Sweden and coronavirus

[zahir]

Thread on risks in schools

 

[zahir]

Also this thread

 

[zahir]

Apparently he's feeling intimidated:

Covid-19: Sweden vows greater protection for academics as researcher quits after aggressive social media attack

The Swedish government has said that it will strengthen laws on academic freedom after a leading Swedish academic announced that he was quitting his work on covid-19 because of an onslaught of intimidating comments from people who disagreed or disliked his research findings. Jonas F Ludvigsson...

www.bmj.com

 

[editor]

It's not looking so good in Sweden at the moment

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

well they have blocked anyone not swedish from visiting.
Ski resorts are still open.
Resturants have to close at 20.30 regardless of whether or not they are serving alcohol.
So it's unfair to say they are doing nothing.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It's also the case that Sweden has had about 2/3 the deaths of the UK to date, probably more like half when you look at excess deaths. Comparisons with the UK aren't really favourable to the UK, even if infection rates in Sweden are creeping up again. Its death rate has fallen sharply recently, so as ever, it matters not just how many are getting it but also who is getting it. They may get a nasty third wave, or they may not. Too soon to say.


Sweden's second wave started later than ours - around mid-Oct - and it's gone from 100 dead a day at the turn of the year to about 10 a day right now. (Roughly multiply by 7 to compare with the UK, so it peaked at 700 a day and is now maybe 70 a day compared to the UK's 1200/250, roughly.)

 

[elbows]

Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told reporters in Stockholm on Wednesday that the measures were needed to counter the “serious” situation in which Sweden currently finds itself. “There will be a day when life returns to normal, but that will require that the infection spread drops significantly.”

Swedes were originally told that existing restrictions would be lifted on April 11. But following advice from the Public Health Agency, the government has now extended that timeline to May 3.

Sweden Extends Covid Restrictions After Rise in Infection Rates

Sweden is extending restrictions on movement across the country in an effort to fight the latest increase in coronavirus infection rates.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[elbows]

Depressing but predictable:

Sweden has reported Europe’s highest number of new coronavirus cases per head over the past week and has more patients in intensive care than at any time since the pandemic’s first wave.

The Scandinavian country, which has opted against strict lockdowns but gradually ratcheted up its still mostly voluntary restrictions, has recorded 625 new infections per million people in the past seven days, according to ourworldindata.org.

That compares with 521 in Poland, 491 in France, 430 in the Netherlands, 237 in Italy and 208 in Germany, the data showed. The figure was many times higher than the 65, 111 and 132 per million in Sweden’s Nordic neighbours Finland, Denmark and Norway.

Sweden has highest new Covid cases per person in Europe

Figure of 625 new infections per 1m people is many times larger than Nordic neighbours

www.theguardian.com

 

[Riklet]

Stupid fucking Sweden frankly, it sucks it's got this bad. The gov should have paid a bit more attention to their neighbours.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

Yes. Although having just been in Sweden it’s nice not to panic. They have many more things to be scared about.

 

[Riklet]

Yes. Although having just been in Sweden it’s nice not to panic. They have many more things to be scared about.

...such as?

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

they are well scared of drugs for example.

 

[MrCurry]

As of today, total cases in the five Nordic countries 1,352,519 of which 916,830 are in Sweden.

17,884 deaths in the Nordic countries overall, Sweden’s contribution to that figure is 13,825.

Numbers from Aftonbladet newspaper website, who say they are based on figures from John’s Hopkins and folkhälsomyndigheten.

 

[elbows]

They've delayed some of their reopening plans:

Sweden delays plans to ease COVID-19 rules on some public gatherings

Sweden will delay plans to ease COVID-19 restrictions on some public gatherings, such as football matches, until June 1, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Wednesday.

www.reuters.com

 

[MrCurry]

Since March, the region of Sweden where I live has recommended the use of face masks in shops (better late than never and “recommendation” being the strongest measure the Swedish authorities will ever impose, since mandating anything is so terribly unswedish).

Yesterday, shopping in the local Lidl I saw a grand total of zero other shoppers using a face mask (I was the only one). Meanwhile this region of Sweden, Västmanland, has the highest increase in infection rate in the country

I really don’t get the lack of caution the Swedes seem to take pride in. Editor had it right when he originally titled this thread “Sweden takes the laid back approach“. It must be a cultural thing, but they’re really paying for it in case numbers. Their mantra always seems to be to leave it up to the individual to decide, but that doesn’t work when the individuals all seem convinced the virus won’t get them.

 

[MrCurry]

Hide the pain Harold an appropriate front man for Sweden’s corona response perhaps!?

Internet's 'Hide the Pain Harold' accidentally used by Swedish COVID-19 vaccine website

STOCKHOLM: A health authority in Sweden unwittingly used "Hide the Pain Harold" - one of the Internet's most-recognised figures - as the face of its COVID-19 vaccination booking website, officials said on Tuesday (Mar 30) evening, adding the image had now been removed.Harold is ac

www.channelnewsasia.com

 

[frogwoman]

What's happening there now? I'm really curious what's happened in terms of case rates, vaccinations etc (I'm thinking of going to see friends there in the next 2 years or so)

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

Right now. Fuck all. I’m just sitting with the dog enjoying the sun.

 

[cupid_stunt]

What's happening there now? I'm really curious what's happened in terms of case rates, vaccinations etc (I'm thinking of going to see friends there in the next 2 years or so)

They got hit hard during the second wave, but are doing well ATM.

Sweden COVID - Coronavirus Statistics - Worldometer

Sweden Coronavirus update with statistics and graphs: total and new cases, deaths per day, mortality and recovery rates, current active cases, recoveries, trends and timeline.

www.worldometers.info

 

[MrCurry]

Apologies the video is in Swedish, but worth posting because it’s relevant to the Swedish attitude towards covid.

This is a spokesperson for the Stockholm metro (tube) system “SL” explaining that all restrictions/recommendations relating to covid precautions are now dropped on the grounds that “there is no longer any risk of infection spreading on public transport“ (She really said that).

When asked if there’s any benefit in wearing a mask or keeping distance she’s adamant “It’s gone”. Barking mad if you ask me, but this is it in Sweden today, people are being encouraged to think the pandemic is over it seems. Can’t help thinking this is going to turn to shit as autumn turns towards winter.

 

[zahir]

Thread on the Swedish response

 

[farmerbarleymow]

English version of the findings linked to in ^^ thread.

https://coronakommissionen.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/summary-sweden-in-the-pandemic.pdf

 

[elbows]

Another u-turn as a result of shit policy not standing the test of time.

Sweden says it will reverse a controversial decision to stop recommending testing for people who are fully vaccinated but show Covid symptoms.

Testing has fallen by some 35% in Sweden after its public health agency said in October that people displaying symptoms no longer needed to get tested if they had received two jabs.

The move was widely criticised, and now the agency has wheeled back on its advice.

"The Public Health Agency has decided to recommend that the regions offer testing to everyone who is six years and older who gets symptoms that may be Covid-19," it said in a statement.

Thats from the 15:16 entry on the BBC live updates page https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-59302812

 

[2hats]

Corona outbreak at Sahlgrenska after staff party with 400 participants...

A ward at Sahlgrenska University Hospital has been hit by a corona outbreak after a staff party where 400 people participated - and state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell lectured. "I can not deny that it may have spread there," said department head Peter Dahm.

Two weeks ago, the department of intensive care, surgery and anesthesia at Sahlgrenska University Hospital had a training day with a closing party at a hotel in Gothenburg. The theme for the event was covid-19. State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell was invited to give a lecture and should have been on site for four hours.

A few days later, several of the staff fell ill , Göteborgs-Posten reports . Of the 30 people confirmed infected with covid-19, 20 were party participants.

The head of the department, Peter Dahm, tells the newspaper that he can not deny that the infection may have spread during the party.

- But when we look at those infected in the wards, it is a motley picture of it all.

He also says that they followed the recommendations carefully and that they saw no reason not to carry out the party. Now that staff have fallen ill, however, it may be necessary to have stricter routines in the department again, such as requirements for mouth guards or visors.

An employee who wishes to remain anonymous is critical of the fact that the staff party was arranged at all.

- I think it is incomprehensible when we know what it looks like in Europe. It is not the case that the situation is calm, we know that there is an explosive spread of infection in Europe. Then we should take measures and steps for caution.

None of those infected at the party should have become seriously ill.

Coronautbrott på Sahlgrenska efter personalfest med 400 deltagare

En avdelning på Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset har drabbats av ett coronautbrott efter en personalfest där 400 personer deltog – och statsepidemiolog Anders Tegnell föreläste. »Jag kan inte förneka att det kan ha spridits där«, säger avdelningschefen Peter Dahm.

lakartidningen.se

 

[MrCurry]

Corona outbreak at Sahlgrenska after staff party with 400 participants...

Coronautbrott på Sahlgrenska efter personalfest med 400 deltagare

En avdelning på Sahlgrenska universitetssjukhuset har drabbats av ett coronautbrott efter en personalfest där 400 personer deltog – och statsepidemiolog Anders Tegnell föreläste. »Jag kan inte förneka att det kan ha spridits där«, säger avdelningschefen Peter Dahm.

lakartidningen.se

Where’s the facepalm reaction button when you need it?

 

[MrCurry]

I don’t have a link to back it up, but have seen a number of anecdotal accounts across social media of people being targeted with deliberate coughing or sneezing in their face in Sweden, for the “crime” of wearing a mask in a shop or public place.

Seems the questionable leadership provided by FHM (Swedish public health authority) has convinced a lot of people that not only are masks ineffective (as FHM repeatedly stated) but that wearing one when the official recommendations don’t require it (since of Sept), is somehow shameful.

I don’t have high hopes for how this country will weather the omicron storm.

 

[teuchter]

This article claims Sweden now has one of the lowest excess death rates in Europe.

https://www.thelocal.se/20220108/in-numbers-excess-deaths-in-sweden-during-pandemic-now-among-lowest-in-europe/

What's the catch?

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

Maybe they aren't reporting people who died with covid as deaths from covid?

It's something to do with how they are presenting the data. I would argue that Covid seems to be far more out of control in Sweden than DK. Its quite comical on the trains from Denmark to Sweden. The police come on in huge futuristic gasmasks to check your legitimation. With no real clue what they are supposed to be checking. Technically an illegal border stop in Europe. The customs people come on ask if these are your bags. With no gas masks.
Meanwhile passengers taske off their masks at the swedish border since it is not a requirement to wear masks on public transport in sweden. The opposite way is true too, people put their masks on as we cross the Øresund. It's microcosms of behaviour like that, that show the whole thing to be the farce it is.

 

[teuchter]

Excess death rates aren't affected by definitions of whether people died from Covid or not.

The numbers confirm that Denmark has done much better than Sweden. But Sweden has also done better than the EU average, and better than the UK, on the basis of the raw figures. So of course, those who think strict lockdown measures were unnecessary like to point to Sweden.

I think that the answer will lie partly in demographic differences. We probably have to wait a while for people to do detailed exercises in teasing out confounding factors when comparing one country's response with another's.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Maybe they aren't reporting people who died with covid as deaths from covid?

It's something to do with how they are presenting the data. I would argue that Covid seems to be far more out of control in Sweden than DK. Its quite comical on the trains from Denmark to Sweden. The police come on in huge futuristic gasmasks to check your legitimation. With no real clue what they are supposed to be checking. Technically an illegal border stop in Europe. The customs people come on ask if these are your bags. With no gas masks.
Meanwhile passengers taske off their masks at the swedish border since it is not a requirement to wear masks on public transport in sweden. The opposite way is true too, people put their masks on as we cross the Øresund. It's microcosms of behaviour like that, that show the whole thing to be the farce it is.

The stats don't back that up, though. Excess death numbers show that covid-19 as a public health emergency ended in Sweden around March last year. In fact, while Denmark has done better overall than Sweden since the start of the pandemic - 44 vs 117 excess deaths per 100k - Sweden has done better than Denmark in the last ten months.

Right at the start of the pandemic, Anders Tegnell said to wait on passing judgement over Sweden's approach until March 2021. He got some things wrong, including underestimating the power of mutation to cause future waves, and he got that date wrong, probably by about a year. March 2022 is likely to be roughly the time when we can meaningfully carry out covid audits. He also specifically referenced Denmark, asking how they would be protected over the winter of 2020-21. Again, he got that wrong as Denmark wasn't that badly affected, and was less badly affected than Sweden over that winter. However, if he'd referenced a whole bunch of countries in Eastern Europe that dodged the first wave and then were smacked so badly by the second wave that their overall deaths surged past those of countries badly hit by the first wave, he'd have been spot on.

Meanwhile, mask mandates, etc, aren't making the blind bit of difference to the spread of omicron. It's hit Denmark first and no doubt Sweden will get its share very soon.

Everyone has got something wrong when dealing with this pandemic. The Swedes have been better than most in admitting that, admitting very early on that they failed to protect care home residents. But from what I see in the stats, Sweden's approach only looks better the further on in the pandemic we get. I certainly don't think it's tenable to hold up Sweden as an example of folly, even when comparing it to the rest of Scandinavia only (which is a bit of an arbitrary choice) - for instance, Finland's excess deaths are now standing at 73 and have been steadily catching up with Sweden over the last year. But in any case, the whole of Scandinavia, including Sweden, is well below the European average. Countries once held up as the examples to follow, such as Germany, have now overtaken Sweden, and many, many countries have done far worse.

Tracking covid-19 excess deaths across countries