In his op-ed about national COVID-19 responses, “Was Sweden’s COVID-19 approach superior to that of the US?” Dr. Cory Franklin chooses to compare Sweden and the U.S. This premise is flawed from the outset.
Every U.S. state, to some degree, set its own rules regarding lockdowns and masking. Wouldn’t it make more sense to compare Norway and Sweden? They have similar geography and homogenous populations. Each implemented a fully nationwide set of rules rather than 50 different subsets.
Norway followed every precaution, closing its borders and mandating social distancing, masking and capacity limits on gatherings. For 561 days, it implemented the “toughest measures in Norway in peacetime,” according to Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
Sweden, as Franklin writes, took a “laissez faire” approach. While he mentions in passing that Sweden’s neighbors had fewer COVID-19 deaths than Sweden, that is a rather colossal understatement. Using the website Worldometer, the same source the doctor used, the differences are stark: Per 1 million people of population, Norway had 1,204 deaths. Sweden had 2,682 — more than twice the rate of Norway. If Franklin also wants to know the per-million rate of deaths in the U.S., it was 3,642.
Franklin’s conclusion that “the Swedish strategy was superior” is clearly incorrect, dangerous and beneath the standards I would expect of the Tribune.
— Mary Beth Lang, Wheaton
Better COVID-19 comparison
Dr. Cory Franklin’s effort to compare Sweden’s COVID-19 response to that of the U.S. is interesting but flawed or at least incomplete. The United States is an enormous country made up of 50 states, each having its own COVID-19 response. Some were minimal, similar to Sweden’s. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data for 2020 shows that U.S. COVID-19 death rates per 1,000 people ranged from 0.16 for Vermont to 1.27 for South Dakota.
Lockdowns and other restrictions were not implemented in every state. Those states that implemented them had better results.
Rather than compare Sweden to the United Sates, a better comparison would be to other Scandinavian countries of similar size: Denmark, Norway and Finland. Data for 2020 from the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health’s February 2021 issue shows that through July 2020, Sweden experienced a COVID-19 death rate of 0.54 deaths per 1,000 people. This was more than five times higher than for Sweden’s three neighbors, which implemented restrictions early on.
It should be remembered that the early restrictions and lockdowns were aimed not only at minimizing infections but also buying some needed time for our hospitals and health care workers to adapt to the crisis. There were severe shortages of ventilators, personal protective equipment and staff members. COVID-19 patients were lined up on gurneys in hospital halls waiting for rooms.
Today, the Swedish medical community is still critical of its government’s slow, ineffective response to the pandemic. Many of our states did better.
— Blaise J. Arena, Des Plaines
Warnings of knock-on effects
Dr. Cory Franklin writes in his op-ed that “the coronavirus was so contagious and mutated so quickly that tight lockdowns were unsuccessful in controlling spread. And the longer the lockdowns, the greater harm to the populace.” Commonsense conservatives warned against the knock-on effects of shutting down schools, businesses and most social interaction during COVID-19 but were drowned out by the repetitive hysteria of the left: “Wash your hands, wear your masks, keep your distance!”
I especially remember one imperious letter writer commanding us to “do your part” — as if we were fighting the Battle of Britain. Well, my wife and I did our part as best we could, including two vaccine jabs and a booster. And yet we both got COVID-19 twice.
Next time, I propose we use common sense.
— John Knoerle, Shorewood, Wisconsin
Protecting Illinois wetlands
World Migratory Bird Day has arrived; it is a time when those of us in the Midwest and around the world enjoy and celebrate the sight of birds that migrate through our area. Some birds that pass through our area come from as far away as Brazil or Argentina. These mighty fliers need to rest and replenish their bodies in order to continue their flight or to breed and nest here.
Along their migration routes, birds actively seek out insects in fields, forests, wetlands and various habitats during stopovers. The loss of natural habitat, open areas and decline in insect population has seriously stressed birds, and estimates suggest that there has been a decline of as many as 3 billion birds over the last 50 years in North America. Birds are further stressed by buildings with reflecting glass and too many night lights, as evidenced by almost 1,000 birds dying last October in one night after they crashed into McCormick Place during migration.
Migratory birds bring multiple benefits to humans as insect eaters, providing pest control for mosquitoes and other insects that damage crops and spread disease, in addition to being beautiful. Stresses on birds have increased due to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in May 2023 to weaken wetlands protection. The decision removed the federal protections for wetlands, and now wetland protections have moved to each state. Illinois currently lacks comprehensive protections for wetlands.
Wetlands offer multiple benefits by improving water quality, protecting and filtering groundwater, and preserving endangered habitats that support multiple creatures, including our birds. Wetlands act as sponges to capture excess water for flood control in addition to storing water during times of drought. Wetlands are vital to the health of our environment.
Illinois has already lost around 90% of its wetland acreage. Without protections, wetlands in Illinois could be buried, built over and lost. Some wetlands are clearly visible, while others are evident during increased rain. There are many kinds of wetlands, such as bogs, swamps and marshes, that each perform their own unique and vital function.
Illinois has an opportunity to protect our remaining wetlands through passage of the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Act. It is critical to pass this bill now so that during bird migration and throughout the year, our feathered friends have a place to rest and restore their energy, while allowing us to enjoy and benefit from their presence.
— Laura Davis, Inverness
Op-ed on deafness illuminates
Bob Brody’s op-ed “Deafness didn’t stop my mother from learning the piano” (May 4) is a lesson for everyone.
As a former teacher in Chicago Public Schools (special education and regular classes), I always had my students read the book “The Miracle Worker” and showed the movie upon completion. There was always a lively discussion afterward when everyone in class participated, without any prompting.
All of the students, regardless of ability, realized that while we all have some sort of disability or disadvantage, nothing compared to Helen Keller’s situation. Her life was a light to show others that there were no limitations to learning and achieving.
Brody’s opinion piece is as inspirational as Keller’s life story. I would have added it to my reading list if I were still teaching.
— Anne Janet “A.J.” Crane, Riverwoods
Grateful for those who built city
I so agree with the docent (“Chicago impresses tour takers,” May 8) who guides visitors foreign and domestic on architecture tours of the city. No longer a visitor but a permanent resident of Chicago, I continue to be amazed at how clean the city is, at the flowers blooming along its sidewalks and in urns next to buildings, at how its beautifully designed skyscrapers are showcased by the space around them.
My heart is full of gratitude to those who designed and built our Chicago-on-the-lake and to those who keep it beautiful, and also to the docents and tour guides who make Chicago known to visitors foreign and domestic.
— Elona Vaisnys, Chicago
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