While we are in many places of the world now seeing massive disrespect for human rights, loss of democracy, widespread propaganda and preparations for war, there are also scary signs of a development towards devaluation of life. All these components remind us about what happened before WWII.

In Sweden, some have raised concerns over how elderly people are treated, in particular when they have Covid. Geriatrics professor Yngve Gustafson says (link to article in Swedish):

Routinely administering respiratory inhibitors to the elderly with lung infection is active euthanasia, to say the least

It makes you wonder how many have actually died of what might be called euthanasia (despite that active euthanasia is not allowed in Sweden) but have been reported as having died from or with Covid. The Swedish journalist Elisabet Höglund uses words like “killing” (“avlivning”) instead, when she describes this (link to blog post Swedish). It is also very unfortunate that the term “palliative care” is misused for this.

If anyone thinks that lack of resources is a valid excuse for not giving also older Covid patients real care, then remember that the external hospital built with assistance from the military in Stockholm 2020 was dismantled after not having treated a singe patient (link to content in Swedish).

There are also disturbing reports from the UK that patients with mental illness and learning disabilities, including children, were given “do not resuscitate” orders. In at least one case this appears to have led to the patient’s death.