Swedish antibody study shows little sign of herd immunity

Sweden Now Has the World’s Highest Death Rate
Global Health NOW: Knews letter
Sweden—where authorities avoided strict lockdowns enacted elsewhere—now has the world’s highest per capita death rate from COVID-19.

In the past week, the country reached an average of 6.25 deaths per million inhabitants—topping other European hotspots like Spain, Italy, and the UK for the first time, according to Our World in Data - ▻https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-sweden, Reuters reports - ►https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-sweden-casualties/sweden-tops-europe-covid-19-deaths-per-capita-over-last-seven-days-idUSKBN2.

Also throwing Sweden’s approach into question: A study found that just 7.3% of people in Stockholm developed coronavirus antibodies by late April, Reuters reports - ►https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/05/20/swedish-antibody-study-shows-little-sign-of-herd-immunity.

Swedish authorities have rebuffed claims that they’ve taken a deliberate “herd immunity” strategy, saying their intent is to slow the virus enough for health system to cope long term, rather than attempt to suppress it altogether.

WHO emergencies chief Michael Ryan has praised the approach, saying " there may be lessons to be learnt from our colleagues in Sweden,” The Local reports .
▻https://www.thelocal.se/20200520/sweden-in-it-for-the-long-haul-as-country-records-most-deaths-per-capita-in

Sweden tops Europe COVID-19 deaths per capita over last seven days - Reuters
►https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-sweden-casualties/sweden-tops-europe-covid-19-deaths-per-capita-over-last-seven-days-idUSKBN2

Sweden, which has opted for a more open strategy in combating the virus than other European countries, had the highest number of deaths in Europe per capita from the COVID-19 disease over the last seven days, data showed.

Sweden has kept most schools, restaurant and businesses open during the pandemic. While deaths are on the decline Sweden had 6.25 deaths per million inhabitants per day in a rolling seven day average between May 12 and May 19, according to Ourworldindata.org. That was the highest in Europe and just above the United Kingdom, which had 5.75 deaths per million.

Swedish antibody study shows little sign of herd immunity
►https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/05/20/swedish-antibody-study-shows-little-sign-of-herd-immunity

A Swedish study found that just 7.3 percent of Stockholmers developed COVID-19 antibodies by late April, which could fuel concern that a decision not to lock down Sweden against the pandemic may bring little herd immunity in the near future.

The strategy was championed by Chief Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, whose recommendation for voluntary measures against the virus, rather than a mandatory lockdown like those imposed by many other countries, has divided opinion at home and abroad.

Articles signalés sur la liste de diffusion de la Johns Hopkins University