Almost a third of Sweden’s population could now be immune to COVID-19, Anders Tegnell, the chief epidemiologist at Sweden's Public Health Agency and the architect of the country’s lockdown-free coronavirus strategy, told The Observer.
He made the claims even though his theory is not supported by any hard evidence.
Tegnell said seasonal factors such as the end of the school year and summer holidays for many workers were not a major factor in the country’s sharp decline in cases. Instead, he said that, although it "is difficult for us to understand ... we believe that the increasing number of immune people in the population must have something to do with it.”
He said the sharp decline would indicate an immunity in the population of “20%, 30%, maybe even slightly more in some areas” and suggested that antibody tests showing much lower rates of immunity were misleading.
“It’s very difficult to draw a good sample from the population, because obviously, the level of immunity differs enormously between different age-groups between different parts of Stockholm and so on, and that’s why when we measure one group we get 4% to 5%, and when we measure another group they’re up to 25%,” he said.
Tegnell said the most likely scenario as summer holidays end and pupils return to schools, is that “we continue to have a spread in society, but on a low level,” although he acknowledged there is always the risk of outbreaks.
Tegnell is credited with the country's decision not to institute a widespread lockdown, according to Business Insider.
More than 5,700 people have died of the coronavirus in Sweden, which is far higher than in surrounding countries, which have similar political systems and social customs.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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