Paul,

Gosh, with tens of thousands of people crowded into a stadium, all shouting their heads off, for hours at a time, I incredibly sincerely hope that absolutely none of them is carrying the virus, and spraying it all over their fellow-crowd members before returning back home all over hick USA. Or - perish the thought - wafting Corona breezes over Trump.

No, he'll be okay, he shines a strong light up his arse every night, sips disinfectant and takes dexihexibexichoroquine. If only every Trump supporter did the same ....

Joe

I don't think that Sweden's COVID response will
have any affect especially - on American's right-wing
Trump supporters.

I watched the news this evening and many who appeared
on camera prior to tomorrow's rally in Oklahoma -
were not phased by the virus at all. They don't believe
it will do them any harm.

It appears that they firmly believe that the virus
will have no effect on them. They are buying what
their President is selling, hook, line, and sinker.

The general feeling that there's no other world
but America - for some, rings true even today. The
rest of the world for some of them simply does not
exist. They just want their President to keep his
promise and "Make America Great Again,"and if that
means losing a few people - well what the heck, so be it.

I'm so glad I live in Australia.

American media tells us that the rally in Tulsa,
Oklahoma is going to be the first of President
Trump's signature rallies during the coronavirus
pandemic.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Friday rejected a
request to require everyone attending Trump's rally
in a 19,000 seat arena to wear a face mask and
maintain social distancing inside to guard against
the spread of the virus.

Crowds of 100,000 or more, are expected in the area
around the rally.

Steele, it always has to be about ideology to you. I make observations based on facts and draw conclusions from them. The letter that I am a signatory to, asking for the governments to open up now is signed by people with political ideologies across the spectrum. But whatever their ideology they're not caught up with the current mania, which you share, to try to make political advantage out of everything. It's a very divisive way that you think.

Sweden has a greater total number of deaths per capita from COVID than most other countries, although it is still behind the USA. However, that is only one part of the equation.

The latest mortality figures show that total deaths are now back to average as the infection has run through the community. https://www.facebook.com/OzInstProgress/photos/a.580797338712492/3034480913344110/?type=3&theater&notif_t=page_post_reaction&notif_id=1592646824173525. I suspect it will be below average for the rest of the year, but we'll see,as there is a substitution effect with people dying of COVID who were going to die of something else.

Then on top of that they have done less damage to the able-bodied because they haven't tanked their economy and they haven't taken agency away from people.

They are also well on the way to herd immunity, so the panic that has now hit Victoria, with Andrews closing the economy down again, will not happen in Sweden. We are only part of the way through this, and trying to close the books for some fancied political advantage is not to your credit.

Dear Graham Y,

In my opinion it has been about ideology to both of us I'm afraid which I think is fine given the nature of this forum.

My question to you though is if in your earlier post you felt Sweden “On a per capita basis its death rate compares well with other European and North American countries” do you at least now accept it compares poorly?

As to closing the books on this I certainly am not. However I would much rather be in NZ's position than Sweden's and suspect the vast majority of Australians would agree.

Dear Foxy,

I understand that those attending the rally are required to sign a waiver saying they will not sue the campaign if they contract the virus.

Strange days indeed

Let's face it, opinions and stating the obvious aside, this pandemic cannot be stopped, social distancing or not.
Whether you isolate or social distance today or tomorrow, the virus is ever present in those who are a distributor of it or can physically transmit it.
We are only "holding our breath" and prolonging the spread of the virus.
If there are those amongst us who are vulnerable, they will succumb, even with the precautions in place, but it will eventually catch up with them.
It is possible that countries like Sweden, "bit the bullet" and decided to get the dying out of the way quickly and sooner rather than prolong it over a longer period of time and in doing so disrupt and disenfranchise their economy and the rest of those not affected by the virus.
The only reason I can think of for socially distancing and isolating people, is to protect the vulnerable while we wait for a vaccine.
The economic cost has been almost, not quite as bad, as losing a life, as people are hurting due to massive changes in lifestyle, and I don't mean just the loss of their jobs, although in this modern world, unfortunately, your job dictates your lifestyle.
So it really all comes down to how soon will a vaccine be available.
I believe, only then can we expect to stop the virus/deaths and 'get back on that horse' again, to begin the arduous and difficult task for some, to rebuild, and others, to try to carry on from where they left off.