Scientists say lockdowns are useless and harmful
Johns Hopkins University researchers have declared the uselessness of lockdowns and the harm of self-isolation, RBC reports
Scientists have analysed the impact of isolation measures – such as closing of schools and businesses, mandatory wearing of masks, and COVID-19 mortality figures – to find little evidence that forced mass lockdowns in Europe and the United States had a noticeable impact on the death rate from coronavirus infection.
According to their data, mortality rate from COVID-19 dropped by 2.9 percent due to self-isolation but, in some cases, this measure could cause harm and increase fatalities: for example, an infected person is surrounded by family members and can transmit the virus to relatives – thus causing a more serious illness.
Researchers have also concluded that restricting meetings and visiting places might have actually increased mortality from COVID-19. Restricting people's access to safe open spaces, such as beaches and parks, as well as restricting gatherings, have pushed them to meet in much less secure closed places. “Lockdowns have led to huge economic and social costs in the countries that introduced them. As a result, the isolation policy is unjustified and should be rejected as a policy tool in the field of pandemic," they noted.
