Study: Lockdown Costs Far Outweighed Benefits

Facts

• According to a study published by Johns Hopkins and Lund Universities, the benefits of the UK's first round of COVID lockdowns were "a drop in the bucket compared to the staggering collateral costs" it imposed, such as economic growth, public debt, and education.¹
• After examining 20K studies on global COVID measures, the report said that in the spring of 2020, the lockdowns saved as few as 1.7K lives in England and Wales, compared to the average rate of 11K weekly deaths. Across Europe, it found less stringent measures would have led to 6K fewer deaths, and 4K fewer in the US.²
• Even a broadened analysis, which included measures like mask-wearing, found the strict rules only reduced mortality by 10.7%. Closing businesses were found to have reduced deaths by 7.5% while crowd-gathering rules — like the UK's "rule of six" — were found to have actually increased mortality by 5.9%.³
• Mask-wearing, however, was found to be "relatively effective," having reduced deaths by 18.7%. The report says the 1.7K lives saved during the first round of lockdowns were far less than the 18.5K-24.8K seasonal flu deaths.²
• The UK's lockdown was based on Imperial College London Professor Neil Ferguson's prediction that, without such restrictions, more than 500K people could die. However, the UK's COVID death rate during the first wave ended up being 150K.³
• This comes as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government is attempting to block an inquiry to obtain redacted messages showing what ministers were discussing during the pandemic. As of May 5, the UK's COVID death toll stands at 227K.¹

Sources: ¹Independent, ²The Telegraph, and ³Daily Mail.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by New York Amsterdam News. While various studies have come to show that lockdowns didn't work everywhere all the time, overall, they were the best public health decision at the time. While there were economic costs — which, it should be noted, were mitigated by stimulus programs — studies have found that infection rates were reduced by upwards of 56% thanks to government restrictions. The role of the government during a pandemic is to save people from death and suffering — this is not easy, but a vital function of responsible governance.
• Right narrative, as provided by The Telegraph. The UK's policy during COVID was strictly aimed at tearing society apart and, to quote Boris Johnson, "scare the wits out of them." The government used COVID to gain power, not protect public health, and this nefarious scheme is clear as day when you see how hard Rishi Sunak is trying to hide government communications from being released. Britons under Winston Churchill were strengthened by their duty to their country and each other, but recent leaders wanted citizens demoralized, scared, and solely reliant on the state.