COVID-19 Lockdowns Had High Health, Economic Costs: Swedish Study

The Epoch Times Header

Closure of schools during the pandemic was deemed an ‘inefficient policy’ since children don’t face a high risk from the virus.

Imposing restrictive lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic led to higher excess mortality in such nations while also damaging their economies, according to a recent Swedish study.

Published in the Economic Affairs journal on Feb. 11, the study—which looked at the health and economic effects of COVID-19 lockdowns in Sweden—found that its less restrictive COVID-19 policies led to lower excess mortality compared to many European nations that imposed stronger lockdown rules. Sweden also suffered a lower negative impact on gross domestic product (GDP) growth during the pandemic period.

Many policymakers made two key mistakes, researchers concluded.

“First, they introduced lockdowns that were too stringent and had negligible positive health effects despite the evidence available at the time pointing toward the limited benefits of such broad measures.

“Second, they responded to the downturn in economic activity with fiscal and monetary policies that were excessively expansionary.”

Researchers looked at the excess mortality in Sweden between January 2020 and July 2022, comparing it to other European nations in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) group.

“Sweden and the other Nordic countries had among the lowest cumulative excess mortality rates of all European countries towards the end of the sample period,” they found. “Countries such as Finland and Norway, with the lowest average lockdown rate, show the lowest excess mortality, actually displaying a negative excess mortality rate.”

“Sweden, which lagged behind other countries in March 2020 in introducing lockdown measures and then largely had an average lockdown rate, has one of the lowest cumulative excess mortality rates towards the end of the pandemic.”

Nations that imposed more stringent lockdown measures didn’t have a lower excess mortality rate, the study said.

For instance, school closures were likely an “inefficient policy” since kids were “relatively mildly affected by Covid-19 and were not a major source of the spread of the virus.”

Of the 20,000 deaths in Sweden during the pandemic, only 21 people younger than the age of 19 years died even as all primary schools remained open throughout the pandemic, the study noted.

By Naveen Athrappully

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Columns

This is Not Democrats vs Republicans, This is Evil vs Good

Myself and so many other Christian conservative journalists and...

Elon Musk Exposes Democrat Dark Money Tied to New Protests

Trump and Musk fear Democrat’s graft and corruption of Federal dollars may exceed $1T with money having gone to foreign countries where it can't be traced.

Propaganda Wars: Corporate Media’s Pro-Seed Oil Blitz

Arguing against seed oil apologists is among the most tiresome exercises in futility. No matter what evidence you present to them, it won’t move the needle.

Why The Silence About The Slaughter In Syria?

In Syria, the Islamist regime conducted revenge killings targeting supporters of Assad. Militants killed innocent Muslims, Christians and religious minoritie.

“Trump to BAN the COVID Vaxx?! mRNA in Your Organic Meat?!” with Kim Bright

In this eye-opening episode of Man in America, host...

News

California Bill Would Limit Residents’ Ability to Use Deadly Force to Defend Their Property

A California bill that would restrict the use of lethal force to defend people’s property from criminals could be heard by a legislative committee March 24.

Air Force Fighter Jets Intercept Aircraft Flying in Restricted Zone Near Mar-a-Lago

Air Force fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft that flew in restricted airspace near President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, NORAD said.

ICE Arrests Palestinian Green Card Holder Who Led Columbia University Protest

U.S. immigration agents arrested a Palestinian student and permanent resident who led the pro-Palestinian encampment protest at Columbia University last year.

The Legal Loophole That Costs Medicaid Billions

Few seem to know how the Medicaid system works, what it costs, or the level of unnecessary spending hidden within its $880 billion annual budget.

Los Angeles Lost Track of Billions in Homelessness Funding, Audit Finds

An audit commissioned by a federal judge found that...

Columbia Vows Action on Anti-Semitism After $400 Million in Federal Funds Revoked

Columbia University is addressing concerns raised by federal agencies after $400 million in grants and contracts were revoked over anti-Semitism on campus.

China Intensifies Pressure as States Pass Laws to Counter Beijing’s Growing Influence

Chuck DeVore remembers when the FBI visited him some 17 years ago as a California lawmaker to tell him that he was under surveillance by the Chinese regime.

CDC Alerted of Hantavirus That Killed Betsy Arakawa, Considered ‘Notifiable Disease’

CDC says hantavirus is a “severe and potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs” and is contracted when exposed to rodents’ urine, droppings, and saliva.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central