NJ Senator Blasts COVID Lockdowns, Cites Controversial Study

NEW JERSEY — A controversial new study claims that coronavirus stay-at-home orders in the U.S. and Europe weren’t nearly as effective as expected when it comes to preventing COVID-19 deaths. And according to a state senator from New Jersey, it’s just one more sign that “lockdowns should be rejected.”

The study was published by three economists in late January, including Steve Hanke, a professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University. The research – which has not been peer reviewed – took a look at more than 18,500 separate studies on COVID-19 lockdowns that took place during the spring of 2020, eventually whittling them down to 24 that were included in the analysis. See it here.

According to the study, lockdowns in Europe and the United States only reduced COVID-19 mortality by 0.2 percent on average. Shelter-in-place orders were also “ineffective,” researchers claimed, only reducing COVID-19 mortality by 2.9 percent on average.

“While this meta-analysis concludes that lockdowns have had little to no public health effects, they have imposed enormous economic and social costs where they have been adopted,” researchers wrote. “In consequence, lockdown policies are ill-founded and should be rejected as a pandemic policy instrument.”

Some skeptics have criticized the study as being “cherry picked” to fit the narrative of their authors, who have been vocal about lockdowns and vaccine mandates on social media.

Other experts, including many scientists and health professionals, have argued that lockdowns have indeed saved many lives – possibly to the tune of millions of people, Reuters reported.

“Smoking causes cancer, the Earth is round, and ordering people to stay at home (the correct definition of lockdown) decreases disease transmission,” an associate professor at the University of Oxford argued. “None of this is controversial among scientists. A study purporting to prove the opposite is almost certain to be fundamentally flawed.”

However, the latest study has been recirculated by many conservatives and critics of COVID-19 lockdowns, including Sen. Joe Pennacchio (District 26), who have pointed to its main conclusion: “Lockdowns have had little to no effect on COVID-19 mortality.”

Sen. Pennacchio – who represents several towns in Essex, Morris and Passaic counties – said the policies that “bankrupted one of every three businesses in the state” may have turned out to be worthless.

“It is clear lockdowns should be rejected out of hand,” Pennacchio said. “Residents were forced to endure a lot of pain for virtually no benefit.”

• See related article: Group Of Doctors Asks NJ Schools To Return To 'Normal' Amid COVID
• See related article: NJ Health Expert Says Travel Bans 'Ineffective' Against Omicron

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