The US and Europe are still struggling to keep COVID-19 cases at bay despite lockdown measures and other restrictions. However, Finland and Norway have largely avoided lockdowns yet boast some of the lowest COVID-19 cases. The two small nations are combatting outbreaks and infection rates without strict restrictions on movement and daily life. Sweden has also drawn global attention for its refusal to conform to the worldwide trend of implementing lockdowns.

Sweden endured a brief, targeted lockdown in March, and then implemented mandatory testing, quarantine for all travelers, and tighter border controls. These measures have proven to be effective at containing the virus as Sweden has some of the lowest infection rates in Europe. In France, Italy, and other European countries, lockdowns have been re-instated in an effort to contain the second wave of COVID-19 cases that threatens to be more devastating than the first.