According to statistics, Sweden is experiencing fewer Covid-related deaths than other European countries and still has lower rates of infection. This suggests that its lockdown strategy has been successful.
This year was a notable one for the Scandinavian country, which defied all scientific advice to refuse to follow other countries in closing down their society to prevent the virus from spreading.
Sweden’s economy has bounced back quicker than any country within the EU. However, the most recent data show that the nation has fared worse than others in terms deaths during the pandemic.
According to Our World in Data at Oxford University, Sweden had nearly 1,500 Covid deaths per one million residents. This is significantly lower than the European standard (1,800).
The UK — which has endured three national lockdowns and several regional fire-breakers — has recorded 2,100 per million, for comparison, while Belgium and Italy both have rates above 2,000.
Sweden is just 21st among 31 European countries that have experienced 5 percent more deaths in the pandemic than expected. The average death rate for Covid has been around 10% in Britain, Italy, and Spain.
Because it includes both knock-on deaths and testing differences between countries, excess mortality can be used by statisticians to determine the impact of the pandemic.
Sweden has an even lower rate of infection than other EU countries. It currently tests positive for 100 cases per million. This compares to nearly 800 people in Austria, 700 in Belgium and Ireland, 500 in Britain, and just 100 in Sweden.
Sweden did not lock down the entire pandemic early, but it did impose stricter legal-binding restrictions last winter to stem rising deaths and cases.
According to Our World in Data, an Oxford University-based research platform, Sweden’s Covid death rate has been almost 1,500 per million. This is significantly lower than the European average of 1,800. The UK — which has endured three national lockdowns and several regional fire-breakers — has recorded 2,100 per million, for comparison, while Belgium and Italy both have rates above 2,000
Sweden comes 21st in excess deaths during pandemics, with 5% more than is normal. On the other side, Spain, Italy, Britain and Italy have all experienced around 10% more deaths during Covid than their average. Excess mortality, according to statistics, is the most reliable way to assess the health effects of the pandemic. It accounts for differences between countries as well as knock-on fatalities.
Sweden has an even lower rate of infection than other EU countries. Only 100 people are currently positive for HIV daily in Sweden, compared with 800 in Austria and nearly 700 in Belgium, Ireland, and 500 in the UK.
This included an eight-hour curfew in bars and restaurants, a ban on group sizes of eight people or more and limits on the number of gyms and shops.
Although Sweden seems to have fared better than the rest of Europe in this pandemic period, its performance has been significantly lower when compared with its nearest neighbours.
Norway and Finland, for example, have suffered about 200 Covid deaths per million people since the virus was first seeded on the continent — seven times lower than Sweden’s toll.
Around 400 people die in Denmark each year. All three nations have had tougher restrictions during much of the pandemic, which are likely to have played a role.
Excess mortality is a concern. Norway, Denmark and Finland have seen fewer deaths during Covid than usual. Finland however has had little more than 1% of the average number of fatalities.
Raghib Ali from Cambridge University told MailOnline, “Whether or not you consider Sweden’s strategy a success story is dependent on the countries that you are comparing it with.”
“If it is a comparable rate, please let us know. [of Covid deaths]To its neighbors Denmark, Norway and Finland or to other countries such as Germany and the Netherlands
“Whichever side is on the winning team decides if it performed better or worse.”
Dr Ali explained that Sweden’s voluntary lockdown system shows that even small changes in behavior can have a significant impact on people’s lives.
“Though Sweden did not have an enforced lockdown by the Government, they had a voluntary lockdown which was respected.
“We have learnt from Sweden, and also the UK that individuals’ voluntary actions can bring countries to the top without mandating restrictions. This is even though it cannot prevent large-scale outbreaks.
This comes at a time when daily Covid infection rates in the UK continue to fall, raising hopes that this third wave has already ended.
In the 24 hour period ending Monday, the Department of Health reported another 32.2322 positive results across the nation, a decrease of 19.4 percentage. Since October 24, all except one day, cases have fallen week-on-week.
Within 28 days of being tested positive for Covid, 57 people had died, up from 40 the week before. Due to the amount of time that it takes to get seriously ill after contracting Covid, death rates are a bit behind those in cases.
However, experts expect that hospitalizations and deaths will soon be a result of these cases. The release of new data on hospital admissions is anticipated later this week.
Meanwhile, NHS England’s chief executive was today accused of ‘abusing’ Covid statistics after exaggerating the number of infected patients in hospital with the virus.
Amanda Pritchard, during a round-of-interviews this morning, suggested that there are ’14x’ more coronavirus victims in hospitals now than they were last year.
The claim was circulated and picked up by a range of mainstream left-leaning news outlets such as Sky News, ITV, The i.
Ms Pritchard made the comments as she urged people to come forward for their booster vaccines and warned the health service was under ‘very real pressure’.
The latest data, however, from the government’s dashboard show that there were 800 coronavirus admissions per day and 7,000 patients in England on Friday.
Comparatively, in November 2020 there had been approximately 1300 Covid hospitalisations per day. There were also more than 11,000 Covid-infected patients.
NHS England later had to admit that Pritchard was talking about statistics starting in September. However, Covid hospital rates at the time were actually higher than they were last year.
Francois Balloux (director of University College London Genetics Institute) called Ms Pritchard’s claim ‘nonsense’. He also criticised news organizations for not challenging the assertion.
Researchers warned the NHS chief executive of having abused the figures. Political commentators, however, said that it was the result either of incompetence or miscalculation.