Sweden's king says 'we have failed' over COVID-19, as deaths mount

[webfact 82,078]

Sweden's king says 'we have failed' over COVID-19, as deaths mount

 

FILE PHOTO: Sweden's King Carl Gustaf poses for a photo before recording his annual Christmas Day speech to the nation, at Stockholm Castle, Sweden, December 16, 2019. Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency/via REUTERS

 

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Sweden's king said his country had failed in its handling of COVID-19, in a sharp criticism of a pandemic policy partly blamed for a high death toll among the elderly.

 

Carl XVI Gustaf, whose son and daughter-in-law tested positive last month, used an annual royal Christmas TV special to highlight the growing impact of the virus, in a rare intervention from a monarch whose duties are largely ceremonial.

 

Sweden has stood out from most countries by shunning lockdowns and face masks, leaving schools, restaurants and businesses largely open and relying mainly on voluntary social distancing and hygiene recommendations to slow the spread.

 

An official commission said on Tuesday systemic shortcomings in elderly care coupled with inadequate measures from the government and agencies contributed to Sweden's particularly high death toll in nursing homes.

 

Sweden's king said his country had failed in its handling of COVID-19, in a sharp criticism of a pandemic policy partly blamed for a high death toll among the elderly. Maha Albadrawi reports.

 

"I believe we have failed," the king said in an excerpt from the programme broadcast by SVT on Wednesday. The full show airs on Dec. 21.

 

"We have had a large number of deaths and that is terrible. That is something that brings us all suffering."

 

Sweden has registered more than 7,800 deaths, a much higher per capita rate than its Nordic neighbours but lower than in Britain, Italy, Spain or France, which have all opted for lockdowns. 

 

The 74-year-old king has no formal political power and rarely comments on current and political issues, though he has addressed the nation to offer encouragement during the outbreak.

 

In the spring, the government's response to the pandemic was widely supported by Swedes who carried on much as normal while most of Europe entered lockdown.

 

But the rising death toll - particularly among elderly residents of care homes - has drawn increasing criticism.

 

A poll in daily Dagens Nyheter on Thursday showed around a third of Swedes expressed a high level of confidence in authorities' handling of the pandemic, down from 42% in March and a peak of 56% after the summer lull in infections.

 

(Reporting by Andrew Heavens)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-18

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[ezzra 44,073]

No sheet Sherlock, so the Swedish grand idea of 'herd immunity' didn't work eh? who would have thought now? of all the dumb thing to do to let Covid fix itself...

Edited December 17, 2020 by ezzra

[Tug 22,330]

My deepest condolences to you and your wonderful country and citizens we here in the USA share your grief and pain it seems our (leadership) had the same idea just not the courage to say it out loud 

[Credo 10,330]

My sympathies to the Swedes, but also a thank you for your effort.   Sweden will provide valuable information on how this virus spreads and since they did have some efforts at public mitigation, the virus was not just allowed to 'run wild.'   

 

I don't see how a virus like this can be tackled without lockdowns.  It is exclusively passed from one person to another and as long as people are in the same area, the chances of catching it increase.  Social distancing and masks may work very well, but when infections reach a certain level, then getting people almost completely out of contact with others seems necessary.

 

[bodga 7,221]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

but lower than in Britain, Italy, Spain or France, which have all opted for lockdowns. 

Exactly, so it cant be that much of a  failure.

[pacovl46 2,077]

22 minutes ago, bodga said:

Exactly, so it cant be that much of a  failure.

Of course it’s a failure because lots of deaths could’ve been prevented if they had had a lockdown! Duh! 

[pacovl46 2,077]

Well, take that to all the people who used Sweden as an example for how a lockdown is so not necessary! 
 

R.I.P. to the ones who didn’t make it! 

[2long 2,396]

It would be interesting to see the true figures. Let's face it, old people die, especially those in care homes, and it's a Nordic winter. Are deaths of the elderly really higher than other years?

I am not for one minute claiming to know anything more than others, or an expert in any field. But there's so much claimed nonsense on the internet and from governments around the world. Who's to know whether or not he was 'advised' what to say? Or even if he knows what he's talking about?

How many people have 'died of old age' 'died of regular flu' and 'died of cancer, strokes and heart failure' in 2020? If these reported numbers are lower than previous years, could it be that Covid is being blamed on expected deaths from other causes?

[cmarshall 3,165]

2 hours ago, Credo said:

My sympathies to the Swedes, but also a thank you for your effort.   Sweden will provide valuable information on how this virus spreads and since they did have some efforts at public mitigation, the virus was not just allowed to 'run wild.'   

 

I don't see how a virus like this can be tackled without lockdowns.  It is exclusively passed from one person to another and as long as people are in the same area, the chances of catching it increase.  Social distancing and masks may work very well, but when infections reach a certain level, then getting people almost completely out of contact with others seems necessary.

 

 

I am really tired of this lockdown/no lockdown debate, which is really quite ignorant.  S. Korea never locked down and suppressed the virus with only 11.84 deaths per million.  Taiwan never locked down and has controlled the virus with 7 deaths.  That's not 7 deaths per million, but just a total of 7 deaths for its entire population of 23 million.

 

For some reason people like you ignore the many spectacularly successful Asian countries as though they are not relevant, because they are on Mars or something.  Intelligent and energetic governance is all that is necessary to shutdown the epidemic.  Many Asian countries had such governments; none of the Western countries did.

[Jack Mountain 1,779]

Now it's COVID Deaths, later on we will count covid related economic deaths. Sweden will 'win' in the end. Quality above Quantity ...

[Taxi 64]

Sweden ranked 24th for deaths per million (779). I think the king was probably referring to the elderly and they failed the elderly as that population was hard hit.  Lockdown countries like Belgium, Italy, Spain, UK, USA, France all did worse. Looks like Sweden is holding itself to a higher standard than many.

 

Of the 7,893 deaths in Sweden 6,914 were aged 70 plus.

 

Coronavirus Update (Live): 75,247,969 Cases and 1,667,124 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Pandemic - Worldometer (worldometers.info)

 

• Sweden: coronavirus deaths by age | Statista

[cmarshall 3,165]

2 minutes ago, Taxi said:

Sweden ranked 24th for deaths per million (779). I think the king was probably referring to the elderly and they failed the elderly as that population was hard hit.  Lockdown countries like Belgium, Italy, Spain, UK, USA, France all did worse. Looks like Sweden is holding itself to a higher standard than many.

 

Of the 7,893 deaths in Sweden 6,914 were aged 70 plus.

 

Coronavirus Update (Live): 75,247,969 Cases and 1,667,124 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Pandemic - Worldometer (worldometers.info)

 

• Sweden: coronavirus deaths by age | Statista

 

And all of those deaths were unnecessary.

[mtls2005 16,387]

Kudos for owning up to failure.

 

A sign of leadership.

 

 

[Credo 10,330]

22 minutes ago, cmarshall said:

 

I am really tired of this lockdown/no lockdown debate, which is really quite ignorant.  S. Korea never locked down and suppressed the virus with only 11.84 deaths per million.  Taiwan never locked down and has controlled the virus with 7 deaths.  That's not 7 deaths per million, but just a total of 7 deaths for its entire population of 23 million.

 

For some reason people like you ignore the many spectacularly successful Asian countries as though they are not relevant, because they are on Mars or something.  Intelligent and energetic governance is all that is necessary to shutdown the epidemic.  Many Asian countries had such governments; none of the Western countries did.

"People like you", really?   Perhaps if you read what I wrote and tried to comprehend, it would help.  This is what I said, 

"..but when infections reach a certain level, then getting people almost completely out of contact with others seems necessary."

 

If lockdowns can be avoided by other forms of mitigation, then good.  If not, then lockdowns become necessary.

 

 

 

[thaitero 527]

28 minutes ago, Taxi said:

Sweden ranked 24th for deaths per million (779). I think the king was probably referring to the elderly and they failed the elderly as that population was hard hit.  Lockdown countries like Belgium, Italy, Spain, UK, USA, France all did worse. Looks like Sweden is holding itself to a higher standard than many.

 

Of the 7,893 deaths in Sweden 6,914 were aged 70 plus.

 

Coronavirus Update (Live): 75,247,969 Cases and 1,667,124 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Pandemic - Worldometer (worldometers.info)

 

• Sweden: coronavirus deaths by age | Statista

Of cource King compares to other similar ( Finland, Norway etc..) countries which have similar society and standard of living for all people not just rich ones like almost rest of the world,,,, The King is right.. They failed here..