Sweden 'surprisingly slow' at achieving herd immunity, study finds
Sweden’s state epidemiologist has said the country has been “surprisingly slow” at achieving herd immunity.
The death toll in Sweden passed 5,000 on Wednesday and the Scandinavian nation has one of the highest mortality rates in the world at 487 per 1m population, approximately ten times higher than neighbouring Norway.
Yet an analysis by Werlabs AB of 50,000 tests showed that only 14 per cent of those living in the Stockholm region tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.
In Bergamo, considered to be the epicentre of Italy’s deadly outbreak, about 57 per cent of people had antibodies. The UK’s Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance estimated that 60 per cent of people would need to be infected to achieve herd immunity from the novel coronavirus.
Sweden chose not to implement a strict lockdown, running contrary to many other countries worldwide. Schools, shops and restaurants have all remained open during the course of 2020.
Instead, the government deferred to scientific advice and recommended Swedes observe social distancing. There had been expectations that this policy choice would have allowed Sweden to achieve herd immunity without imposing an economically and socially crippling lockdown.
However, in an interview with Swedish Radio, Anders Tegnell, Sweden's chief epidemiologist, admitted that immunity rates were low and that “it’s difficult to explain why this is so.”
“The number of immune cases today is much closer to our forecasts than it has been before. The 14% of those surveyed is from two or three weeks ago, meaning that immunity levels are higher today.”
Mr Tegnell and Prime Minister Stefan Lofven have long defended their softer approach to lockdown, stating the disease is not something that can be defeated with a short term fix but that nation’s must learn to live with the virus.
A minute’s silence was observed in the country’s parliament to honour the 5,000 people who lost their lives.
Andres Norlen, the parliamentary speaker, said “parliament is mourning. Sweden is mourning.”
