Sorry to rub it in (I’m not really) but my prediction on this blog in early 2020 that “when it’s all done and dusted, Sweden’s non-lockdown approach to covid will have proved to be the correct one”.
Apart from the fact that all of Europe has now adopted it, here’s the actual data recently released by the World Health Organisation for 2020-21.
Measuring excess deaths (the difference between expected and actual mortality) Sweden recorded 56 per 100,000 population, one of the lowest rates in Europe.
Sweden made their non-lockdown rule aware of the collateral damage of lockdowns on the economy, healthcare and education in particular.
The UK for example, recorded 109 excess deaths per 100,000 putting it 15th out of 28 European nations and ahead of the likes of Germany and Italy.
As the Daily Telegraph editorialised, “It’s about time the world apologised to Sweden”.
So Sweden today boxes on in great shape while the rest of the world (and certainly New Zealand) struggles to cope with the collateral damage, alluded to.
13 Comments
Sir Bob this difference between New Zealand and Sweden is they had leaders, we had populists
And when the dust ‘finally’ settles we will see that NZ may take 100 years to recover from the toll she and ashley have taken on our standard of education. For decades we will refer to some employees as “a covid kid” barely literate, But we ‘saved’ the lives of thousands of 80 & 90 yr olds who would otherwise have died of the flu or pneumonia (and some of covid). Except now we have too many of them in rest homes with no staff so they live in squalor.
Must stop. They’re calling for passengers to board now.
The question I think a lot of us are attempting to work out as to how such nonsense and hysteria took over Western countries. Poor African nations without masks, lockdowns and vaccines seemed to work out just fine thank you. Is it the Wests obsession with hi-vis vests, road cones and over the top safety, eliminating risk at all costs. Its no wander the conspiracy theorists are in full force.
We’ll be waiting a long time before any politician says, “Sorry… We went into panic mode and joined the Mass Hysteria, violating established human rights, breaking the laws, heavily damaging the economy, and causing the death of thousands by mandating many health Professionals out of a job.”
Well played Sir Bob & we certainly don’t mind you gloating – except it would be good if this “told you so” info could somehow find its way to be directly under the gaze of our PM……
Isn’t it indeed interesting how the PM is now absent from the infantile 1pm “podium of truth” nonsense, now leaving it to hapless others to dodge the bus instead.
Overall though, we must remember that the main difference between Sweden & New Zealand regarding these statistics is that over the past two+ years of the pandemic, one country was run by a narcissistic control-freak whilst the other was not.
Well said
Additionally, Sweden has just released a study into educational losses in children over the pandemic. Conclusion – there were no losses. Can you even imagine how this compares to NZ? I wrote to politicians and journalists in early 2020 begging them to consider the Swedish approach. There was ample data upon which to base it. Almost no replies, although that smug git, Jesse Mulligan took the time to flick me back a sarcastic response.
They didn’t push the vaccination that much either.
Totally agree – lockdown lunacy will go down in history as being a monumental failure that has cost NZ at least $100 billion (Govt & Private). Our delayed deaths “OF COVID” are almost now the same as Sweden (which are in fact very few). Considering we only spend about $1 billion a year on Pharmac drugs, crippling the entire economy with around $100 billion spent (that’s right, 100 Pharmac years!) would have to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen. If we wanted to actually save a couple of thousand lives, just increase the spend on proven cancer drugs via Pharmac. No lockdown required.
That’s a great perspective. Cancer treatments and breast/prostate/bowel screening would have been a much better spend. Hell, there’s enough there to respect teachers and nurses too.
Yes it really saddens me when you think what that kind of money could have been done if spent wisely. NZ could have built the best hospital systems in the world. Yet we elected to pump wasteful unproductive money into the economy and push up asset values and inflation.
Indeed Sir Bob, I did the same when all of this began unfolding (and almost got crucified by the fairy cult). I even ran some numbers and quickly concluded that a truckload of preventable diseases have killed, kill, and will continue to kill far more humans than this “pandemic”. When a “pandemic” Hollywood style doesn’t materialise is time to realise that the world didn’t end (again) and move on. Then again I don’t see the WHO apologising and saying the got it wrong.
Thanks Sir Bob. As kiwi living in Sweden for the last thirty years it is nice to see our approach recognised. Under the entire pandemic we were roundly criticised by press everywhere else for our approach but as our government said from the beginning, “ there are now three things certain in life (up from the classic two), death, taxes and catching covid.” They explained that the numbers did not support lockdowns, mask mandates or any other knee jerk reactions. We were instead all asked to be responsible, support social distancing and take our medicine when it comes. Schools stayed open, people worked from home and nightclubs were closed. One by one we all got covid both before and after vaccination, often several times. Life goes on and covid is more an ex topic than a current one.
Time to force the NZ government to admit they messed up spectacularly.