During the COVID‑19 pandemic, Nordic countries exhibited relatively low mortality despite divergent policies. Denmark, Finland, and Norway recorded minimal excess deaths compared to reference years, while Sweden experienced modest excess mortality confined largely to 2020.
This paper points out that the Nordics and a small number of other countries tested similar common innovative approaches to dealing with the pandemic. Other countries large and small had significantly higher mortality rates mainly because politicians simply did not respond rationally, and its is probable that during the next pandemic we will continue seeing countries like the USA filing to implement the following key common success factors from the Nordics:
- High‑quality public health infrastructure
Universal healthcare systems with extensive testing, contact tracing, and early preparedness (e.g., Norway’s rapid establishment of testing protocols in March 2020) played a central role. - Trust and social cohesion
Populations with strong trust in government guidelines responded uniformly—citizens adopted voluntary distancing early on, even in Sweden which had relatively mild mandates. - Transparent governance
Nordic governments communicated honestly through independent public health agencies. Sweden’s delayed restrictions led to criticism, especially regarding protection of elderly care homes . - Adaptive policy strategies
Countries tailored interventions—Denmark and Finland employed early closures and testing, Norway kept mortality below baseline, and Sweden applied focused protections while keeping schools open.
There were massive differences in global mortality rates
Between early 2020 and mid‑2025, COVID‑19’s global mortality impact varied significantly across countries. The United States recorded around 1.2 million deaths (360 per 100,000 people), reflecting one of the highest national per-capita death rates.
European countries such as Italy (315/100k), Poland (320/100k), and the UK (321/100k) also experienced significant mortality. Canada, Spain, and Germany had lower rates (140–210/100k), while Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Japan maintained notably lower per-capita impacts (ranging from 58 to 200/100k), likely aided by early testing, public compliance, and robust health systems.
Vaccination policies across these nations followed similar patterns: all adopted strong recommendations, with many imposing specific mandates for healthcare, government, or other high-risk sectors—universal mandates were rare. China stood out by enforcing localized compulsory vaccination in outbreak zones.
A notable relationship emerges: countries with older populations and high urban density (e.g., Italy, Poland) tended toward higher COVID mortality. In contrast, nations with consistent public health infrastructure and timely vaccine rollout (e.g., Finland, Japan, Norway) saw comparatively limited mortality.
Here is the table with using best and most reliable sources, with China as a best estimate:
The social aftermath shows lasting differences
Post‑pandemic social outcomes varied modestly across the Nordics:
- Mental health: Loneliness increased by 2.9 % in Denmark, remained unchanged in Sweden, and declined in Finland by 7.7 %, suggesting variable resilience.
- Mobility: Even Sweden, with light mandates, saw voluntary mobility decline by one-third—reflecting public compliance beyond legal measures .
- Excess mortality trends: While initial excess deaths were low, Denmark, Finland, and Norway experienced mild excess mortality in 2022—indicating persistent but low-level pandemic effects.
Overall, effective healthcare systems, social trust, and tailored interventions allowed Nordics to mitigate both mortality and long-term social disruptions. Post‑COVID declines in loneliness and sustained public health adherence reflect enduring societal resilience.
A Final Word – The US Health “Czar Shake-Up” will be a real problem for future Covid-like pandemics
In June 2025, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), subsequently replacing them with critics of vaccine science. Senior CDC vaccine experts such as Dr. Fiona Havers resigned in protest, warning these actions “jeopardize public health” and could lead to preventable deaths. Additional disruptions included dismissal of top FDA vaccine regulator Peter Marks and the sacking of NIH vaccine specialists. Public health leaders expressed concern over the undermining of scientific integrity, regulatory independence, and trust in disease prevention systems.
This type of weak governance and the country’s opposition to the leasdership of the WHO could lead to serious glbal problems for which the USA must take full responsibility. We can see from the Covid numbers above that they made a terrible mess in handling the pandemic – without proper professioanls running the CDC the future bears black clouds for Americans.
- 🔗 References & Footnotes
The data used in the table comes from multiple reputable sources, generally considered reliable for COVID-19 statistics and policy documentation. Here’s a breakdown of the sources for each data type:
✅ COVID-19 Deaths (Total and per 100,000)
- Primary Source: Our World in Data (OWID)
- Regularly updated and compiled from Johns Hopkins University, WHO, and national health ministries.
- Cross-verified with: Wikipedia’s COVID-19 pandemic by country and territory page, which consolidates official health ministry statistics.
- ✅ Population Estimates (used for death rate calculation)
- Primary Source: World Bank Population Data
- Supplementary Estimates: United Nations World Population Prospects (2022–2023)
- Note on China: China reported approximately 95,000 COVID deaths (7 per 100,000) much lower than many Western nations. Strict zero-COVID lockdowns, border controls, and enforced local vaccination clinics strongly limited viral spread, though some experts argue official figures likely understate the true toll. This paper uses a best estimate of c. 2 million deaths—around 150 per 100,000.
- ✅ Vaccination Policies (Compulsory vs Recommended)
- Primary Source: WHO COVID-19 Vaccine Introduction and Rollout Information
- Secondary Sources:
- National health ministries (e.g., CDC for the US, RKI for Germany, etc.)
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
- Country-specific press releases and law databases from 2021–2022
- Academic literature reviewing vaccine mandates across countries
