To me it seems that there is only one fundamental assumption that determines how to handle the pandemic: do you believe that we can have a lockdown until a vaccin is on the market, or do you think the vaccin will take too long.
If you believe the first, then yes a lockdown like in Denmark or Norway is the best choice. If you believe it will take too long, then what matters is to minimise economical damage by containing the virus just enough making sure that the health system is not overwhelmed and to protect the most vulnerable groups. This is what Sweden chose and what most countries believed in as well in February. Sweden's health system was never overwhelmed, so the higher death rate in Sweden must be due to the higher infection rate in combination with the fact that they could have protected their elderly people better.
But if the vaccin takes too long then neighbour countries will catch up.
If you believe the first, then yes a lockdown like in Denmark or Norway is the best choice. If you believe it will take too long, then what matters is to minimise economical damage by containing the virus just enough making sure that the health system is not overwhelmed and to protect the most vulnerable groups. This is what Sweden chose and what most countries believed in as well in February. Sweden's health system was never overwhelmed, so the higher death rate in Sweden must be due to the higher infection rate in combination with the fact that they could have protected their elderly people better. But if the vaccin takes too long then neighbour countries will catch up.