According to new World Health Organization estimates, Sweden’s death rate during the Covid epidemic was among the lowest in Europe, despite the country’s refusal to implement stringent lockdowns.
Estimates of excess mortality – people who died directly or indirectly as a result of Covid – revealed by the UN health agency showed the pandemic had taken a “staggering toll” over the world, with 14.9 million deaths, three times the official toll.
According to the new figures, the United Kingdom had a lower excess death rate than Spain, Germany, and Italy.
Experts said the disparity proved that strict lockdowns alone were not enough to defeat Covid-19.
Sweden, which was slammed early on for refusing to implement a mandatory lockdown, had a lower mortality rate than the rest of Europe.
The country’s overall excess death rate in 2020 and 2021 was 56 per 100,000 people, compared to 109 in the United Kingdom, 111 in Spain, 116 in Germany, and 133 in Italy.