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Former Swedish state epidemiologist Johan Giesecke drew attention in Norway when he told Dagbladet in late March that Sweden’s handling of COVID-19 was correct and everyone else’s strategy was wrong.
In August, it emerged that Giesecke referred to the relevant article in an email to Chief Physician Preben Aavitsland of the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH). Director Frode Forland also emailed Giesecke regarding the article. Now Giesecke says the hatchet is buried.
– The rivalry between Norway and Sweden is completely gone and gone since April, he laughs at Dagbladet.
north
Since then, Sweden has recorded more than 87,000 cases of infection and more than 5,850 deaths. By comparison, Norway has recorded 12,277 cases of infection and 265 deaths during the pandemic.
On Sunday, however, the report by the European Infection Control Agency (ECDC) showed that Norway had a higher infection pressure than Sweden. Just a couple of weeks ago, Norway had 13 infected per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days. On Tuesday, September 15, the figure was 28.4 in Norway and 22.2 in Sweden.
Giesecke has previously stated that he believes the reopening of the land will lead to a resurgence of infection cases and deaths. Now the WHO adviser says he believes that the pressure of infection will be uniform between the countries of the Nordic countries.
– It will remain so between Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Everyone will have small outbreaks that can last for several years if there is no effective vaccine.
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I think the border opens
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health believes that the effect of entry quarantine is greatest when there is a large difference in infection pressure between countries and regions. NIPH Director Camilla Stoltenberg and Health Director Bjørn Guldvog said Sunday that declining infection levels in Sweden could lead to more travel across the border.
Giesecke believes the border will open soon.
– I think the measures that include travel between Norway and Sweden will disappear as there will be roughly the same infection pressure in the countries, says Giesecke.
Measurements in Sweden
The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against all unnecessary travel to countries outside the EU, the EEA and the Schengen area. Sweden also advises against traveling to some EU countries.
Sweden has also introduced a ban on visiting nursing homes, which runs until October 1. In addition, events with more than 50 people, unnecessary travel to Sweden from countries outside the EU and strict restrictions on restaurants are prohibited.
There are also tips on hand hygiene and distance.
– It is the restrictions that have reduced the pressure of infection in Sweden. At the same time, we may have inhabitants a little more immune than other countries. But I don’t think the strategies of the countries should be compared at this stage. We should wait at least a year before starting to wrap up. This is just the beginning of the pandemic.
– Spinngæren
It will push the infection down
The Swedish Public Health Agency and the state epidemiologist have previously been accused of trying to obtain herd immunity against COVID-19. The professor of social medicine at NTNU, Steinar Westin, has previously referred to this as a derivative strategy.
– This disease has such an unpredictable effect and partly affects young people. The virus has properties that we don’t fully understand yet, he told Dagbladet.
Now Giesecke says Sweden will further reduce the pressure of the infection. At the same time, she brags about the handling of Norway’s covid-19.
– The pressure of infection in Sweden will drop a bit more. The most important thing remains to protect the elderly and weak, but in the rest of the population we can tolerate some spread. Norway has done very well to protect the elderly and the weak.
Sweden boasts
Health director Bjørn Guldvog has previously told Dagbladet that he is very happy that Sweden has managed to reduce the spread of the infection. At the same time, he said he expects a scenario in which Scandinavia stands out as the area of the world with the lowest infection pressure.
– This can facilitate the resumption of the good relationship with more cross-border traffic. That is why I am very optimistic on behalf of our countries, Guldvog said.
– Has Sweden toughened up or Norway has given up?
– Sweden has managed to reduce the infection. It’s kind of hard to say that it has been sharpened, because I think they will say that it has been sharpened all the time. But they have had high infection rates this spring and, through good and consistent work, they have managed to work to reduce the infection.
WHO advisor
Giesecke is currently working as a consultant for the World Health Organization (WHO). For two and a half years he has been a member of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Risks, chaired by David Heymann.
– We advised CEO Tedros Adhanom. The most important advice we have given so far is to discourage hard lockdowns in poor countries. It just creates more problems than it solves.
– How do you think the pandemic will end?
– If we get a vaccine, it can go away quickly. Otherwise, this can last for several years. We will learn to live with covid-19, so that it becomes part of normal life, concludes Giesecke.
