Notes from a kallbad, or ice bath, in Sweden

Almost exactly a year ago, when countries around the world started going under lockdown one after the other like some sort of uncertain global game of dominoes, there was one among them that resolutely refused to let its chips fall: Sweden. Faced with mounting criticism, the Scandinavian country still managed to flatten its COVID-19 curve rather rapidly and effectively without ever implementing a full-scale lockdown. The health leadership immediately claimed victory, but the cynics were not so impressed with this apparent inaction. And rightly so.