Sweden's Plans For Covid-Prevention

We look at how the country’s lockdown-lite approach compares with its immediate neighbours in Europe

- Archana Singh

After almost two months of lockdown, most of Europe is opening up, albeit with strict hygiene and social distancing rules. While the new normal is here to stay until a vaccine is developed, how will the semi-normal pan out is the big question. Sweden may hold the answer. We could learn both from its failures and successes.

SAME YET DIFFERENT

All Nordic nations, except Sweden, went in for a strict lockdown at the start of the pandemic to avoid an Italy-like fate.

David Byer, a dance Instructor in Oslo, says, “Our lockdown approach has been excellent. For a population of 5.4 million, there are just 8,383 cases and fatalities under 250, which is nothing when you compare it with Sweden having 10.2 million population but over 35,088 cases and 4,220 deaths.”

Torunn Tronsvang, the CEO of Up Norway, shares the secret behind Norway’s success, “Norwegians trust their government and we follow rules. Perhaps that’s why we have less infected people and fewer deaths than other European countries. Also, Norway is a big country with the sparsely populated countryside and smaller cities; this may have helped to reduce the spread of the virus.”

Unlike Norway, Sweden chose lockdown-lite over a strict lockdown, which has drawn both international praise and criticism. Some are now looking at Sweden as a role model for the future.