The real news is reporting an upswing in COVID-19 with the experts (aka scientists working in pertinent fields) concerned about the strains on society's infrastructure, workers, students, and other individuals. If you follow conservative media, they are already citing the "success" of Sweden last time as a model for the USA (link).
Below is the truth about how a country that is secular/essentially non-religious and is also science-minded with high scores on societal happiness and well-being can act irresponsibly with catastrophic results:
“The Swedish response to this pandemic was unique and characterized by a morally, ethically, and scientifically questionable laissez-faire approach, a consequence of structural problems in the society. There was more emphasis on the protection of the 'Swedish image' than on saving and protecting lives or on an evidence-based approach. A strategy was never discussed among all relevant parties, and never implemented nor communicated to the public. In addition, there was an unwillingness and incapacity to admit any failures at all governmental levels; or to take any responsibility for the clearly detrimental outcomes for Swedish society. There were even attempts to revise history by changing, or deleting official documents, communication, and websites, and gaslighting the public. The Swedish authorities involved were not self-critical, did not engage in any official and open dialogue, and misled the public by withholding correct information and even spreading misleading information. A small group of so-called experts with a narrow disciplinary focus received a disproportionate and unquestioned amount of power in the discussion, nationally and internationally. There was no intellectual/scientific discussion between stakeholders (including independent experts from different disciplines), and the international advice of WHO, ECDC, and the scientific community was ignored and/or discredited.”
(from an article in Nature, the premier science journal: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-022-01097-5)
