SVERIGE OCH FINLAND – TVÅ GRANNAR I KRISAGERANDE : En jämförelse mellan Sverige och Finlands respektive hantering av Covid-19

Sammanfattning: Sweden and Finland are two neighboring nations of Northern Europe that while arguably are similar had vastly differing aftermath of Covid-19. Sweden had wholly fifteen times the death toll and ten times confirmed cases of Covid-19 compared to Finland. For sure, Sweden have approximately twice the population of Finland, but the difference remains even with population differences accounted for. To investigate this abnormality the strategies for managing the spread of Covid-19 and implementation of said strategies for Sweden and Finland respectively were compared. The goal of this comparison was not however to discover which strategies lead to lowest death toll, because such conclusions would be difficult to establish and especially so within the confines of this work. Instead, the factual difference in aftermath was merely a reason to research and summarize the actions taken. The theoretical framework for this study constitutes a model of implementation research revolving policy ambiguity and conflict. The conclusion is that Sweden’s strategy has been significantly laxer and occurred later than Finland’s strategy in multiple departments. Most notably were the differences in (or lack of) health control for people entering the countries, the lockdown of schools and limits on public gatherings. Finland had compulsory Covid-testing for anyone entering the country while Sweden only had compulsory Covid-testing for non-citizens entering the country. Sweden kept elementary schools open while Finland forcibly put most schools on lockdown with very few exceptions. Regarding restrictions for gatherings, Sweden initially had a limit of 500 participants during early March 2020 that then went to 50 participants in late March 2020 and ultimately 8 participants in late November 2020. Finland on the other hand had a limit of 10 participants in public gatherings right from March 2020. Regarding implementation of these policies, their levels of ambiguity and conflict weren’t notably different between the countries. To conclude the matter, whether or not these differences in strategies ultimately matter for Covid-19 outcome, the strategies are undoubtedly significantly different.