[Lochleg]

I agree with you. The media mostly ran out of attacks for Sweden, but I guess people can always try out new ones. I was under the impression that they had to stop vilifying Sweden because it ranked 40th in COVID mortality rates (where being ranked 1st means you are the worst in the world). Of course, like in your Denmark example, you have to ensure comparisons are fair since even studies that adjust for age groups among a multitude of other factors are considered incomplete.

I guess it has to be said that it wasn't racist on its face for Tegnell to bring up immigration because it's obviously a factor that contributes to spread. Health authorities have to be aware that immigrants generally have health problems and may even come seeking treatment. At least, that's how it is at the US southern border. In any case, Tegnell won't be sent to a kangaroo court or any other in the foreseeable future. If he did, I suppose part of his defense might be reiterating that he lived in a democracy and, as a government official, he didn't have to power to force people to "do the right thing". It should also be said that he's had to admit where failures happened, such as not doing enough for the elderly and how they were cared for. If all countries have to compare themselves to exceptional countries such as Norway, there's a lot more explaining to do across the board.

Here he is defending himself on UnHerd and I guess (rightly or wrongly) vindicating Sweden's strategy: https://youtu.be/nZRR5zZ0I0s

[belorn]

I suspect that what went wrong with the elder care was a series of mishandling between the government emergency system and the privatized elder care system. Since the cold war Sweden has in contrast to many of the other Nordic countries reduces the stockpile of emergency supplies, possible as a result of leaning a bit much on the US for emergency situations. When the pandemic hit, supplies got depleted fast and the remaining items got reserved for the health staff of hospitals and clinics. The elder care, being mostly operated by for-profit companies, had neither the resources nor will to supply safety gear, training and extra time to their personal. In addition many of the workers got sick which further reduced the time each remaining employee had with the elderly in care. It was only quite later into the pandemic that the situation got so much out of hand that the government started to step in, but which was too little too late.

Tegnell should carry the blame for that, through its a bit complicated. The responsibility for having emergency supply sits on a different government agency, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency that is organised under the Ministry of Justice. The privatization of the elder care was also not tagnells decision but rather a political decision a decade or two ago. Still Tegnell should have acted faster regardless which is the primary critique being brought up in the current review over the handling of the pandemic.