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The infection situation in Sweden is undergoing a spectacular development. In Stockholm, it was reported earlier this week that one in five – that is, 20 percent of those tested – received a positive result, according to Aftonbladet.
In the last 24 hours, 4,658 new cases of contagion and 40 new deaths were reported, according to figures from the Public Health Authority. Additionally, four more Swedish regions have now received stricter crown rules to curb the infection situation.
Early in the course of the pandemic, Sweden’s state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell stated on NRK’s ’Debatten’ that his models showed herd immunity would be achieved in Stockholm during May. But at the end of May, the first polls showed that only between 7.3 and 15 percent of Stockholm’s population had suffered from the covid-19 infection.
Intimidated by the Swedish strategy
Group immunity
At the time, Tegnell acknowledged that the numbers were somewhat lower than expected and, at the same time, was forced to kill the myth of herd immunity and covid-19.
– There is no reason to believe that we will achieve immunity that stops the spread of infection in the population. Immunity in the population can help keep the spread of infection low so that we can ease measures and ease pressure on the healthcare system, he said.
– The virus continues to surprise
During Thursday’s press conference on the status of the crown, Aftonbladet asked questions about how state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell views his previous statements on herd immunity.
– When the infection came down in the spring, you said it was a proof of herd immunity. What does the current situation say about the relationship with herd immunity? We lost it? the Aftonbladet reporter asked.
– There’s no reason to believe we’ve lost it. There are very few cases in the world in which someone has been identified as having been infected twice. There is much evidence that immunity endures. Now we have a gas pedal now in the fall and winter, where they visit indoors, they are close to each other, and they are more at work, etc. It’s been such a big gas in the system that the braking effects that are in place don’t brake as well, Tegnell says.
He continues:
– There have been some signs that we have not been that good at following the rules. It is a balance. But it is quite clear that we have an immunity at the base. It’s probably smaller than we think in spring, because the obscure number, the number of people that we didn’t find through testing, is probably less than we think in spring, Tegnell replied.
– The party is over now
Strategies
Former Norwegian Prime Minister and WHO Director Gro Harlem Brundtland indicated earlier this month that Sweden’s early coronation strategy was an attempt to create herd immunity.
– There have been ten, twenty times more deaths in Sweden than in Norway, even if the difference in population is taken into account. There are quite dramatic differences, Brundtland told Skavlan.
In June, however, Tegnell declared that this was not the goal of the strategy.
– Our goal is not to achieve herd immunity. I don’t think it is possible to achieve flock immunity without a vaccine, but I think the spread of antibodies helps us. Obviously we have a high level of immunity in the population. We see an effect of the immunity that we have in the population already now, Tegnell said.
