Nordic book on COVID-19
The Nordic countries fared well during the pandemic – but not without challenges. A new book explores how local municipalities in these countries dealt with the strict restrictions and tough decisions of the COVID-19 crisis. Despite harsh measures citizens largely maintained trust in the authorities. This was despite several controversial decisions, such as in Denmark, where mink farms were culled without sufficient legal grounds.
The Nordic countries adopted different approaches. Several countries centralised decision-making, while in Norway, municipalities were allowed to impose stricter restrictions than the national government. In Sweden, municipalities were largely responsible for managing the crisis at the local level but faced the highest death toll.
The book also reveals that politicians had less influence during the crisis, with experts and administrators taking a more prominent role.
Read the book for free (elgaronline.com)