Trump says Sweden is ‘paying heavily’ for not ordering coronavirus lockdown as he boasts US made ‘correct decision’
PRESIDENT Donald Trump said Sweden is paying the price for not enforcing stay-at-home orders the way state and local officials in the United States did.
Trump tweeted on Thursday that, “Despite reports to the contrary, Sweden is paying heavily for its decision not to lockdown.”
“As of today, 2462 people have died there, a much higher number than the neighboring countries of Norway (207), Finland (206) or Denmark (443).”
“The United States made the correct decision!” Trump wrote online.
Sweden, according to reported numbers, had nearly 22,000 positive coronavirus cases and 2,580 coronavirus deaths as of Thursday morning, with over 1,000 recoveries.
The US this week surpassed more than one million cases across the country, with over 66,000 deaths.
But per million, Sweden has a higher death rate than the US: 241.77 versus 186.17.
Sweden’s case and death tolls are much higher than its Nordic neighbors, as noted by Trump’s tweet.
The Trump administration issued social distancing measures set to expire on May 1, and leaders and local officials in individual states have implemented lockdowns or stay-at-home restrictions.
On April 16, the White House released a "road map" plan for states who meet the criteria to reopen.
“We’re starting our life again,” Trump said. "We’re starting rejuvenation of our economy again.”
Despite other European countries enforcing strict lockdowns to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Sweden, with a population of 10 million, has gone for a “low-scale approach.”
Anders Tegnell, the country’s chief epidemiologist and top strategist for the country in the fight against the pandemic, said it “is much more sustainable” over a longer period.
Sweden banned gatherings larger than 50 people, closed high schools and universities, and urged those over 70 or otherwise deemed high-risk from the virus to self-isolate.
But some places, like schools for younger children, restaurants, and most businesses remained open.
Some restaurants have been closed down, however, for not observing social distancing.
One local, Johan Mattsson, told The New York Times: “My respect for those who died, but we are doing something right here in Sweden.”
“I’m not seeing very different statistics in many other countries,” he said. “I’m happy we didn’t go into lockdown. Life has to go on.”
Last week, the Swedish Public Health Authority announced that more than 26 percent of the two million people in Stockholm will have been infected with the virus by May 1.
The authority had admitted that the country’s aging senior citizen population has been affected, as more than 75 percent of Stockholm’s 101 nursing homes have been hit.
Trump previously suggested that the rising number of Swedish deaths is because of the country’s idea to embrace herd immunity.
Herd immunity is the concept of allowing individual people to get sick and build up immunity within the population.
“Sweden did that — the herd,” Trump said. “They called (it) the herd. Sweden is suffering very, very badly. It’s a way of doing it.”
But Swedish Health Minister Lena Hallengren recently told The Associated Press: “We have never had a strategy for herd immunity.”
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization praised Sweden as a “model” for other countries to follow amid the pandemic.
Dr. Mike Ryan, the WHO’s top emergencies expert, said there are “lessons to be learned” from the Scandinavian country.
“I think there’s a perception out that Sweden has not put in control measures and just has allowed the disease to spread,” he said. “Nothing can be further from the truth.”
Ryan said Sweden has “put in place a very strong public policy around social distancing, around caring and protecting people in long-term care facilities.”
“What it has done differently is it has very much relied on its relationship with its citizenry and the ability and willingness of its citizens to implement self-distancing and self-regulate,” Ryan said.
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“In that sense, they have implemented public policy through that partnership with the population.”
“I think if we are to reach a new normal, Sweden represents a model if we wish to get back to a society in which we don’t have lockdowns,” Ryan said.
But the country’s approach has been criticized by academics who have called on Sweden’s government to reconsider the loose policies.