Scandinavia and the World
Scandinavia and the World
Balancing act satwcomic.com

Balancing act


We take turns laughing and crying.

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1st May 2020
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39
4 years ago #9830335        
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We just need an image of America on fire and that's how the Covid thing is being handled here.


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4 years ago #9830188        
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We have that over here too.

January
Trump: Let's close down borders
Everyone else: OMG so racist, distracting us from impeachment trial!

April
Trump: Let's open up country
Everyone else: OMG he's going to kill us all for his precious economy!


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4 years ago #9830175        
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Meanwhile, America is off in the corner having a full psychotic break...


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4 years ago #9830407        
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For those who believe they're superior to most, the keepers of the one and single truth, caught in a web of unjustified self-importance and looking down on others for not being Scandinavian or Swedish, I have some news for you:

No one knows.

We're currently dealing with a situation that's unprecedented for our generations, with an enemy that's still largely unknown, especially for long term effects. New aspects are discovered every day, theories on Covid-19 are adjusted daily. Consequentially, no one has answers on what's the right strategy on how to handle this right now. Not me, not experts, and certainly not Nisse_Hult, who presents his opinions and assumptions as facts, claiming that others must deliver scientific proof if they disagree with his thoughts. That's not just arrogance, it's downright dangerous for those who actually believe him.

As of today, most governments take decisions based on what information they have. Usually this information comes from real experts, sometimes from jokers like Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro, but most of it is based on educated guessing as of today. It's like playing poker, no one knows for sure if a decision was right until this is all over and we can start evaluating. So far most only seem to agree that trying something is better than doing nothing. To compare countries, states or regions with each other is something that doesn't make sense. A lot of factors, like for example demography and normal social patterns and behavior have a huge impact, and those differ significantly per country, county and even community. Heck, countries even disagree on how to calculate their statistics on infected, hospitalized and diseased Covid-patients. Anyway, as a Norwegian comedian pointed out: nothing will change in Finland if they suddenly have to start doing social distancing.

The UN recently posted a statement about how the world currently experiences a 'tsunami of hatred' due to the Coronavirus and people and nations fighting each other over who handles this best and pissing on those who have a different approach. 'Foreigners/Jews/Muslims make us ill', 'Nation X must really hate its elderly', that kind of crap. Given some of the reactions here, I see truth in that statement. Please stop it.

Please, just keep a positive spirit and make the best of it. If you survive, then you have a great story to tell future generations. Try to learn from each other, try to cooperate, so that we can get back (or forward) to a new normal again as soon as possible. Find new challenges or hobbies while in quarantine. Fighting doesn't solve anything, your opinion about this disease or how to handle it isn't better than that of anyone else, including mine.

Thank you.


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4 years ago #9830217        
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I know this is exaggerated for comic effect - but the depiction of brother Sweden is factually wrong.

Swedish authorities didn't underestimate the threat in the beginning, and they're not panicking now.

This is playing out as expected.

People die - they do that in a pandemic.

But the health care services are holding up and (most) people are behaving responsibly.


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GaryM

66
4 years ago #9830185        
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America:
Shut it all down! We want to live.
There are more important things than living. We need to open it all up!
Hey, look at the UFOs!
Squirrel!


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4 years ago #9830394        
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There are a lot of speculations here about the swedish strategy. Some straight up false accusations, some missunderstood/missinformed and a lot of know-it-all. As @Nisse_Hult wrote, our strategy has never been to achive heard imunity, but keeping the health care system from collapsing. Here bellow are some links of statisics, as well as interviews with our state epidemiologist and other interesting articles. Please read more than the head lines, since there is much more to it.

And some thoughts from a random swede in general: most of the swedes take this crisis and the recommendations from the government really serious. We keep our distance. We don't hang out with others if we are sick. We don't visit our elders. Care homes are closed for the public. Lots of business's are closed or has regulated their open-hours. Most cashiers and service staff are behind plexi glass screens. Staff in restaurants wear gloves - some wear masks - and has taken a lot of other measures to avoid contamination and keep people separated. A lot of greater companies has permited their staff or part of their work force, while struggling with keeping the machinery going.

We do this without being forced to, and it works. The health care system is not overloaded. The death rate curve is stable. We had problems with the care homes in the beginning, which accounts for the high death rate, but we keep on struggling, just as everybody else. Time will show which strategy that worked the best, in the meantime we do best not speculating. Remember that the Internet holds many "truths" that lack credibility.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/sweden/

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01098-x

https://www.thelocal.se/20200506/coronavirus-in-sweden-the-death-toll-really-came-as-a-surprise-to-us

https://www.thelocal.se/20200310/timeline-how-the-coronavirus-has-developed-in-sweden

https://www.thelocal.se/20200414/understanding-swedens-figures-on-the-coronavirus


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4 years ago #9830220        
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I'm just utterly puzzled.
2653 deaths in Sweden, and they're patting each other in the back, saying "We're doing great! Much better than our neighbors!"

Denial has got to be a river in Sweden.


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Sisu

18
4 years ago #9830307        
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Finland is starting to believe in Sweden's "herd immunity" nonsense.

All the while the Swedes pretend they're somehow better or free-er because they're willing to throw their most vulnerable demographics under the bus.


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4 years ago #9830272        
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I was expecting something about "President Carrot", his press releases have been so full of comical treasures.


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