Newly released data show Sweden has a lower death spike than other European countries despite mostly forgoing the strict lockdown measures featured across the continent.
Data from European Union statistics agency Eurostat revealed that Sweden had 7.7% more deaths in 2020 than its average number in the previous four years. Belgium and Spain, countries that imposed strict lockdowns at times throughout the pandemic, recorded excess death rates of 16.2% and 18.1%, respectively.
THE BETTER SWEDEN DOES ON THE CORONAVIRUS, THE ANGRIER THEY GET
Of the 30 countries for which statistics were available, Sweden had a better excess death rate than 21 of them. But Sweden did show worse results than its Nordic neighbors, with Denmark checking in at a rate of 1.5% and Finland at 1%. Norway did not record any spike in excess death for 2020.
Sweden’s Chief Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, a controversial figure in much of Europe, said the data should raise doubts about the efficacy of lockdowns.
“I think people will probably think very carefully about these total shutdowns, how good they really were,” Tegnell said. “They may have had an effect in the short term, but when you look at it throughout the pandemic, you become more and more doubtful.”
Although Sweden’s pandemic approach has been controversial, both in the country and especially abroad, 43% of Swedes express confidence in how their country is handling the pandemic. Meanwhile, 30% say they lack confidence in the country’s approach.
But some infectious disease experts have expressed caution about the data, even though they acknowledged the numbers do show Sweden’s approach has merit.
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“All of us have to be really careful interpreting death data connected with COVID-19, whatever its source — none of them are perfect,” said Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the United Kingdom’s University of Edinburgh. “They do raise a question about whether, in fact, Sweden’s strategy was relatively successful. They certainly raise that question.”
