Recent Johns Hopkins meta analysis has reopened the debate about the negative consequences of lockdowns. It was found that they did not have a significant mortality benefit during the initial wave of the 2020 pandemics in the United States and Europe. According to a report ,
"We do not find evidence that lockdowns or school closings, border closures or limiting gatherings have had an apparent effect on COVID-19 mortality," stated the authors of the study. The study is not peer-reviewed.
However, the study authors found that closing non-essential businesses decreased COVID-19 mortalities by 10.6%. This is most likely due to the closing of bars.
Jonas Herby (special advisor at the Center for Political Studies, Copenhagen, Denmark) stated that the study showed the benefits of lockdowns -- in terms fewer deaths -- were questionable and small. Herby is co-author of the study and his research focuses on economics and law.
The metaanalysis, a survey of previous studies, was written by Herby and two other prominent economists. It noted that lockdowns can have "devastating consequences" because society has to weather the unintended consequences.
The report stated that "they have contributed to reducing the economic activity, increasing unemployment, and reducing schooling," .
According to The Wall Street Journal , the research directly contradicts the most popular lockdown model led by Neil Ferguson. This model was responsible for driving the world's response COVID-19 that "jarred both the U.S.A. and U.K. into action".
Ferguson co-wrote a paper in that was published in June 2020. It estimated that lockdowns in spring that year could have saved three million European lives. The study did not include the research as it relied upon modeling according to multiple reports.
"This report on the effects of 'lockdowns" does not significantly improve our understanding of how effective the multitude of public health measures taken by different countries to reduce COVID-19 transmission," Ferguson wrote on Science Media Centre, an UK liaison for information for scientists and journalists.
According to the Guardian, Ferguson resigned from his government position on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (May 2020) after breaking lockdown protocol when Antonia Staats, Ferguson's lover, crossed London from their home to visit him at least twice while lockdown measures were in place.
Johns Hopkins researchers admitted that there was a limitation to the study. They excluded Ferguson's study in order to avoid biases like those caused by seasonality and other time-dependent factors. According to a United Kingdom report, papers that examined early lockdowns in China (which suppressed COVID-19 to extremely low death rates) were not included.
Multiple reports indicate that lockdowners continue to experience aftershocks even after their lockdowns were lifted.
The virus can have long-term consequences for your health, such as long COVID. There is also long-term mental health effects from the death of a parent, spouse or grandparent due to COVID-19," Dr. Julie Vaishampayan (chair of the public health committee of the Infectious Diseases society of America), said.
"The measures taken to slow down the spread are likely to have long-lasting health effects."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered that 41% of Americans delayed or avoided getting medical care due to COVID-19 concerns. This includes 12% who did not seek urgent or emergency care and 32% of those who ignored routine care. According to the past Morbidity & Mortality Weekly , these findings showed a higher prevalence in people with multiple medical conditions, Black and Hispanic adulthoods, and persons with disabilities.
According to a New York Times report, most students are back at school. However, some struggle academically due to the effects of months of online learning. Others choose to change schools or drop out.
The Times reported that students still feel lonely and anxious and that they believe the system has failed them. They also feel that they have been given responsibilities that aren't expected of them.
"Today's children will have to bear this burden along with diminished skill, thanks to distance-learning disaster demanded so many so-called experts on public health," stated James Freeman, assistant editor at The Wall Street Journal's editorial pages and frequent host of "Deep Dive", Fox Nation .
The New England Journal of Medicine examined the psychological effects of quarantine. It found that some of these emotional outcomes remained even after the quarantine was lifted.
When asked about the Johns Hopkins paper, White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated that "the president has been clear that he is not pushing lockdowns" and that he has not been pro-lockdown.
"Most lockdowns occurred under the previous president. Our objective was to show that we have all the tools necessary to keep this country open.
Vaishampayan stated, "We need accurate, strong data on all these long term effects to best balance response measures and ensure the best outcome."
