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Economists Warn of 'Widespread Costs' from Lockdown

posted by martyb on Thursday July 30 2020, @09:49AM   
from the lockdowns-were-supposed-to-be-just-one-part-of-defense-at-depth dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

Economists warn of 'widespread costs' from lockdown:

Blanket restrictions on economic activity should be lifted and replaced with measures targeted specifically at groups most at risk, say economists.

[...] They argue that while the extent to which the lockdown contributed to a subsequent slowing in the rate of new infections and deaths is not easy to estimate precisely, it seems clear that it did contribute to these public health objectives.

However, they say it is "very far from clear" whether keeping such tight restrictions in place for three months until the end of June when they began to be lifted was warranted, given the large costs. They say that the costs of carrying on with such a lockdown are likely to have become significantly greater than its benefits.

Debate over the global dilemma continues.

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Original Submission

• Re:Lockdowns have a cost in lives as well (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 30 2020, @05:59PM

  by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 30 2020, @05:59PM (#1028812)

  I agree, we should try to ensure to keep the infection from spreading, since lower infection rates mean that medical professionals can concentrate on other diseases rather than having to spend time treating those infected by Covid. Could you think of a way to lower infection rates?

  Social distancing, obviously. Convincing people with respiratory symptoms to self-isolate at home just in case. NOT hospitalizing COVID-positive people with no or mild symptoms, keeping them isolated at home; hospitalizing only those ill seriously enough to actually need medical care. Tracking the infection cases where at all possible. Isolating the new arrivals from infected countries at their place of residence for two weeks.
  All the things that Latvia used to great effect.
  Observe that lockdowns and mandatory masks are not on the list; the neighboring Baltic countries, having done those things, fared about twice worse.

  And this changed due to Covid in what way exactly? People already couldn't afford proper medical help and medicine.

  Are all those who could afford that, before they got their livelihood ripped from them, NOT people in your view?

  It does work in countries with a sensible social security system. You're barking up the wrong tree here.

  You are lying through your teeth. Are those who die while on the waiting list somehow "unpersons" in your view?
  The observed "social security" reality is, you can either wait for half an year or more to see a medical specialist, do an MRT, or anything, while your condition worsens; or pay from your pocket and live.

  And your solution is what? Having people go work in crowded spaces,

  Latvia's solution is to forbid crowding, not forbid working. Guess what? It works!

  I'd rather use the system Europe designed, that we keep people from worrying by actually paying them to stay home for the time being with a sensible security system.

  And a fat lot of good it has done to most part of Europe. The "Second Wave" is upon you, isn't it?

  Ok, I can't fix stupid. Maybe you're right, maybe it is better to kill off the batch that currently litters the country and start over with a new seed.

  Problem is, it is not the crazies but those who lived near them, who get murdered.

  Parent