7 ms·

This is a rewrite of the article at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/17/sweden-considers-local-lockdowns-shift-coronavirus-strategy/ https://www.telegra

by dalke 6y ago

This is a rewrite of the article at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/17/sweden-considers-local-lockdowns-shift-coronavirus-strategy/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/10/17/sweden-considers... . Which they link to, so I'm not saying anything new here. But because of the two degrees of separation, it seems to have lost something. I suggest "Sweden is tightening it's light-lockdown strategy ... " as a more accurate description. I say this because I was confused. It's titled "no-lockdown strategy", but as the article points out, the end result of these new changes is not lockdown, so it would still be a "no-lockdown strategy" - using the Business Insider's definition. However, Sweden has had restrictions. Public events with 50 or more people were cancelled, many schools went to distance learning, and more. See https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/the-public-health-agency-of-sweden/communicable-disease-control/covid-19/ https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/the-public-health-agency... for the FAQ in English, listing many of the restrictions. For example, the BI article says: > It will give local authorities the power to strongly recommend people to avoid busy public places like shopping centers, museums, gyms, concerts, and sports matches. Swedes may also be asked to avoid public transport and contact with the elderly and vulnerable. But we (I live in Sweden) have that already. School sports venues, for example, hosted games without audiences. The signs at the bus stops and train stations ask to avoid non-essential public transport. Places cap the number of people allowed. The source article in The Telegraph is more accurate with "It's more of a lockdown situation - but a local lockdown" as it acknowledges that there has been a lockdown, defined as a restriction in allowed activities.

jacques_chester 6y ago
The key is that there is a shift in the rhetoric from the architect of the herd immunity policy, Dr Tegnell: > Dr Tegnell said on Thursday that the autumn resurgence in infections had changed his agency's understanding. > "I think the obvious conclusion is that the level of immunity in those cities is not at all as high as we have, as maybe some people, have believed," he said. Sweden has been the poster child for folks trying to wish away the danger of allowing a relatively dangerous, highly infectious pandemic to run its natural course. Now even the Swedes are conceding that, you know, letting people die unnecessarily was ... unnecessary.
- tim333 6y ago
  He'd dispute the "architect of the herd immunity policy" bit: >On 28 April 2020, Tegnell was interviewed by Kim Hjelmgaard of USA Today. During the interview he "denied that herd immunity formed the central thrust of Sweden's containment plan"
  - jacques_chester 6y ago
    He was lying. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/17/swedens-covid-19-strategist-under-fire-over-herd-immunity-emails https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/17/swedens-covid-...
    - tim333 6y ago
      That article only says he discussed herd immunity, not set it as a policy goal. Their closing schools for over 16s suggests they were trying to limit infections amongst the young and healthy.
      - jacques_chester 6y ago
        I disagree. > “One point would be to keep schools open to reach herd immunity faster,” The most reasonable interpretation of "reach herd immunity faster" is that he saw that as a positive outcome. He's tried to avoid the herd immunity label, but then, what is the policy goal? Because what's left is "letting people die unnecessarily is fine".
- the-smug-one 6y ago
  The goal of the Swedish pandemic strategy wasn't herd immunity. It was to keep the spread under control such that our healthcare wasn't overrun, and try our best to ensure that risk groups aren't exposed. It's not been about "wishing away" anything.
  - jacques_chester 6y ago
    I didn't say anything about Swedes wishing away the pandemic. My point was that Swedish policy has been used a counterargument against lockdowns, social distancing and use of masks. Flattening the curve as a goal wasn't unique to Sweden. The decision not to follow the same policy settings as its neighbours were. The result? Sweden has a far higher death rate and is now edging towards the same policy they could've had from the beginning.

by dalke 6y ago

jacques_chester 6y ago

The key is that there is a shift in the rhetoric from the architect of the herd immunity policy, Dr Tegnell: > Dr Tegnell said on Thursday that the autumn resurgence in infections had changed his agency's understanding. > "I think the obvious conclusion is that the level of immunity in those cities is not at all as high as we have, as maybe some people, have believed," he said. Sweden has been the poster child for folks trying to wish away the danger of allowing a relatively dangerous, highly infectious pandemic to run its natural course. Now even the Swedes are conceding that, you know, letting people die unnecessarily was ... unnecessary.

tim333 6y ago
He'd dispute the "architect of the herd immunity policy" bit: >On 28 April 2020, Tegnell was interviewed by Kim Hjelmgaard of USA Today. During the interview he "denied that herd immunity formed the central thrust of Sweden's containment plan"
- jacques_chester 6y ago
  He was lying. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/17/swedens-covid-19-strategist-under-fire-over-herd-immunity-emails https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/17/swedens-covid-...
  - tim333 6y ago
    That article only says he discussed herd immunity, not set it as a policy goal. Their closing schools for over 16s suggests they were trying to limit infections amongst the young and healthy.
    - jacques_chester 6y ago
      I disagree. > “One point would be to keep schools open to reach herd immunity faster,” The most reasonable interpretation of "reach herd immunity faster" is that he saw that as a positive outcome. He's tried to avoid the herd immunity label, but then, what is the policy goal? Because what's left is "letting people die unnecessarily is fine".
the-smug-one 6y ago
The goal of the Swedish pandemic strategy wasn't herd immunity. It was to keep the spread under control such that our healthcare wasn't overrun, and try our best to ensure that risk groups aren't exposed. It's not been about "wishing away" anything.
- jacques_chester 6y ago
  I didn't say anything about Swedes wishing away the pandemic. My point was that Swedish policy has been used a counterargument against lockdowns, social distancing and use of masks. Flattening the curve as a goal wasn't unique to Sweden. The decision not to follow the same policy settings as its neighbours were. The result? Sweden has a far higher death rate and is now edging towards the same policy they could've had from the beginning.