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– It is not the case that I think they drive the spread of the infection, says Anders Tegnell to Aftonbladet.
It was on yesterday’s broadcast on SVT’s “Aktuellt” that the state epidemiologist was asked about the difference between the death toll in Sweden and the death toll in other Nordic countries.
The program referred to the death toll in the Nordic countries:
- Sweden: 97 deaths per million inhabitants.
- Denmark: 22 deaths per million inhabitants.
- Norway: 13 deaths per million inhabitants.
- Finland: 9 deaths per million inhabitants.
Tegnell believed that it was rather Norway and Finland that stood out from other European countries.
– There are a number of differences that are very obvious. These are countries that are relatively sparsely populated and have small populations. With small groups of immigrants who have been very active in many countries. So there are a number of differences between us and these, and that makes us more like landing in Europe, Anders Tegnell said in the broadcast.
Reactions
Tegnell’s statement sparked reactions.
“The fact that people with foreign backgrounds in our society have been more affected by COVID-19 should not be interpreted to mean that we would have had significantly fewer infections without these people,” wrote Tove Fall, professor of molecular epidemiology. Twitter.
Stockholm University economist Jonas Vlachos agreed with Falls’ criticism.
– The best study so far in this field also shows that the response to restrictions was not different between densely immigrant areas and others, he writes in Twitter.
I’m sorry
Tegnell apologizes for the way he expressed himself.
– It was an unfortunate choice of words, it was not the case that I meant to drive the spread of the infection. Of course, I have always been clear that this is not the case. On the other hand, there is a group that has been greatly affected by the infection, Tegnell tells Aftonbladet.
He maintains the explanation that the Nordic countries cannot be compared with each other when it comes to infected and killed by the coronavirus. Both due to differences in population, population density, demographics, and travel habits.
– Of course, it will affect the number of people infected. Therefore, one of the factors should be the big difference between Norway, Sweden and Finland, says Tegnell.
In Sweden, there are also more of foreign origin. Tegnell emphasizes that foreign-born people have been more affected by the coronavirus than other parts of the population.
– Of course, it is very unfortunate in many ways. But it was a shame of me to use that word, because that’s not what I meant at all, says Anders Tegnell.
Theme also in Norway
FHI notes in two reports this week that foreign-born people living in Norway appear to be more affected by covid-19 compared to people born in Norway.
Working immigrants are also more affected, notes FHI.
In November, Siv Jensen and Jon Helgheim from Frp wrote an article about NRK Ytring in which they claimed that Erna Solberg was afraid of being touched on this topic.
“We probably could not have introduced the most intrusive measures if infection among the immigrant population had been more similar to the rest of the population,” they stated.
The prime minister had then warned against inciting immigrants in an interview in Aftenposten.
The Minister of Health did the same.
– We have no indication that this part of the population has less sense of responsibility and worries less. Applying shame goes against its purpose, Høie said.
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