by Kara Machowski
In the past few weeks we’ve heard about the UK’s idea of herd-immunity and how that didn't pan out and now we're hearing all about Sweden’s super relaxed Covid-19 restrictions. Currently in Sweden, who as of Tuesday has just over 19,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, 1,005 recovered and 2,355 deaths, people are free to visit restaurants, barber shops, bars, gather, and even grade schools have remained open. If you’re sick or suffer from a weakened immune, you are urged to stay home. It’s really up to the citizens to take social distancing measures and the responsibility relies solely on individuals. A good percentage of workers in Sweden have opted to work from home while others continue life, mainly uninterrupted. There are few restrictions such as a ban of gatherings over 50 persons, but for the most part, there are a lot of Swedes that are staying home. They have cancelled sporting events, closed museums that endorse tourism and some restaurants are being forced to close that don't follow social distancing guidelines. Sweden has also banned visitations at nursing homes.
There is a reported 70% decrease in mobility in Sweden, so citizens are taking the virus seriously. The universities have also closed and have implemented distance learning.
But the thing is, most Swedes are responsibly following social distancing measures. They understand the threat and in Sweden, they trust their government, they trust their institutions. Many families are staying inside even though they're allowed out. Still, young patrons gather outside in the peak of springtime in groups drinking and even celebrating occasions like bridesmaid parties and birthdays and if you wear a mask, you're looked upon as an outcast. Many experts are left scratching their heads. There are many differences between Sweden and other countries who have taken more constraints against the spread. Sweden is a small country, over three times the size of the entire state of New York with only half of the population, 10 million, and a density size of 64 people per square mile. Just to give you an idea, the entire state of New York, including rural areas, has a pop. density of 421 per sq. mi. and America is 92 persons per sq. mi. Thus, social distancing is far easier. Even solely in Stockholm, Sweden’s largest city, the pop. density is about 11,000 per square mile, while Manhattan is at roughly 64,000. Florida pop. density is 353, while Wyoming, the least populated state, is 6. Hopefully that gives you a rough idea of how the virus could spread less in Sweden than it would in most states in America. America truly only has four choices when it comes to reopening the country vs. keeping the virus contained. 1. We can remain indoors until a cure or vaccine is discovered 2. We can remain indoors until the number of infects reaches near 0% 3. Slowly reopen the country, keeping social distancing measures similar to Sweden,
monitoring, knowing few may die but many individuals who come into contact with the virus won’t have symptoms, or will beat it and develop antibodies. 4. Just reopen the country and thus, implement herd-immunity. So, here we are, enforcing choice number three, and hoping that it is not a major mistake. Some states like Georgia, Colorado and South Dakota who are completely reopening, leaving social distancing responsibility to it's citizens. Georgia is reopening mainly all businesses who opt to open, such as gyms, bars, hair salons. But businesses who are able to reopen won't be until they have more faith in social distancing measures with death and positive cases drop. Even select beaches have reopened in states like Florida, whose southern beaches have stayed closed and will remain closed past May 1st, but Jacksonville reopened it's beaches and citizens have swarmed the sunny sand plumes.
Sweden believes that it has surpassed it's appex and are now on the down-slope as far as coronavirus cases even though it's neighboring countries have a lower death rate, where Sweden is at 22 per 100,000 persons according to Johns Hopkins University, Finland ranges only 4. Norway has reported 7,599 cases and 206 deaths among its 5.4 million people, and Finland has reported 4,695 cases and 193 deaths in its population of 5.5 million.
President Trump believes that the United States is past the "worst" and thus on it's down-slope as well.
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