Sweden Yet Again

A couple of weeks ago, I posted the latest stats from Sweden to show that whatever they did "wrong" according to Team Lockdown was working better than whatever we are doing here in the USA, by an extreme margin -- a death rate six times higher in the USA for the previous week.

I mistakenly attributed a response that claimed that Sweden had joined the ranks of Lock Down Countries and that explained the improved numbers. That particular Bloomberg link led to a pay wall and I cannot respond to the assertions in it.

But I did respond to the headline with this link to ABC News:
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Sweden has avoided a COVID-19 lockdown so far: Has its strategy worked?
The country is the only in Europe to avoid some kind of lockdown.

LONDON -- Sweden’s novel approach to tackling the coronavirus pandemic has drawn both praise and fierce criticism, not just inside the Scandinavian country, but across the Western world. The country has so far resisted going into lockdown, unlike the rest of Europe, even during the peak of its second wave over Christmas.

In doing so, Sweden has become a lightning rod for those in favor and against stricter social distancing measures. For some, its significantly higher COVID death rate compared to its neighbors is proof that lockdowns are essential to combat the spread, while for others, the comparative openness of Swedish society proves that a “balanced” approach to the pandemic is possible.

Hmmmmmn?

A direct contradiction of big time outlet headlines. So much for the main stream media.

Whatever.

Two weeks later the trend continues -- from March 8 through March 21, here are latest numbers:

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USA Deaths: 15,535

Sweden Deaths: 107

USA with 30 times the population, Sweden's total is equivalent to 3120 in the USA. Running still five times better than here.

But wait! There's more:

In less than two weeks, the USA has fallen back to 13th place and Sweden is down to 25th place. The big climbers this March are: Czechia, Hungary, Slovenia, UK, Italy and Bulgaria. If you take the bullshit from Team Lockdown (and Bloomberg) at face value, this means that these countries with rising cases and deaths have not locked down enough, while those with improving numbers have locked down more. No other factor matters to Team Lockdown and that is why I call them propagandists.

I don't live in Sweden. Never been there. Have no intention of going there. I have no particular admiration for their covid policies.

What I have is contempt for people attacking a country for not following The Program and then lying about their experience.

This thing is nowhere close to over and we will not have any way to judge which policy mix would have been optimal for years -- or maybe ever. To claim as of one year ago that you knew jack shit about this virus was utter bullshit.

And it is still utter bullshit.

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CB's picture

They pretty well cleared out their old age homes with this policy. Basically, COVID-19 left to it's own devises will kill mainly the old and sick. Great way for a country to save a lot of money going forward. They've returned to the dark ages.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
March 23, 2021
( # Country Cases/Deaths per million)
25 Sweden 73,365 1,307
27 Lithuania 77,688 1,294
38 Latvia 52,156 977
58 Estonia 72,631 601
72 Denmark 39,053 414
108 Finland 12,993 146
116 Norway 16,148 119

Sweden forced to face runaway Covid-19 care home deaths
Poor preparation and volunteer programme are blamed for death rate in old-age homes
Thu, May 14, 2020
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Sweden has attracted world attention for its alternative lockdown approach. This relied on citizens to limit their social contacts without forcing the closure of shops, restaurants, schools or gyms.

While interim numbers are of limited value, Sweden’s death rate is far higher than those of its Nordic neighbours: 32 per 100,000 people, compared with nine in neighbouring Denmark.

State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell suggests his country’s approach will pay off when a second wave hits later this year, as far more Swedes may be immune to the virus.
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Coronavirus: Sweden’s king says country’s strategy has failed
Carl XVI Gustaf says country, with high death toll, had suffered ‘enormously in difficult conditions’

Thu, Dec 17, 2020

Sweden’s king has admitted that the Scandinavian country has failed with its coronavirus strategy, which has left it with a far higher death toll from the pandemic than its Nordic neighbours.

Carl XVI Gustaf told Swedes in his annual Christmas address that the country had suffered “enormously in difficult conditions” and that it was “traumatic” that many relatives of the almost 8,000 people to die with Covid-19 had not been able to say goodbye to them.

“I think we have failed. We have a large number who have died and that is terrible. It is something we all have to suffer with,” the king added, in comments released on Thursday and due to be broadcast in full on Monday.
...

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snoopydawg's picture

@CB

Cuomo got lots of crap for doing it, but many other governors did it too and long after the horrible costs in New York were known. If our government is willing to do nothing as 45,000 people die from lack of health care and more die because they are under insured or can’t afford to use it because of deductibles, then I can see governments everywhere sacrificing grannies for saving loads of money on keeping them alive.

And we know that they don’t give a rat’s ass about how many people across the pond die from our wars and sanctions.

Albright: "yes it was worth it to murder 500,000 Iraqi children and just wait until you see what we do to them in a few years."

Yes they have no problem with our deaths. Sad huh knowing that truth. But where to go? Psst, CB you need a roommate. Gotta dawg too.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.