@Eyewhisker
The rapid growth experienced in late Feb/early March in a Italy, Spain, the U.K., (and various other places) was a result of people taking little or no measures to restrict its growth. People were working in close proximity every day, people came to work with coughs, people crowded into entertainment venues and on to public transport etc. Things got out of hand so we slammed on the brakes massively, and took extreme measures.
One day, we tolerated being on a bus for 20 minutes with a people coughing all around.... A week or so later and we were petrified that a jogger had violated our 2m space for a split second! In hindsight, we probably didn’t need to take the extreme measures we have done (though i accept my hindsight may be a little premature) to make a big difference. Sweden have made big changes too, just not as extreme or mandated. They aren’t going about their lives as normal... But yet they’ve not taken it the extreme of developing a collective social phobia as most other places seem to have.
As a society, we done the equivalent of an extreme crash diet. It’s as though we went our doctor who told us firmly that we were dangerously obese and unless we take action we will die. In response, we have cut our calories to starvation levels (and yet some say our one bowl
of cabbage soup per day is still too much!). Of course, as any dieter will tell you, extreme diets are neither sustainable nor healthy, and can do more harm than good. To continue this analogy, Sweden has also recognised the doctor’s diagnosis, but is responding by eating sensibly, controlling its portions and cutting out unnecessary snacks and treats.