Statement by Mark Rountree, National Policy Officer for GOOD
23 August 2020
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As South African schools reopen, GOOD appeals to all pupils and those returning to work to continue to exercise caution.
Sweden advocated for an open economy and so-called “herd immunity” approach to dealing with Covid19. Its immediate neighbours, Norway and Finland, like South Africa, opted for lockdown measures as advocated by the World Health Organisation.
New data from the World Health Organisation now confirms that the Covid19 death toll in Sweden is 10 times higher than neighbours Finland and Norway.
In Sweden, 57 Covid deaths per 100,000 people have been recorded (5790 deaths in a population of 10.2 million) versus 6 deaths per 100,000 in Finland (334 deaths in a population of 5.5 million) and less than 5 deaths per 100,000 in Norway (262 deaths in a population of 5.4 million).
There is no denying that the lockdowns have had a devastating impact on the economy and many people’s livelihoods, and that despite these measures, lives were still inevitably lost to Covid. However, the Swedish example proves that calls to follow the herd immunity strategy are completely irresponsible. That approach cost ten times more lives and had a worse impact on the economy – the GDP of Sweden has shrunk by 8.6%, whereas Finland’s has reduced by only 5%.
GOOD reaffirms our earlier opposition to the “herd immunity” strategy advocated by some leaders and public figures. The need for continued caution in managing the Covid19 pandemic, keeping infections low and preventing a second wave of infections is critical as we reopen schools and the economy.
As South Africa begins to reopen and rebuild our economy, GOOD calls for government to continue to follow the guidance of health experts and appeals for maintaining caution and care amongst all South Africans as we return to work and to school.