Swedish health authorities are very independent and largely shielded from politics. They pride themselves on “following the science” and are highly respected by the population.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, our nation’s top infectious disease expert, recently raised eyebrows when he said it will take nearly a year after an effective vaccine is authorized for the general population to safely enjoy a restaurant meal and movie: “I think it’s going to be a combination of a vaccine that has been around for almost a year and good public health measures.” 

The reason for this is that, if a vaccine is authorized in November or December, the soonest it is going to be generally available is next spring or summer (as I pointed out in my previous op-ed on COVID-19). However, as Fauci explains, it isn’t just availability to the general public — for safety, it will also take months before a combination of the vaccine and herd immunity are protective.