Face of Sweden’s debated virus strategy gets WHO vaccine job

STOCKHOLM (AP) — The chief epidemiologist who was considered the architect of Sweden’s unusual pandemic approach is going to work for the World Health Organization. The Swedish Public Health Agency said Wednesday that Anders Tegnell will start with the U.N. health agency on Monday. In Geneva, he will work on global coronavirus vaccination efforts, coordinating the activities of WHO, UNICEF and the public-private vaccine organization Gavi. Sweden stood out among European nations and much of the world for the way it responded to the pandemic. The government did not impose lockdowns and instead encouraged residents to practice social distancing. But the Scandinavian country also earned one of the world’s highest per capita COVID-19 death rates.