A study from researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that extended shutdowns had almost no effect on public health, while coming at tremendous cost across society. “Overall, we conclude that lockdowns are not an effective way of reducing mortality rates during a pandemic, at least not during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the authors wrote.
The enormously deadly coronavirus pandemic has been and continues to be a global challenge to contain and mitigate. We can forgive leaders throughout the world for locking down early on in the pandemic, as no one knew what we were up against. Worried about hospitals being overwhelmed, it was understandable why lockdowns occurred in the early phase of the pandemic.
However, we must also learn from and be honest about what worked and what didn’t work. We also can’t ignore the high cost of lockdowns, which indeed may have been utilized for too long and across too broad a spectrum of society.
Most importantly though, as shutdowns and other aggressive measures appeared to have little effect on public health, the side effects of such policies are unfortunately becoming even clearer and will likely be with us for some time.
“[Shutdowns] have contributed to reducing economic activity, raising unemployment, reducing schooling, causing political unrest, contributing to domestic violence, and undermining liberal democracy,” the authors wrote. “These costs to society must be compared to the benefits of lockdowns, which our meta-analysis has shown are marginal at best.”
The study of course won’t be the definitive word on the efficacy of lockdowns and restrictions, but it should spark ongoing debate and reflection over the policies of governments toward the COVID-19 pandemic and help guide the way forward.
Two years into this pandemic, with widespread vaccination, clearer understanding of the risks of COVID-19, the wide availability of testing and the ongoing rollout of effective treatments, it is fortunately the case that governments around the world are increasingly resistant to heavy-handed measures even in the face of high caseloads.
More and more state governors, too, have recently announced the end of the statewide indoor mask mandates while showing restraint with emergency powers and encouraging school districts to keep kids in school.
While the wave associated with the winter and the omicron variant has certainly been a challenge, we now have the tools and knowledge to tackle the novel coronavirus without drastic measures.
— Tribune News Service
