People walk near a trash can with a sign reading "The danger is not over - Keep your distance"
on a street as the Covid outbreak continues in Uppsala, Sweden, October 21, 2020. (TT News Agency/Claudio Bresciani via Reuters)
National Review
It was not Sweden that engaged in a reckless, unprecedented experiment, but the rest of the world.
It was an experiment scrutinized and debated by the whole world. While many countries locked down during the pandemic, shutting down workplaces and restaurants, my home country of Sweden stubbornly stayed open. There were no orders to remain at home or shelter in place. Schools, offices, factories, restaurants, libraries, shopping centers, gyms, and hairdressers did not close. There were no mask mandates.
It was an experiment scrutinized and debated by the whole world. While many countries locked down during the pandemic, shutting down workplaces and restaurants, my home country of Sweden stubbornly stayed open. There were no orders to remain at home or shelter in place. Schools, offices, factories, restaurants, libraries, shopping centers, gyms, and hairdressers did not close. There were no mask mandates.
There were some restrictions, but, mostly, the Swedish government just recommended that people engage in social distancing, work remotely, and stay indoors if they felt sick; it did not force anyone to follow this advice. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven declared that we should meet the crisis with common sense and individual responsibility, not government control.
Around the world, this was seen as a reckless gamble with human lives. The New York Times described Sweden as a “pariah state” and a “cautionary tale.” President Trump claimed that “Sweden is paying heavily for its decision not to lockdown” and that “Sweden is suffering very, very badly.”
Considering the amount of attention paid to Sweden during the pandemic, it is strange that there has been so little follow-up. How did the Swedish experiment turn out?