User:PublicHealthPhD/Newcountries

Germany
Further information: COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

The first cases of COVID-19 were identified in Germany in January of 2020. Controversy erupted over a January 2021 article published by the German newspaper Handelsblatt. The article stated that the AstraZeneca vaccine was not effective for older adults, but many responded saying the newspaper provided incorrect data.

Sweden
Further information: COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden

The first case of COVID-19 was identified in Sweden on February 4, 2020. The most media coverage of Sweden occurred in early March. Sweden received a great deal of media attention because it was considered to be using its own plan, the 'Swedish Model' of herd immunity. Research has looked at the nature of media coverage and how Swedish policy was covered by the news media. Rachel Irwin, a researcher from Sweden, found there were six main themes: "(1) Life is normal in Sweden, (2) Sweden has a herd immunity strategy, (3) Sweden is not following expert advice, (4) Sweden is not following WHO recommendations (5) the Swedish approach is failing and (6) Swedes trust the government." She comments that not all of the information was framed correctly. She wrote a letter to the British Medical Journal stating that media coverage has inaccurately portrayed the COVID-19 policies in Sweden and that it did not have a "herd immunity" plan. Another article suggests that as other countries came up with different policies the Swedish policy model went from "bold to pariah".