In early 2020, the pandemic response team implemented COVID-19 policies in order to help stop infection and transmission of the virus. Lockdowns and masks were mandated despite the fact that these approaches had no scientific evidence to back them up. These arbitrary rulings, not only didn’t stop transmission or infection of the virus but, caused more harm than benefits. Let’s delve into the bad, good, and ugly of lockdowns.
Quarantines vs Lockdowns
One of the first COVID policies that caused tremendous devastation was lockdowns. These measures were passed as quarantines but were very different. In a quarantine, people who are sick or have been exposed to a communicable disease get separated from others who have not been exposed in order to prevent the possible spread of the virus. That makes logical sense – you quarantine the vulnerable and symptomatic people or those who have been directly exposed.
However, quarantining everyone defied logic and had no scientific basis. What’s disturbing is that lockdowns originated in the penal and correctional systems. I’m very familiar with them because I worked at Riker’s Island (the second biggest jail in the US). These prison protocols occur when there are riots, physical disturbances between inmates, someone dies, there is the belief of some type of threat, or to search for contraband.
These lockdowns were unprecedented and were supposed to be in place for two weeks in order to “flatten the curve.” We were told that we would return to normal living at some point, but only if we all did our part and complied. Yet, the goalpost was moved continuously, from two weeks to three months, and in some places, like New York, lockdowns lasted 16 months.
Businesses, schools, government agencies, mental health/substance abuse facilities, fitness centers, churches, and places of entertainment were ordered to close while essential businesses (hospitals, supermarkets, gas stations, etc.) remained open, as well as liquor stores.
Lockdowns: The Bad
Looking back, we can say with a matter of certainty that there is no evidence to say those lockdowns saved lives. On the contrary, the opposite took place. Take into consideration these examples:
- Sweden which avoided lockdowns recorded 7.9% excess deaths in 2020. It was lower than the U.K. (15.1%), France (10.4%), and Spain (18.9%) which had strict lockdowns. Sweden also has a lower number of coronavirus deaths per million than those of other countries in the European Union and 20% lower than the US.
- Florida, which had closure for a month, had a cumulative age-adjusted Covid mortality rate below the national average. The excess mortality rate, also, stayed lower than in California and New York which had heavy-handed lockdowns.
Interestingly enough, shelter-in-place/ stay-at-home orders varied from state to state. States ruled by democrats (New York & California) responded in a more totalitarian and militarized way while more Republican states only instilled this policy for a couple of months. This map and charts detail the political affiliations of governors associated with these orders in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Lockdowns had reverse results than the stated ones. Locations with more relaxed lockdown policies and those who refuse to lockdown their population faired better than those with stricter lockdown policies.
Harming Effects of Lockdowns
There were numerous harming effects of lockdowns bringing about devastating results for society. We have over 400 studies showing that lockdowns caused more harm than good.
- Problems in Children and Adolescents: Lockdowns had terrible effects on younger populations. They fell behind educationally and acquired psychological, developmental, and speech problems. At the same time, kids from low socioeconomic backgrounds went hungry since many of them get their meals at school. Plus, we have tons of research showing the negative impact of school closures due to COVID.
- Child and Domestic Abuse: Children and victims of domestic violence were stuck with their perpetrators 24/7 with nobody to help them or recognize the abuse taking place. Rates of child abuse (physical, psychological, and sexual) increased, as well as incidences of domestic abuse.
- Mental Illness: Rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and suicides in all segments of the population, especially young people, increased. Washington Post reported that text messages to distress hotlines increased by more than 1,000% at some point.
- Substance Abuse: The rates of drug overdoses and drug abuse grew more than doubled. Alcohol-related deaths started increasing in 2020 by over 20%.
- Economic Devastation: The lockdowns wounded the economy and resulted in a drop in national GDP. Unemployment numbers skyrocket and most people lost their income. Plus, the majority of small businesses suffered huge losses, and most minority-owned businesses closed.
- Excess Mortality – Not Covid Related: The rates of undiagnosed illnesses and untreated conditions increased tremendously, resulting in excess deaths. Between March to November 2020, there were over 34,000 excess deaths not attributed to the virus among Americans aged 15 to 54. People died from heart conditions and cancer due to failures in prompt treatment and social isolation. There was also a 27% rise in people due to a lack of intervention for addiction from 2020 to 2021.
Lockdowns: The Good
We must admit that lockdowns were not all bad for everyone. These COVID-19 policies were good for a few selected ones.
There were obvious industries that benefited from the coronavirus lockdowns, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) companies, pharmaceutical companies, and others involved in healthcare. Additionally, eSports, huge e-commerce stores, food delivery, digital entertainment, education technology (online learning), and video conferencing (remote work) companies boomed during lockdowns.
Other big winners were Jeff Bezos $58B (Amazon), Larry Page $33B & Sergey Brin $32B (Google), Elon Musk $118B (Tesla), Mark Zuckerberg $29B (Facebook), Tim Cook (Apple), and Kim Kardashian (shapewear and loungewear). Plus, Shopify, Zoom, Netflix, PayPal, Pfizer, and Moderna made billions too.
Additionally, Fauci’s household net worth topped $12.6 million in 2020 – an increase of $5 million from 2019 and Bill Gates (Vaccine Investments and Microsoft) made $24B and his foundation received $436,336 in payments from the state of CA.
Furthermore, there are several organizations advancing pandemic policies with lockdowns and militarized responses that benefited financially as well, among them the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB), CEPI (global partnership working to accelerate the development of vaccines), and Gavi (the Vaccine Alliance). It’s interesting to note that these organizations disguised as charities make billions and that some of the same players are involved in many of them.
- The WHO, whose biggest investors are Bill Gates and China, is pushing amendments to WHO’s International Health Regulations to impose an autocratic government that follows WHO’s health regulations while removing countries’ national sovereignty and overriding human individual rights.
- GPMB convenes with the WHO and the President of the World Bank Group. Renown board members are Fauci, Dr. Chris Elias – President Global Development Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. George F. Gao – Director General Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, People’s Republic of China, and Sir Jeremy Farrar – Director of the Wellcome Trust & Chief Scientist WHO who along with Fauci orchestrated the coverup of Covid-19 origin. GPMB Manifesto for Preparedness pushes for the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement & International Health Regulations, a Pandemic Fund (launched by the World Bank in 11/2022), governance and financing of an equitable countermeasures platform, acceleration of diagnostics & vaccines, more collaboration between Finance and Health Ministries, and a peer review mechanism for strengthening accountability for preparedness.
- CEPI was founded in Davos by the governments of Norway and India, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the World Economic Forum. Besides these globalists, CEPI collaborates with the UN and World Bank.
- Gavi is a public-private partnership funded by the Gates Foundation in 1999 and Bill Gates has said that Gavi is “the best investment we’ve ever made.” Gavi also collaborates with the WHO, UNICEF, and the World Bank.
Lockdowns: The Ugly
Governments benefited too. They imposed these draconian measures in a synchronized response. Many governments were able to test their citizens and find the limits of their civilian population. Because it never made sense that liquor stores stayed open while places that keep us healthy and sane, such as gyms, places of worship, mental health clinics, substance abuse facilities, outdoor parks, and beaches were shut down.
Governments forced us to stay in our homes, took away our livelihood and liberty, and bombarded us with death counts and fraudulent reports about the fatality of the virus through every media channel. You don’t have to be a scientist to know that this is not a recipe to help people stay healthy. This is a formula for disease, mental anguish, chaos, and economic collapse.
Upon examination, we can conclude that lockdowns caused tons of harm and didn’t save lives. These unconstitutional measures benefited a few while showing their ugly side to citizens. Lockdowns were never about science or “saving lives.” These disturbing edicts were more about totalitarian control, the violation of civil liberties, and the incorporation of other COVID-19 policies that benefited a few.
To a Fitter Healthier You,
The Fitness Wellness Mentor
