Infectious disease experts warn that lockdown measures will bring irreparable damage
A group of infectious disease experts have published a petition warning about the dangers of lockdown policies. The petition, which has been signed by over 40,000 people, 4,000 of whom are medical practitioners as well as medical and public health scientists, partly reads:
As infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists we have grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing COVID-19 policies, and recommend an approach we call Focused Protection.
Coming from both the left and right, and around the world, we have devoted our careers to protecting people. Current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and long-term public health. The results (to name a few) include lower childhood vaccination rates, worsening cardiovascular disease outcomes, fewer cancer screenings and deteriorating mental health – leading to greater excess mortality in years to come, with the working class and younger members of society carrying the heaviest burden. Keeping students out of school is a grave injustice.
Keeping these measures in place until a vaccine is available will cause irreparable damage, with the underprivileged disproportionately harmed.
Instead of locking everyone down, the authors recommend that people practice hygiene measures and stay at home when they are sick. Additionally, schools should be allowed to open for in-person teaching and extracurricular activities, and people should resume events like sports.
In other words, society will be best served if we minimize social harm until we research herd immunity by allowing “those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection, while better protecting those who are at highest risk. ”
The lockdowns have indeed been harmful
From job losses to permanent business closures, there is no denying that the lockdown policies have been significantly harmful. The negative impacts of the lockdowns have, moreover, not been restricted to the economy. Not only have the lockdowns disrupted routine healthcare for kids, but they have also contributed to a spike in deaths caused by other conditions, such as heart conditions. School closures, furthermore, have been detrimental to the well-being of children.
At the very least, this petition should force lawmakers to do a cost-benefit analysis for lockdown policies before continuing with the current course. In Minnesota, for example, COVID-19 deaths have been concentrated among the elderly and residents of long-term care facilities, yet lockdown measures continue to be universally strict. The state continues to place restrictions on businesses, such as restaurants and bars, something which will continue to place further economic burden potentially without reducing COVID-19 deaths.