Sweden's controversial anti-lockdown strategy resulted in a high death toll and no real economic gain, data shows

• Sweden's controversial coronavirus strategy has not resulted in significant economic gains, data indicates, and has instead left the country with a far deadlier outbreak than its Nordic neighbors. 
• Sweden has never issued a formal lockdown and has instead encouraged its citizens to stay home when they're sick and maintain social distancing when in public.
• But Sweden's coronavirus mortality rate is among the highest in the world, and, according to Reuters, Sweden's central bank this month forecast that its GDP would shrink by 4.5% this year.
• Jacob Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, told The New York Times on Wednesday that Sweden "literally gained nothing" economically from the risky policy. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Sweden's controversial coronavirus strategy has not resulted in significant economic gains, data indicates, and has instead left the country with a far deadlier outbreak than its Nordic neighbors. 

Sweden never issued a formal lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the country's coronavirus model has relied on personal responsibility and encourages citizens to stay home when they're sick and maintain social distancing when in public. Most businesses, restaurants, bars, and schools have remained open, though gatherings of more than 50 people were banned in late March.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Inside London during COVID-19 lockdown

See Also:

• Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says a negative COVID-19 test is 'not a passport to party'
• Trump is pushing to reopen schools, which he claims are closed for political reasons and not to curb the coronavirus' spread
• An immuno-compromised 17-year-old attended a church's coronavirus 'release' party with dozens of children and died days later from the disease

from Feedburner https://ift.tt/2ZXGNnQ