COVID-19 In Sweden: Confident Without Lockdown

Photo Illustrations (Peter Ivey Hansen / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The policy of restricting regional access or lockdown has emerged as the option most widely used by European countries to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though it succeeded in keeping the virus from Wuhan from spreading, the trend did not even attract interest from Sweden.

How could it not be, when citizens of other countries are applying physical distancing from their homes during the lockdown, Swedes are still busy playing table tennis. Some of them even get caught up in planning a weekend off in Kunskapsskolan.

According to Reuters, Sweden's decision not to choose the lockdown option has received criticism from many parties. However, on the basis of economic considerations and seeing the relatively stable development of COVID-19 in Sweden, the government feels that a lockdown policy is not needed yet.

Sweden's confidence is also based on their swift steps to gather volunteers to slow the spread of COVID-19. Policy owners believe the move has helped hospitals deal with patients who have contracted the virus. The proof, so far there are still empty beds in the intensive care unit.

Not only that. In Kunskapsskolan, southwest of Stockholm's city center, life goes on as usual. The authorities didn't even close schools. They only called on the public to continue to implement the recommended steps so as not to catch the virus.

One of them is recommending that people wash their hands, physical distancing, work at home and avoid traveling during holidays. In other words, even though it was not a lockdown, life in Sweden was going on in a different way from normal life.

Despite calls for work from home, the head of the Swedish Public Health Agency, Johan Carlson, said it was not mandatory. “We don't tell people to stay indoors. I think that is a very important part of our policy. On the other hand, people have to go out, exercise, get some fresh air. This is good for their physical and mental health, "he said.

For this reason, a school principal in Sweden, Lisa Norming, also urged students who come to school to always take care of their health. "That means a lot. It's about obligations and the daily routine they need to feel better."

So far, Sweden has recorded 1,900 deaths due to COVID-19. This number is relatively less than the number of cases in other European countries such as England, France and Spain.