Sweden spared surge of virus cases but many questions remain

Now, as infection numbers surge again in much of Europe, the country of 10 million people has some of the lowest numbers of new coronavirus cases — and only 14 virus patients in intensive care.

Whether Sweden s strategy is succeeding, however, is still very uncertain.

Its health authorities, and in particular chief epidemiologist Dr. Anders Tegnell, keep repeating a familiar warning: It s too early to tell, and all countries are in a different phase of the pandemic.

That has not stopped a World Health Organization Europe official from saying the continent could learn broader lessons from Sweden that could help the virus battle elsewhere.

We must recognize that Sweden, at the moment, has avoided the increase that has been seen in some of the other countries in western Europe, WHO Europe s senior emergency officer, Catherine Smallwood, said Thursday. I think there are lessons for that. We will be very keen on working and hearing more from the Swedish approach.

via apnews.com

Well, gosh, WHO, thanks for telling us. Seems you might be changing your tune a bit though.