Scientists say “lockdown is the biggest mistake in history”

“Historians look back and say that this was probably the biggest public health mistake in history in terms of the extent of the damage it caused.”

A professor at Stanford University describes lockdown as “the only and greatest public health mistake” in history.

Talk about Telegraphof In a “Planet Normal” podcast, Jay Battacharya, a professor at Stanford University’s Ivy League School, said the legacy of blockades around the world would be seen as a failure when people look back on history.

A 63-year-old researcher at the National Bureau of Economic Research and director of the Standford Demographics and Health and Aging Economic Center, many scientists are obsessed with the effectiveness of lockdowns. “Failure of this strategy” despite being “obsessed” with the idea.

In Bhattacharya’s eyes, lockdown not only had “huge incidental consequences,” but “historians look back and say that this was probably the biggest public health mistake in history. Caused. Was done. “

His rationale goes beyond the obvious reality that people must be locked in and isolated from their loved ones.[e]A poor man on the planet faced some harm, and this lockdown policy sometimes caused catastrophic harm. ”These harms are“ sometimes invisible, but still real. There is, “he added.

For example According to a survey conducted by Young Minds –British Mental Health Charity for Youth:

Fall 2020

• 69% Percentage of respondents who say their mental health is poor now that they have returned to school. This is up from 58% who said they were in poor mental condition before returning to school.
• 40% Respondents said that there is no school counselor who can support students at school
• only 27% By the time the survey was completed, I had a one-on-one conversation with my teacher or another staff member and was asked about my health.
• Almost a quarter of the respondents (twenty three%) Said less mental health support at school than before the pandemic, On the other hand, only 9% agreed that they had good mental health support.

Summer 2020

• 80% Respondents agreed that the coronavirus pandemic worsened mental health. 41% It said it “much worse” their mental health. 32% In the previous survey in March. This was often associated with increased anxiety, isolation, loss of coping mechanisms, or loss of motivation.
• 87% Respondents said they felt lonely or isolated during the lockdown period 71% I was able to keep in touch with my friends.
• Of the more than 1,000 respondents (NHS, school and university counselors, private providers, charities, helplines, etc.) who accessed mental health support in the three months leading up to the crisis 31% Said that support was no longer accessible, but still needed.
• Of those who did not have access to support just before the crisis 40% They didn’t ask for help, but said they were suffering from mental health.
• 11% Respondents said their mental health improved during the crisis. 6% In the last survey. This is often because they find it beneficial to move away from normal life pressures (for example, bullying and school academic pressures).

Further data supporting his case includes the UK unemployment rate, which rose to 4.8% in March 2021 after a decade of decline. 1 in 3 black youth It is currently estimated that he is not working as follows: Survey centered on the Sewell Report It suggests that the pandemic has hit the BAME community more than others.

In addition, just by looking at varying degrees of food insecurity across the UK during the pandemic, we can see the additional impact of lockdown and subsequent unemployment on families.

Bhattacharya further stated that many patients with other serious illnesses hesitate to go to the hospital for fear of infection, whether it is known or undiagnosed. COVID-19 (New Coronavirus Infection)He said, “We close our eyes. [these ramifications] Because we are very afraid of viruses and are obsessed with this idea that lockdown can stop the virus. “

The professor said, “The actual lockdowns are small, relatively wealthy people who do well in remote areas. These people are protected by the rest of society. While you can protect it, you have to face the harm of the virus, whether vulnerable or not. “Bhattacharya is one of several who thought: “Concentrated defense” It was an approach.

That said, the fact remains that we were facing an unprecedented health crisis in this era. The vast majority of scientists still suggest that not only was lockdown essential, but as the data show, lockdown could have saved countless lives and even more. .. I acted first.

“We kept the borders open and the doors open against the virus, which contributed significantly to the rapid growth of the virus that followed,” said Professor Nick Davis. Stated. A week ago, we could have avoided about half or more of the death toll. “

Of course, the underlying implications of being indoors for more than a year are undoubtedly affecting us all, but the debate about what the alternatives were would be intensified. It prioritized physical health over mental health and wanted to overcome it sooner or later. Perhaps the question was how slow our actions were.