[QUOTE=NockUowt;5119664]I wouldn't give an ounce of credence to anything put out by NPR. Totally biased. But that's what gets so many people to follow them as well.[/QUOTE]NPR is biased, but mostly in their choices of what to report and what not to report. Their straight news is usually accurate at least.
Sweden did put on more restrictions at the end of November, but restaurants and bars are still open, and they are considering a stricter lockdown.
The problem is, pretty much all northern hemisphere countries have seen a significant increase in cases--and strains in healthcare resources and ICU capacity in many places--since the beginning of autumn. COVID just transmits very easily, and even more easily inside with cooler air and lower humidity. Mask mandates and lockdowns of restaurants and bars are only marginally effective because most spread is occuring in homes and workplaces, but that's what governments are doing around the world because they don't know what else to do.
At least death rates are down because of more effective treatments, but COVID is deadly or very serious to a certain % of the population. I'm hopeful that vaccinations will happen more quickly than people think.
