The scientist who was behind Sweden’s decision not to impose a stringent lockdown has conceded the nation “could have done better” to avoid losing so many elderly residents to the disease.
This story will be regularly upgraded throughout Thursday.
Thursday’s key minutes:
- Sweden admits it ought to have done more to secure residents
- PM spruiks $25 k grants for home contractors and renovators
- Coronavirus economic downturn leaves 1.4 m Australians in mortgage tension
- Casuals omitted from JobKeeper for taking vacations
- WHO reinstates hydroxychloroquine trial as United States study finds drug inefficient for COVID-19
Sweden admits errors, PM confesses ‘too many old individuals have passed away’
Sweden’s primary epidemiologist Andres Tegnell, who lagged a nationwide technique that prevented the stringent lockdowns observed in many other nations, has confessed Sweden might have handled the pandemic in a different way.
Dr Tegnell spoke up after criticism of the Government’s handling of the pandemic, that included a policy that has actually relied mainly on voluntary action, social distancing and sensible hygiene recommendations however which failed to avoid the infection spreading.
With 443 deaths per million individuals, Sweden’s per capita deaths are the 8th greatest in the world.
” Yes, I think we could have done better in what we did in Sweden, clearly,” Dr Tegnell said.
” If we were to run into the same illness, understanding precisely what we know about it today, I think we would end up doing something in between what Sweden did and what the rest of the world has done.”
Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, who has promised a query, also admitted too many senior residents had actually died in the Scandinavian country.
” We need to admit that when it concerns elderly care and the spread of infection, that has actually not worked. That is obvious,” Mr Lofven said.
PM spruiks $25 k grants for home contractors and renovators
The Federal Government will provide qualified Australians $25,000 to develop or significantly renovate their homes, in an effort to improve demand in the construction sector and keep contractors utilized.
The grants will be ways tested to leave out couples making more than $200,000 a year and individuals making more than $125,000 each year, and recipients will require to invest at least $150,000 of their own cash in order to be eligible.
The scheme will not apply to financial investment homes or owners who plan on structure or refurbishing on their own without the assistance of home builders.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said HomeBuild