Sweden made some very bad choices and a lot of people died unnecessarily. Compare with Portugal, same population, right next to Spain, lower GDP, a fraction of the deaths. There is no excuse, no 'second wave', no economic payoff, no wait and see.

Scientists are trained to make judgments based on experimentation and evidence. In a fast moving novel pandemic situation, where there is no time to carry out experiments, where evidence is confused and hard to corroborate, their utility is much reduced. That is why politicians exist, to make these hard decisions. It is unfair to pillory scientists such as Tegnell, as it is the politicians who abdicated responsibility in the face of this crisis that should rightfully face condemnation.

Except of course, there was evidence, from China, Taiwan, South Korea and elsewhere. It was clear what needed to be done, and how to do it. Shame on Sweden, and other places, for not heeding that guidance.