Both researchers who participated in SVT's Weekend Studio on Sunday agree that the corona pandemic will continue for a long time in Sweden.

"This virus will not go away," said Matti Sällberg, professor and vaccine researcher, and continued:

- This is something we have to live with. But the pandemic in itself - maybe it will be a few waves before we have achieved sufficient immunity. It is not at all unreasonable that it should last for a couple of years.

Which comes first - herd immunity or vaccine?

- Flock immunity undoubtedly, it may be enough with 10 to 20 percent to affect the spread. The real herd immunity is found at 50 to 60 percent.

- If you shut down very hard, you push the problem. You move it forward, Matti Sällberg said.

High death rates

Anna Mia Ekström, clinical professor of global infection epidemiology, agrees with Sällberg's analysis. She says that the high death rates in Sweden, compared to other Nordic countries, may have several explanations.

- Many countries that have low death rates and a low number of infected people have this ahead when you open up. You can't have shut down for long, she said.

- Everyone who is infected, especially in the older risk groups, will not survive no matter how good health care is. You have to wait out this epidemic to see what the end result will be, said Anna Mia Ekström.

Nordic differences

Professor Ekström emphasized in particular that Swedish elderly care can look different than in Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.

- One of the reasons why we have seen such high death rates in Sweden is that it came into the housing for the elderly too quickly and to a great extent. Structures can look different in the other Nordic countries - that they have a more well-functioning system than we have had here.

- Another reason is that it came into vulnerable groups that did not follow Swedish news and that it quickly gained momentum there, without considering that 20 percent of the Swedish population is foreign-born, said Anna Mia Ekström.