As for the overall outcome, time will tell.”
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Posted on: Sunday, May 24 2020
