[Mick]

So, to sum up, Sweden's strategy left it with a worse economy and more deaths than its neighbors, and amongst the worst in Europe (worse than hard-hit France, for example).  That strikes me as a bad strategy.

BC

I don't know that I agree with the "worse economy" statement.  According to Eurostat, seasonally adjusted GDP decreased by -12.1% in the Euro area and -11.7% in the EU during Q2 2020.  French GDP declined -13.8% compared to last quarter and -19.0% compared to the same quarter last year.  As noted, Sweden declined -8.6% compared to last quarter and if you compare it to the 2nd quarter of last year, Sweden's -8.3% decline is only fourth worst in the EU of 21 countries that had measureable data.  It was 8th worst of the 21 Euro countries a year ago.  By that measure, Sweden significantly improved their position relative to the other European countries.

Of the 21 European countries for which data is available, Sweden's -8.6% GDP decline from Q1 to Q2 was 8th smallest.  Finland "led" the way with a -3.2% decline, Lithuania was -5.1%.  Denmark and Latvia were -7.4% and -7.5%.  

Large, double digit declines were felt by Belgium (-12.2%), Germany (-10.1%), Spain (-18.5%), France (-13.8%), Italy (-12.4%), Cyprus (-11.6%), Hungary (-14.5%), Austria (-10.7%), Portugal (-13.9%), Romania (-12.3%) and the UK (-20.4%).  USA was -9.5%.

See page three of this release:
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/...fed0230b57

[Mick]

So, to sum up, Sweden's strategy left it with a worse economy and more deaths than its neighbors, and amongst the worst in Europe (worse than hard-hit France, for example).  That strikes me as a bad strategy.

BC

I don't know that I agree with the "worse economy" statement.  According to Eurostat, seasonally adjusted GDP decreased by -12.1% in the Euro area and -11.7% in the EU during Q2 2020.  French GDP declined -13.8% compared to last quarter and -19.0% compared to the same quarter last year.  As noted, Sweden declined -8.6% compared to last quarter and if you compare it to the 2nd quarter of last year, Sweden's -8.3% decline is only fourth worst in the EU of 21 countries that had measureable data.  It was 8th worst of the 21 Euro countries a year ago.  By that measure, Sweden significantly improved their position relative to the other European countries.

Of the 21 European countries for which data is available, Sweden's -8.6% GDP decline from Q1 to Q2 was 8th smallest.  Finland "led" the way with a -3.2% decline, Lithuania was -5.1%.  Denmark and Latvia were -7.4% and -7.5%.  

Large, double digit declines were felt by Belgium (-12.2%), Germany (-10.1%), Spain (-18.5%), France (-13.8%), Italy (-12.4%), Cyprus (-11.6%), Hungary (-14.5%), Austria (-10.7%), Portugal (-13.9%), Romania (-12.3%) and the UK (-20.4%).  USA was -9.5%.

See page three of this release:
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/...fed0230b57