Everyone on here is required to have a Sweden take so here’s mine: the country has pursued a middle ground approach that leaves it neither looking great, nor terrible. It’s a complicated combination of good and bad.
Sweden is clearly not locking down like its neighbors. Schools are open for children <16, and people are out together in public, and eat a restaurants and go to bars. That is good.
But it’s also not as carefree as many seem to believe. It’s “voluntary lockdown lite” that relies heavily on individual Swedes taking personal precautions. https://twitter.com/JamesAALongman/status/1252936394550530050">https://twitter.com/JamesAALo...
“Life in Sweden is not continuing as usual during the COVID-19 pandemic… The strategy combines regulations and advice with a strong emphasis on individuals’ responsibility for action.” https://institut-fuer-globale-gesundheit.de/?p=2471 ">https://institut-fuer-globale-gesundheit.de/...
Swedes’ movements have significantly decreased, as tracked by mobile phone data. Just slightly less than other countries (this graphic shows mobility data over time in Finland, left, and Sweden, right). https://preventepidemics.org/coronavirus/science-review/april-11-17-2020/">https://preventepidemics.org/coronavir...
“Data suggests the vast majority of the population have taken to voluntary social distancing…Usage of public transport has dropped significantly, large numbers are working from home, and most refrained from travel” over Easter. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52395866">https://www.bbc.com/news/worl...
The balance that Sweden has struck has provided some semblance of normality, but it has come at the cost of a high number of deaths compared to its neighbors. Its mortality per 100,000 is higher than the U.S.
https://www.kff.org/global-health-policy/fact-sheet/coronavirus-tracker/">https://www.kff.org/global-he...
All-cause mortality in Sweden has spiked (as in many other places), indicating there may be uncounted Covid-19 deaths and an increase in deaths from other causes as well, exacerbated by the country’s epidemic. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/21/world/coronavirus-missing-deaths.html">https://www.nytimes.com/interacti...
The Swedish strategy is supposed to protect people >70 and prevent overwhelming of the hospital system. https://twitter.com/olibiermann/status/1252929448267132929">https://twitter.com/olibierma...
Still, Sweden has had a hard time keeping the elderly safe. Something like half of all Swedish deaths have occurred in care facilities for the elderly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=pzzVxw5FyYs&feature=emb_title">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
In particular, the Somali immigrant community has been over-represented in the case numbers. https://twitter.com/ChrChristensen/status/1250045468207349760">https://twitter.com/ChrChrist...
There is not much evidence to believe this is true yet. One study reported an expected 26% seroprevalence in Stockholm by May 1. Hard to take this at face value. https://twitter.com/AdamJKucharski/status/1254084767496261632">https://twitter.com/AdamJKuch...
So, the situation in Sweden seems to defy simplistic takes.

I wonder if what is happening in Sweden is a preview for other countries as to what a post-lockdown mode might look like, and the challenges that will be faced.
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