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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,162
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Sweden, how they dealt with covid-19

Thank you, Spurt. Your stats certainly put it into perspective. Finland is certainly doing something right. If I remember my cultural studies -- they're a population loaded with introverts.

 

 

 

 

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees." Henry David Thoreau
Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,104
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Sweden, how they dealt with covid-19

Genetics likely play a role also. There's a genetic variation called CCR5 Delta 32 that largely protects those with it from HIV, black plague, and smallpox. It arose in northern Europe somewhere between 700-2250 years ago. There are likely some populations that have greater genetic resistance to this coronavirus than others.

 

If you trust the numbers we're seeing worldwide, I would think many Indians have a genetic edge. Despite one of the largest population densities, they have just 33,000+ cases of Covid-19. That's about a quarter of the cases we've seen in NJ despite India's population of 1.3 billion compared to NJ's 9 million. They have 144 times as many people as NJ, but a quarter of the cases of Covid-19.

 

I suspect you'll find that the wildly varying infection and death rates reflect genetic strengths and weaknesses. If a population, say India, got hit with an earlier pandemic of Covid-19, or a closely related virus, it could have killed off the more genetically vulnerable while giving those with genetic resistance an advantage.

 

You can say Sweden's plan failed, but maybe Swede's are more genetically vulnerable and would have experienced the same outcome regardless of the actions they took. The wildly varying rates of both infection and death we've seen suggest rather strongly that more is going on here. I'm pretty sure we'll find that genetics plays a big role in Covid-19.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
Contributor
Posts: 66
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Sweden, how they dealt with covid-19


@gardenman wrote:

Genetics likely play a role also. There's a genetic variation called CCR5 Delta 32 that largely protects those with it from HIV, black plague, and smallpox. It arose in northern Europe somewhere between 700-2250 years ago. There are likely some populations that have greater genetic resistance to this coronavirus than others.

 

If you trust the numbers we're seeing worldwide, I would think many Indians have a genetic edge. Despite one of the largest population densities, they have just 33,000+ cases of Covid-19. That's about a quarter of the cases we've seen in NJ despite India's population of 1.3 billion compared to NJ's 9 million. They have 144 times as many people as NJ, but a quarter of the cases of Covid-19.

 

I suspect you'll find that the wildly varying infection and death rates reflect genetic strengths and weaknesses. If a population, say India, got hit with an earlier pandemic of Covid-19, or a closely related virus, it could have killed off the more genetically vulnerable while giving those with genetic resistance an advantage.

 

You can say Sweden's plan failed, but maybe Swede's are more genetically vulnerable and would have experienced the same outcome regardless of the actions they took. The wildly varying rates of both infection and death we've seen suggest rather strongly that more is going on here. I'm pretty sure we'll find that genetics plays a big role in Covid-19.


 

genetics, really?  You want to go there?  Wow

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,152
Registered: ‎02-05-2018

Re: Sweden, how they dealt with covid-19


@suzyQ3 wrote:

I  don't see Sweden's experiment as a template for other countries at all. The only thing that may have going for them is that they have a very homogenous population. Still, it seems to be a very dangerous route to take.


Agreed. And there's so much yet unknown. They scientists don't know if they can come up with one vaccine that works forever, like Smallpox, or if they will need seasonal vaccines for different strains, like the flu. Imagine if they let all those people die and then find out it was for nothing because a different strain comes around next year.

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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,864
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Sweden, how they dealt with covid-19

Herd immunity may not have been Sweden's goal. But in the absence of a vaccine, it should be EVERY country's goal.

And keeping people cooped up and masked is NOT how it's acquired. (Viruses and Immunology 101 😉)


What worries you masters you.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,685
Registered: ‎07-21-2011

Re: Sweden, how they dealt with covid-19

Yes, you are talking about one country versus over 50 states to make up the U.S.A.  We have a lot more people and it sounds like they were not hit that hard.  In the U.S. you have governors not setting restrictions.

kindness is strength
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,213
Registered: ‎03-30-2014

Re: Sweden, how they dealt with covid-19

It would be interesting to see how their cases are distributed.  Wonder if rural is spared?  Here in Oregon we have places that have been completely spared so far.  I have been over to a rural coastal hospital for services.  Better a drive than a virus.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,226
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Sweden, how they dealt with covid-19

@BhvbumI think we should be looking at what everybody is trying, but we also need to know what we're looking at.  Take those 4 countries and add Greenland and a few small island areas.

 

Compare them to Vermont, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and toss in Florida -  those 6 six have more population than all those countries above and Florida alone has the first 22 million!  And then there are 44 more states -  California alone is bigger than all those combined, isn't it?

 

We need ideas and then we need to facts about how the ideas worked, but the raw numbers just don't tell us mush.  We need population, we need density figures, we need age ranges, we need percentages of people in nursing homes, in prisons, etc.   We need to find out what might work for who we are.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,457
Registered: ‎04-20-2013

Re: Sweden, how they dealt with covid-19

To achieve herd immunity a lot will have to die. They do have some restrictions in place for high risk populations In Stockholm. I’m surprised Denmark has so many cases but their population is younger maybe less compliant? I think the numbers would be a lot worse if Sweden were densely populated like NYC or N Jersey.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,940
Registered: ‎12-10-2016

Re: Sweden, how they dealt with covid-19

Our son and daughter-in-law live in Sweden and many things are shut down. Some schools and restaurants have been closed for a long time.  They are both school teachers and their school is closed.

 

Our daughter-in-law has family in different cities and they have also shut things down.

 

Most of the time the news shows Stockholm.

 

So many areas are doing the stay at home.  The older citizens were told to shelter in place.

 

So you can't believe everything on the news.