The main epidemiologist of Sweden stated that the abandonment of rigid quarantine may have been a mistake

Sweden in the beginning of the epidemic of the coronavirus would have to take more measures to combat COVID-19. About Sveriges Radio said the chief epidemiologist of the country Anders Tegnell, persuaded the government to abandon the hard lockdown.

According to Tegnell, if in the beginning of the outbreak he knew about the virus then what he knows now, would recommend to adopt measures that were “in the middle between what Sweden has done, and what did the rest of the world.”

However, the epidemiologist added that still does not understand what restrictive measures are effective for combating coronavirus. According to him, many countries have imposed restrictions simultaneously, so you understand which of them brought the result, it is difficult.

Sweden was one of the few countries in the world, which was not quarantined due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The government only issued guidelines for hygiene and social distancing. The government hoped that the rejection of a hard lockdown will prevent the fall of the economy. However, these predictions did not materialize: at the end of may, Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson said that Sweden faces a “very deep economic crisis”.

According to the data of Johns hopksinsa in Sweden infected with 40.8 thousand people, died more than 4.5 thousand in the neighboring countries, the number of cases and deaths is much smaller: Denmark – 11.7 thousand cases, 580 dead; in Finland fell ill 6.9 thousand people died 321, in Norway infected with 8.4 million people died in 237.