Swedish approach to addressing COVID-19 pandemic

Summary:

Information Guide focusing on the so-called Swedish approach to tackling the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic in the country.

Further information:

As the virus expanded its prevalence across Europe and world, Sweden formally registered its first COVID-19 case on 31 January 2020. The first reported death appeared on 11 March. However, national authorities increasingly gathered international attention due to an approach to the outbreak which differed from most countries in Europe and elsewhere. Crucially, the country has never imposed a national lockdown, enforced general quarantine rules, or introduced a mask mandate. Instead, the population was expected to follow a series of recommendations issued by the Public Health Agency (Folkhälsomyndigheten). Rather than politicians, this institution became the core of Sweden's approach to this coronavirus, led by the State Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell until March 2022.

Following the Agency's advice, the Government approved legislation temporarily banning gatherings of over 50 individuals, visits to nursing homes and also closing secondary schools and universities. Primary schools remained open. Recommendations issued by the Agency included working from home whenever possible, avoiding unnecessary travel within the country, social distancing and shielding for the elderly as much as possible.

Sweden was widely reported by media outlets as registered some of the highest rates of virus presence and related death. Despite the good quality of the country's health system, strained services led to postponed surgeries. A debate was also ongoing regarding the existence of sufficient levels of personal protective equipment (PPE). Similarly to other European countries, nursing homes were particularly affected by the outbreak.

On 30 June, the Swedish Prime Minister announced the creation of a Commission to assess the country's handling of the pandemic.

Commentary and Analysis

Our World in Data: Sweden: Coronavirus Pandemic https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/sweden?country=~SWE

Wikipedia: COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Sweden

Politico, 23/03/2020: Coronavirus: Sweden’s ‘preppers’ say I told you so https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-swedens-preppers-say-i-told-you-so/

The New York Times, 28/03/2020: In the Coronavirus Fight in Scandinavia, Sweden Stands Apart https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/world/europe/sweden-coronavirus.html

Politico, 30/03/2020: Social distance, Swedish style https://www.politico.eu/article/social-distance-swedish-style/

ECFR: Commentary, 09/04/2020: Sweden goes it alone: The EU’s coronavirus exception https://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_sweden_goes_it_alone_the_eus_coronavirus_exception

Euronews, 22/04/2020: Sweden's coronavirus strategy: Right or wrong? https://www.euronews.com/2020/04/22/sweden-s-coronavirus-strategy-right-or-wrong

LSE: Institute of Global Affairs: Event, 22/04/2020: The Swedish Exception: early lessons from Sweden's different approach to COVID-19 (via Youtube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsiVWlN7KWo

The Conversation (UK), 23/04/2020: Coronavirus: are we underestimating how many people have had it? Sweden thinks so https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-are-we-underestimating-how-many-people-have-had-it-sweden-thinks-so-136893

BBC News, 25/04/2020: Coronavirus: Has Sweden got its science right? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52395866

Chatham House: The World Today, April&May 2020: Sweden: Living with coronavirus Light touch or lagom? https://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/twt/sweden-living-coronavirus

ARTE TV: Reportage: Coronavirus in Sweden (May 2020) https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/092187-004-A/re-coronavirus-in-sweden/

National Geographic: History Dispatches, 05/05/2020: Sweden still hasn't locked down. But normal life is a luxury for only a few https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/05/sweden-hasnt-locked-down-but-normal-life-is-a-luxury/

Forbes, 14/05/2020: Why Sweden’s Approach To Coronavirus May Not Be What You Think https://www.forbes.com/sites/heatherfarmbrough/2020/05/14/why-swedens-approach-to-coronavirus-may-not-be-what-you--think/

The Economist, 16/05/2020: Is Sweden’s approach to covid-19 wise or reckless? https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/05/16/is-swedens-approach-to-covid-19-wise-or-reckless

Euro|topics, May 2020: The Swedish way - model or dead end? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/237772/

The Guardian, 22/05/2020: Why Sweden is unlikely to make a U-turn on its controversial Covid-19 strategy https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/22/sweden-u-turn-controversial-covid-19-strategy

The Independent (UK), 01/06/2020: Coronavirus tracked: Charting Sweden’s disastrous no-lockdown strategy https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-lockdown-sweden-death-rate-worst-country-covid-19-a9539206.html

International Monetary Fund (IMF): IMF Country Focus, 04/06/2020: Sweden: Will COVID-19 Economics be Different? https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2020/06/01/na060120-sweden-will-covid-19-economics-be-different

Politico, 09/06/2020: Sweden’s lockdown paradox https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-coronavirus-lockdown-paradox/

New Statesman, 11/06/2020: How Sweden’s herd immunity strategy has backfired https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2020/06/how-sweden-s-herd-immunity-strategy-has-backfired

Euronews, 11/06/2020: Is fragile support for Sweden's COVID-19 strategy fracturing? https://www.euronews.com/2020/06/11/analysis-is-fragile-support-for-sweden-s-covid-19-strategy-fracturing

British Medical Journal (No 369, 12 June 2020): Has Sweden’s controversial covid-19 strategy been successful? https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2376

Euro|topics, June 2020: Sweden: the self-doubt of a model state https://www.eurotopics.net/en/242251/

Foreign Policy, 23/06/2020: Sweden’s Coronavirus Failure Started Long Before the Pandemic https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/06/23/sweden-coronavirus-failure-anders-tegnell-started-long-before-the-pandemic/

University of Oxford: Faculty of Law Blog, 29/06/2020: Calling Out the Law with a Lie: Community Perspectives on Precarity, Welfare and Law in Times of Covid-19 in Sweden https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/research-subject-groups/centre-criminology/centreborder-criminologies/blog/2020/06/calling-out-law

Politico, 03/07/2020: What Sweden can teach us about coronavirus https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-coronavirus-lessons/

The Economist, 04/07/2020: Covid-19 is scrambling Scandinavian stereotypes https://www.economist.com/europe/2020/07/04/covid-19-is-scrambling-scandinavian-stereotypes

Open Access Government, 07/07/2020: No lockdown: Sweden now faces increased COVID-19 deaths https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/no-lockdown/89922/

Blog Droit Européen, 20/07/2020: Covid-19 pandemic and data protection issues in Sweden by Patricia Jonason https://blogdroiteuropeen.com/2020/07/20/covid-19-pandemic-and-data-protection-issues-in-sweden-by-patricia-jonason/

Euronews, 28/07/2020: Is Sweden’s coronavirus strategy working after all? https://www.euronews.com/2020/07/28/sweden-s-coronavirus-spread-slows-but-immunity-still-a-puzzle

openDemocracy: Can Europe Make It?, 10/08/2020: Responsibility of the Swedish left for Sweden’s COVID-19 tragedy https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/can-europe-make-it/responsibility-of-the-swedish-left-for-swedens-covid-19-tragedy/

International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS): Commentary, 27/08/2020: COVID-19 Policy in Sweden: Disaster or Object of Admiration? https://icds.ee/en/covid-19-policy-in-sweden-disaster-or-object-of-admiration/

CEPR: VoxEU: Article, 12/09/2020: Labour market effects of COVID-19: Sweden and its Scandinavian neighbours https://voxeu.org/article/labour-market-effects-covid-19-sweden-and-its-neighbours

The Guardian, 25/09/2020: What lessons can Europe learn from Sweden's Covid-19 experience? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/25/what-lessons-can-europe-learn-from-sweden-covid-19-experience

Martens Centre for European Studies: In Brief, 28/09/2020: The Constitutional Basis for Sweden’s Exceptional COVID-19 Policy https://www.martenscentre.eu/publication/constitutional-basis-swedens-exceptional-covid-19-policy/

The British Medical Journal (BMJ): September 2020: Covid-19: Comparing Sweden’s response with the UK’s is “misleading,” experts argue https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3765

CNN News, 29/09/2020: Some countries are eying Sweden's 'light-touch' Covid response. It's a gamble that could backfire https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/28/europe/sweden-uk-coronavirus-immunity-analysis-gbr-intl/

ING Think: Article, 30/09/2020: What Europe’s Covid-19 spike means for Sweden https://think.ing.com/articles/coronavirus-fears-are-rising-in-europe-but-what-about-sweden/

The Economist: Leaders, 10/10/2020: The real lessons from Sweden’s approach to covid-19 https://www.economist.com/leaders/2020/10/10/the-real-lessons-from-swedens-approach-to-covid-19

The British Medical Journal (BMJ), November 2020: Covid-19: What Sweden taught Scandinavia for the second wave https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4456

Reuters: Factcheck, 02/12/2020: Sweden has not achieved herd immunity, is not proof that lockdowns are useless https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-prageru-sweden-herd-immunit-idUSKBN28C2R7

Institut Montaigne: Interview, 11/12/2020: Covid-19, Round 2: Sweden Misunderstood. Three questions for Ulrika Björkstén https://www.institutmontaigne.org/en/blog/covid-19-round-2-sweden-misunderstood

The Conversation (UK), 17/12/2020: Sweden and Japan are paying the price for COVID exceptionalism https://theconversation.com/sweden-and-japan-are-paying-the-price-for-covid-exceptionalism-151974

Byline Times, 18/12/2020: How Sweden Abandoned Its Most Vulnerable And Its Principles https://bylinetimes.com/2020/12/18/how-sweden-abandoned-its-most-vulnerable-and-its-principles/

The New Statesman, 21/12/2020: Sweden’s Covid-19 failures have exposed the myths of the lockdown-sceptics https://www.newstatesman.com/world/2020/12/swedens-covid-19-failures-have-exposed-the-myths-of-the-lockdown-sceptics

The Lancet: Comment, 22/12/2020: COVID-19 and the Swedish enigma https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32750-1

Foreign Policy, 22/12/2020: The Inside Story of How Sweden Botched Its Coronavirus Response https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/12/22/sweden-coronavirus-covid-response/

ECPR: The Loop, 14/03/2022: Explaining Swedish exceptionalism in its pandemic response https://theloop.ecpr.eu/explaining-swedish-exceptionalism-in-its-pandemic-response/

---

News

The Local (Sweden): Coronavirus: The latest news about the pandemic in Sweden https://www.thelocal.se/20200902/coronavirus-the-latest-news-about-the-outbreak-in-sweden-timeline-part-two/

Reuters, 16/03/2020: Sweden launches coronavirus crisis package worth more than $30 billion https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN21311G

Politico, 16/04/2020: Sweden takes a chance on trust as Nordic neighbors lock down https://www.politico.eu/article/stockholm-sweden-takes-chance-nordic-lockdown-coronavirus-covid19/

Politico, 26/04/2020: Swedish deputy PM warns of ‘counter reaction’ to harsh lockdown measures https://www.politico.eu/article/swedish-deputy-pm-warns-of-counter-reaction-to-harsh-lockdown-measures/

Politico, 29/04/2020: Swedish minister defends coronavirus approach, shrugs off far-right embrace https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-coronavirus-leader-ann-linde-defends-approach-shrugs-off-far-right-embrace/

France24, 17/05/2020: Sweden’s Covid-19 strategy has caused an ‘amplification of the epidemic’ https://www.france24.com/en/20200517-sweden-s-covid-19-strategy-has-caused-an-amplification-of-the-epidemic

Politico, 18/05/2020: Sweden won’t dodge economic hit despite COVID-19 light touch https://www.politico.eu/article/swedens-cant-escape-economic-hit-with-covid-19-light-touch/

Reuters, 01/06/2020: Swedish PM to appoint coronavirus inquiry before summer amid criticism https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN2382YI

The Guardian, 03/06/2020: We should have done more, admits architect of Sweden's Covid-19 strategy https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/03/architect-of-sweden-coronavirus-strategy-admits-too-many-died-anders-tegnell

BBC News, 03/06/2020: Coronavirus: Sweden's Tegnell admits too many died https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52903717

Politico, 10/06/2020: Swedes round on Sweden’s corona approach https://www.politico.eu/article/swedes-turn-on-swedens-corona-response-coronavirus-covid19/

TIME, 15/06/2020: Sweden’s Prime Minister Rejects Criticism of Coronavirus Strategy https://time.com/5853595/sweden-coronavirus-lockdown-criticism/

Bloomberg, 26/06/2020: Swedish Expert Says WHO Made ‘Total Mistake’ in Covid List https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-26/sweden-s-covid-expert-says-who-made-total-mistake-in-new-list

EurActiv, 29/06/2020: Sweden remains ‘odd one out’ among Nordics, remains bound to travel restrictions https://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/short_news/sweden-update-covid-19/

The Local (Sweden), 30/06/2020: Coronavirus Latest: What you need to know about the outbreak in Sweden https://www.thelocal.se/20200310/timeline-how-the-coronavirus-has-developed-in-sweden

Politico, 30/06/2020: Sweden the odd one out as Nordics turn nationalist https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-the-odd-one-out-as-nordics-finland-norway-denmark-turn-nationalist-coronavirus-covid/

Deutsche Welle, 01/07/2020: Coronavirus ban: Anger in Sweden at Danish double standards https://p.dw.com/p/3ecPj

Bloomberg, 01/07/2020: Sweden Launches Commission to Investigate Coronavirus Response https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-01/sweden-launches-commission-to-investigate-coronavirus-response

The Irish Times, 09/07/2020: Sweden’s grim Covid-19 result: More death and nearly equal economic damage https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/sweden-s-grim-covid-19-result-more-death-and-nearly-equal-economic-damage-1.4300102

BBC News, 05/08/2020: Coronavirus: Sweden's economy hit less hard by pandemic https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53664354

France24, 16/09/2020: ‘They sacrificed the elderly’: How Covid-19 spread in Sweden’s care homes https://www.france24.com/en/20200916-they-sacrificed-the-elderly-how-covid-19-spread-in-sweden-s-care-homes

Channel 4 (UK), 24/09/2020: Boris Johnson sought advice from Sweden over Covid strategy https://www.channel4.com/news/boris-johnson-sought-advice-from-sweden-over-covid-strategy

Deutsche Welle, 07/11/2020: Coronavirus: Sweden keeps its laid-back COVID-19 strategy https://p.dw.com/p/3l0Nc

ITV News, 16/11/2020: Sweden slashes gatherings of 300 people to eight as Covid-19 cases surge https://www.itv.com/news/2020-11-16/sweden-slashes-gathers-of-300-people-to-eight-as-covid-19-cases-surge

Politico, 19/11/2020: Discontent rises in Sweden as coronavirus cases spike https://www.politico.eu/article/discontent-rises-in-sweden-as-coronavirus-cases-spike/

---

Official

Sweden: Public Health Agency: FAQ about COVID-19 https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/the-public-health-agency-of-sweden/communicable-disease-control/covid-19/

World Health Organisation: WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard: Sweden https://covid19.who.int/region/euro/country/se

Sweden: Ministry of Health and Social Affairs: Articles, 03/07/2020: Swedish experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic https://www.government.se/articles/2020/07/swedish-experiences-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

---