COVID-19 Lessons from the Republic of Korea for Sweden: Taking Initiative in Humility and Caution
By Lotta Pyykkoenen
The ever-evolving nature of the COVID-19 situation has seen nations around the world grapple with finding the “correct” plan of attack, inevitably giving way to strategy missteps and miscalculations. However, when strategies and outcomes are compared, the cautious preparedness of the Republic of Korea has minimized the overall damage of these missteps better than the confident trailblazing of the Swedish strategy has. Particularly the novelty of the virus has rewarded Korean humility in observing, adjusting, and acting, when Swedes, on the other hand, have faced the consequences of an uncontrolled killer.
From the early days of the pandemic, Korea has excelled in being intentionally cautious by learning from previous failures and taking on board international advice to achieve a balanced approach. This strategy created a buffer to prevent devastation in the face of future error. Not only did they experience the 2003 SARS and 2009 H1N1 outbreaks, the more recent 2015 MERS outbreak showcased the devastating and humbling failure of the Korean government and healthcare system (1,2). When the first case of COVID-19 was then detected in the country on January 20, 2020, the failures of the MERS response were corrected with quick and coordinated action by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The centralised government force acted with
the intention to protect citizens from a rapidly expanding unknown, almost eliminating the virus in two short months. They initiated extensive free testing protocols throughout the country and made use of MERS-induced legislation modification—unique to Korea, public health authorities now had the legal right to trace and manage infected citizens during an outbreak (2). These measures and the rapid initial lockdown provided Korean officials precious time to gather themselves. Yet when the rest of the world was watching East Asia successfully battle these early outbreaks, where were the Swedish politicians and public health professionals?
Before COVID-19 erupted, Sweden was ranked as the world’s most prepared for dealing with future pandemics (3). Their advanced eHealth technology, equitable care access, and established funding patterns were showing all the right signs, and yet when the pandemic materialised, it wreaked havoc in the population (4). Unlike many welfare states, Sweden does not function under a highly centralised and controlling government authority, but rather relies on the decentralisation of power and shared autonomy. Not only do municipalities play a large role in decision-making, but autonomy and freedom of choice are extended to the individual, creating a deep sense of trust between the individual and the state. This extends to their Communicable Disease Act, shifting responsibility for disease spread to the lowly citizen and off the government’s shoulders (5). While this is praised and even mimicked in normal, non-crisis circumstances, the Swedish model was ill-equipped to govern when the individual’s choice had serious consequences. Their prized system was not to be replaced or even informed by the example of the experienced East Asians (5,6).
From the initial outbreak onwards, Sweden has held firmly to their strategy, refusing to humbly take on external advice, despite the urging of experts abroad and at home (3). The same day Swedish public health authorities made their first restrictive measure in mid-March, limiting gatherings to 500 people, the WHO was declaring a global state of emergency—a pandemic
(5). Others were already experiencing skyrocketing cases and lockdown measures. Swedish epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, the face of the COVID-19 strategy, equated these lockdowns to “using a hammer to kill a fly,” as the responsible government agency confirmed they did not need to lockdown or restrict freedoms to address a minor threat. This was in the early stages of
COVID-19 research, before scientists had confirmed the nature and spread of the disease, yet Tegnell assured Swedes everywhere that they knew better (3). In doing so, Swedes threw Korea’s exemplary caution to the wind.
The contrasting strategies in Korea and Sweden proceeded to give vastly different outcomes, with soaring infections and deaths in Sweden gaining global attention while Korean numbers remained among the world’s lowest (7). Their early attitudes and responses set them off on different COVID-19 paths, but a significant point of convergence was their lack of extended
lockdown and promotion of economic activities. While Sweden completely avoided lockdowns, the short snap lockdown in Korea to squash the initial outbreak transitioned into a state of “everyday life quarantine,” with mask and distancing regulations, but freedom of movement (2). Both countries recognised the crucial role of the economy amidst a global crisis, yet GDP growth
in Sweden was -2.8% and only -1% in Korea, suggesting the latter to yet again come out on top (8).
Where Korea has failed in its caution, is in the vaccine rollout, reaching only 82 doses per 100 people while countries like Sweden have already reached 122 doses per 100 (7). They were slow to purchase vaccines and have faced numerous delays in acquiring adequate numbers, but they had also created for themselves a relatively safe and sustainable situation that buffered the effect of vaccine delays (9). As of August 29, 2021, they have seen only 0.5% of the population infected. In Sweden, on the other hand, WHO statistics suggest one in 10 people have been infected, resulting in a significantly higher number of deaths as well (7). Initial negligence and costly mistakes have forced Swedes into the arms of vaccination as quickly as possible. While they can be applauded for their current vaccination levels, the decentralised healthcare system has struggled to pull together a unified jab strategy, and ultimately future protection does not make up for the damage done through the failed “herd immunity” experiment (5).
At the end of the day, humility allows for the wisdom of others and active caution almost always saves lives. Korea learnt this lesson first from the MERS epidemic and again in their exemplary but not perfect handling of COVID-19. The Swedes would have done well to look beyond their “superior” system to the Koreans from the get-go. However, the pandemic is far from over.
There is still time for Swedes to learn their lessons, correct their failures and avoid adding to their massive COVID-19 damages.
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