Was It All For Naught?

[TerryMiller]

Here's a story to maybe get one's blood stirred up.

Lockdown Saved No Lives - May Have Cost More

If that story is correct, and if the U.S. officials payed attention to that model, it looks like some government people in this country will have some explaining to do. And, they might even be getting sued.

 

[chuter]

I hope there are some law suits that come from this, especially around how much power governors and mayors have to order people to stay in their homes and businesses to shut down.
I know it's a big fuzzy line, being in a position of keeping a population safe and allowing personal liberty, but I think a lot of them have gone way too far.

 

[tRidiot]

Lots of Monday morning quarterbacks out there, there's literally no way to ever know what kind of effect this shutdown had on COVID-19.

Although I'm reading some stories about outbreaks skyrocketing in Africa and South America, so we may yet get a look at what it can do 'unchecked'. I hope it doesn't get as bad in those places as it could.

 

[druryj]

It really is easy to condemn the officials for the various measures they have imposed. But when you have experts in the field of infectious disease telling us we need to "lock-down", and many people actually in support of it, whattya do? I'm fairly certain many measures were taken in good faith; with good intentions...we find ourselves in a unique situation with this Covid-19 virus. And yes, as @tRidiot says above, there's no way to really tell what effect this has had. I'm just hoping we are able to stem this back some so life can return to some semblance of normalcy.

 

[CorpsVet]

It's to where you don't know who or what to believe. One group of "experts" say one thing while another say something completely different, and yet another says something else. et. cetera, et. cetra, et.cetera

 

[DavidMcmillan]

Even if it turns out that much of this wasn't necessary, there have been some really good things come from it. I see way more folks taking walks around our neighborhood. Kids are out riding bikes, skating, and finding some of the games that have been lost due to our electronic age. People seem more interested in making sure that others are okay and have what they need.

Sure, it has been inconvenient at times, but if I'm honest, I have to admit that I have enjoyed most of it.

 

[Tanis143]

It really is easy to condemn the officials for the various measures they have imposed. But when you have experts in the field of infectious disease telling us we need to "lock-down", and many people actually in support of it, whattya do? I'm fairly certain many measures were taken in good faith; with good intentions...we find ourselves in a unique situation with this Covid-19 virus. And yes, as @tRidiot says above, there's no way to really tell what effect this has had. I'm just hoping we are able to stem this back some so life can return to some semblance of normalcy.

A quote comes to mind: "The road to disaster is always paved with good intentions". Look at a lot of our firearm laws, on the outset they look to be driven by "good intentions", at least that's how they are pandered. That's why one should never look at intentions, but potential consequences. Then weigh those vs the consequences of doing something different.

 

[okierider]

The part I want to see is the vote when it comes time to re-elect the governors and such that abused their authority. Will the voters remember the power trips and send a message that we believe in our rights or will all of the abuse be forgotten and the people vote the officials back in office who took advantage.

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

My observation: None of this 'lock-down' seems to have had a noteworthy effect - AKA reduction - in the cases of the 'regular' flu. If these lock-downs had and continue to have the effect of reducing cases of the 'regular' flu and related deaths, then it would have been and continue to be shouted from the rooftops. I hear only crickets and the rapid shuffling of paper as the shutdown advocates scramble to account for the lack of effectiveness against the 'regular' flu.

Refutation of my observation to commence in ...3...2...1 ... (In the meantime, I'll practice my BS cough just in case someone comes up with a 'reason' to explain why the lock-downs (social distancing, masks and other 'precautions') have no effect on the 'regular' flu..)

Woody

 

[SMS]

My observation: None of this 'lock-down' seems to have had a noteworthy effect - AKA reduction - in the cases of the 'regular' flu. If these lock-downs had and continue to have the effect of reducing cases of the 'regular' flu and related deaths, then it would have been and continue to be shouted from the rooftops. I hear only crickets and the rapid shuffling of paper as the shutdown advocates scramble to account for the lack of effectiveness against the 'regular' flu.

Refutation of my observation to commence in ...3...2...1 ... (In the meantime, I'll practice my BS cough just in case someone comes up with a 'reason' to explain why the lock-downs (social distancing, masks and other 'precautions') have no effect on the 'regular' flu..)

Woody

The #1 verifiable and scientific argument against your point is that the U.S. flu season typically peaks between December and February. Usually February from 1982 to 2018. Most of our lockdowns did not commence until mid to late March.

It's interesting to note that the scientist quoted in the article has "no background as an epidemiologist". He's a chemist. I take that as just another voice in the crowded field of voices right now.

As previously stated, it will be hard to determine how effective the lock downs were without a time machine and a do-over. Like I related in another thread about a counter terrorism guy I once worked with. If he detected a threat, recommended a high security posture and no attack materialized, some would complain and say "See, we never got attacked. What a waste of time". If he saw a threat, didn't recommend a higher posture and we got hammered, the same group would complain about him not putting us in a higher security posture. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

The ultra draconian measures some local dictators are putting in place, and the abuses being perpetrated by power hungry jack booted thugs in some locales doesn't invalidate the effectiveness or necessity of the initial effort. It just got out of hand. IMHO.