Japan also never had any legally mandated lockdowns or business closures. (Their constitution wouldn't allow it, among other issues.) But Japan is very differ

Japan also never had any legally mandated lockdowns or business closures. (Their constitution wouldn't allow it, among other issues.) But Japan is very different. A strong recommendation from health authorities with broad social compliance there may as well carry the full weight of a law. It's a country where your lost wallet will almost certainly be returned to you by a random stranger who finds it. Can you guess which country is often in the top five with Japan in studies which test civic virtue like that? Yep. Sweden. It's worth noting that the governments in both Japan and Sweden have very strongly recommended distancing, and probably just as importantly they've provided some funding to allow individuals and businesses to comply. Just paying people to stay home without a compulsory element might have been quite effective in many societies with relatively high civic virtue and social trust, but only Japan and Sweden seem to have actually tried it. Besides, if we're just cherry-picking examples -- well, Canada is doing much better than Sweden. Or America. And Canada is more comparable to America than Sweden. And Canada has had more drastic shutdowns and restrictions compared to America. So how does that fit into the picture?