Why isn't everyone using Sweden's Covid strategy that seems effective?

From what I hear from my Swedish friends the differences between Sweden's and other European countries' responses has been exaggerated. In Sweden, too, many children did not go to school or kindergarten. Many shops were closed and generally people adhered to pretty much the same rules as most other European countries. From a economic perspective, the GDP in Sweden is projected to contract 5,3% [1] which is pretty much the same as e.g. Germany. The mortality was higher than in most other nothern European countries. So I would say the strategy was 1) not that different and 2) not that effective.

[1] https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/economic-per...

My understanding is that Sweden's strategy seemed effective only until a couple months passed. When more data was available, Sweden's death toll fared poorly compared to neighboring countries.

The last time I noticed a news update on this was several weeks ago. Either the situation has switched back to Sweden's favor (seems unlikely), or your news source on this story is several months out of date.

Aside from that, Sweden's strategy was predicated on assumptions about Swedish society and climate, so even on its own terms (with which I don't necessarily agree), it wouldn't transplant to countries where people speak to, and associate with, strangers more often.

Conclusions based only on clinical data (deaths) miss the point. A cost/benefit analysis (in any country) would also take into account the effect of any measures taken (including lockdown) on issues like mental health, children's education, bankruptcies, unemployment among non-state employees (especially in the travel, performing arts, hotel and trading sectors) and the psychological effects of isolation on some people, to mention only a few. Such a study would not invalidate a 'lockdown' but might suggest nuance in its application.

I don't know why people say that Sweden's strategy is effective. Sweden's death rate is 1,144 deaths per million population. That's a bit less than Spain's, which is 1,263. But nobody is saying we should follow Spain's strategy.

By comparison, Germany, with eight times Sweden's population, has a death rate of under 700 per million. Canada is 531. Denmark is 370. Sweden's other neighbours, who closed their border to Sweden because they trusted Sweden's approach so much, have death rates of 122 (Finland) and 104 (Norway).

Regarding the economic side: 2020 Q3 growth in Germany was 8.5% vs 4.9% in Sweden. In Q1 and Q2 the slump was 1.7% worse than in Sweden.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55347021

> Coronavirus: Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf says coronavirus approach 'has failed'

> Sweden's king has said his country "failed" to save lives with its relatively relaxed approach to the coronavirus pandemic.

> King Carl XVI Gustaf made the remarks as part of an annual TV review of the year with the royal family. ...

> Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said he agreed with the king's remarks.

> "Of course the fact that so many have died can't be considered as anything other than a failure," Mr Lofven told reporters.

For more related discussion, see /r/LockdownSkepticism

Let's see the surplus mortality, gdp and employment figures.

Same reason everyone doesn’t speak Swedish.