Sweden’s lessons for the UK’s third wave
The UK has successfully achieved the ultimate goal in tackling the pandemic: protecting the vulnerable. In the first week of May, the UK recorded the lowest number of new cases since last August. This was met with excitement after such a devastating winter. The government therefore prepared for ‘freedom day’ on 21 June, when lockdown restrictions would finally be lifted. However, they reversed course as cases rose again, postponing it to 19 July. Over the last two months, infections have surged, with no real way of stopping them. Throughout the pandemic, a rise in cases has been followed by a rise in deaths two to three weeks later, but that did not happen this time.
