Quote

 

Vic Rolfe

To:letters.editor@ft.com

 

Sat, 16 May at 03:49

 

 

Hi Roula,

 

With reference to the Editorial Board article: "'Sweden chooses a third way on coronavirus," which was published the 14th of May:

 

 

I feel compelled to raise a very strong objection to the following statement: (After having read that Sweden has kept large parts of its economy open): "It has conducted a vast experiment - some might say gamble - with it's population."

 

The fact that copycat lock-downs rapidly became the norm, as governments around the world went into full-on panic mode, doesn't make Sweden's more carefully considered and, as it happens, hitherto normal approach, a "vast experiment".

 

As far as I am aware, at no time in history prior to the coronavirus pandemic, has a democratic government ever tried anything like the unprecedented mass experiment of locking down their entire population and trying to slow their own economy to a virtual halt in an attempt to bring a viral outbreak under control?

 

 

Just in case you should decide to publish my letter, please do feel free to edit as necessary - as long as you maintain the essence of my point.

 

Thank you - and keep up the generally high quality reporting and opinion pieces that I have been accustomed to with the ft over the last 45 years!

 

 

 

Best regards,

 

 

Vic Rolfe

 

(Currently onboard a ship in the UAE after a full two months of quarantine - and I still can't get off!)