Thanks for your response. I will address some points in the order you have written them that require clarification as I'm unsure how they relate to the topic discussed.
Point 1: Can you expand on why you believe we have no idea what the long-term economic implications are for different scenarios. That we cannot know also conflicts with the implied opinion that you believe Sweden handled things better than the west. "We have no idea what the long-term economic implications are," makes it unclear how you would draw this conclusion.
The statement about the media and bubonic plague does not relate to this article and makes little sense as I am neither "the media" nor informed by them. Who do you mean. how do you know, and what purpose would people have for "pretending Covid-19 is another bubonic plague?"
Are you involved in research that was mischaracterized by "the media?" I can only speak to my experience but the US has had a far greater problem with a large subset of the population believing this to be similar to seasonal flu. A cursory search on the subject should pull up many examples of media personalities making the comparison. It's a comparison that was made by local media outlets in 1918 when the state exerted control over messages under the sedition act. Nearly every lesson learned in previous outbreaks has been disregarded.
I wrote as far back as Jan 20th that this was spreading person-to-person, the math defied what we know about SARS, and that it could already be in the US. While I cannot say when the media began commentary one way or the other because I avoid it, I can safely say that my conclusions come from personal study and interview with those who have partaken.
Point 2: What leads you to conclude 60% is correct as opposed to other estimates available? My estimate aligns with it but understanding how others came to the same conclusion helps to avoid personal bias.. Citing analysts estimates doesn't necessarily indicate the truth is in the middle because it says nothing about the credibility of either estimate.
When you say "the experts" to whom do you refer? Those that I know are unsure about immunity duration, as am I, but do not know if you reference a specific group of experts, a research team you work on or something else.
Point 3: Data are available for obese patients and I cited several studies in the article above. I'm sure smoking data exist too, though beginning with the Doll study, smokers have presented data that can be counterintuitive at first. It's not a demographic I would check first, but I'm curious what draws you to it.
Point 4: I'm unsure how this relates to the long-term implications of COVID-19. Do you mean that there are long-term consequences for STIs as well? I doubt anyone would argue otherwise, but I'm unsure how this relates to the concerns about neuroinvasivity shown in SARS1, SARS2, and MERS. If the argument is that political correctness means we should not examine it, I cannot say that I have ever worked with any researchers who would use a subjective indicator like that to dictate their search for the truth.
Point 5: "I believe Sweden has handled this situation better than the rest of the west." When you say the west, from what perspective do you mean? Can you explain what you preferred about the Swedish response, though I should say since it seems that you've taken my assessment as disapproval though I have not condemned Sweden. The only note I made was an observation. Still, this is the second time you've made a positive assessment after asserting that no one knows the impact of their response. I neither approve of nor condemn Sweden's response and it's not a terribly important aspect of the commentary I made.
"Maybe we will learn something for the next pandemic. We can thank Sweden for going against the grain."
Many people have studied pandemics for their entire careers, and people were reluctant to listen to the hard lessons we learned. If they were so obvious, humanity would not keep making them and yet we do. I'm sure we already have learned a great deal, but just as with COVID-19 it is not assurance the public will defer to people who have the most experience with the subject.
System of government could be one issue but it's not universal across space and time so we cannot say it is or is not responsible for the current outcomes.
I concur that the US was unprepared and responded poorly. The Global Health Security Index assessed 195 countries on pandemic preparedness prior to this pandemic and found none were prepared.
I'm unsure who is blaming Sweden, so I cannot respond to that comment.
