Nets Ignore Report Showing Lockdowns Do Little to Prevent COVID Deaths

Johns Hopkins University has released a new study that shows government lockdowns, which were put into place to prevent deaths in response to COVID-19 in the United States as well as around the globe, are ineffective. Apparently, this was not newsworthy to the three broadcast evening newscasts who all decided to ignore the report on Tuesday. Fox News, however, was not impressed. Special ReportReporting the story in the A-block of the program. 

Fox News correspondent Gillian Turner who was filling in for anchor Bret Baier opened the segment announcing “we are getting new data points about the unintended consequences of pandemic lockdowns it turns out they had little impact in terms of preventing COVID-19 deaths. Although they had negative long-term effects on schoolchildren, 

Turner then went to Fox’s Atlanta-based correspondent Jonathan Serrie to disclose the significant findings from the Johns Hopkins study.

Johns Hopkins published data analysis from multiple studies on lockdowns in Europe and the U.S. during the pandemic. The researchers found that restrictions on movement do not reduce Covid mortality, with an average reduction of 0.2%. The mortality rate drops by only 2.9% when there are more restrictions on sheltering in place. he reported.

 

 

Serrie announced then the main takeaway of the report. 

While this meta-analysis concluded that lockdowns had minimal to no impact on public health, the authors state that they did have enormous economic and social consequences in areas where they were implemented. Therefore, lockdowns are unfounded policies that should be avoided as pandemic instruments.

Serrie included Johns Hopkins’ policy recommendations, as well as those of other organizations, in his report. “To shift the emphasis to voluntary measures that people can use to minimize their exposure to Covid. They write that governments have a vital role to play in providing accurate information for citizens, so that they can take informed decisions.   

While the results of this study are not surprising to anyone who has been paying attention to the disparity in COVID deaths between states like Florida and New York, the former never fully locked down and the latter locked down completely, this revelation by Johns Hopkins is extremely newsworthy. The report was something that all three night news broadcasts ought to have covered at least once.  

This latest example of bias by omission by the liberal networks was made possible by endorsements from Progressive on ABC, TD Ameritrade on CBS, & Fidelity on NBC. This link will take you to their contact information so that they can be notified about biased news funding.  

To read the relevant transcript from the Fox News Special Report segment click “expand”:

FNC’s Special Report
2/1/2022
6:03 PM

GILLIAN TURNER: There are more developments to the debate surrounding restrictions on coronavirus. As we collect new information about the unexpected consequences of pandemic locksdowns, it appears that they had no effect on COVID-19 deaths. They have also had profound long-term effects on children in schools. In Virginia, tomorrow’s courtroom will see students face the mask mandates. We got Fox team coverage Lydia Hu is in New York with the financial setbacks looming for students who’ve been denied in-person learning. Mark Meredith’s here in Washington with the Virginia mask fight. But we begin with Jonathan Serrie in Atlanta with how COVID lockdowns have reportedly done very little to prevent coronavirus fatalities, hi, Jonathan. 

JONATHAN SERRIE : Gillian, good evening. There were a number of restrictions that countries and states around the world imposed during the initial days of the pandemic. These restrictions included closing schools and businesses and banning international travel. There were also mandatory and voluntary stay-at-home orders that all workers, except those who are essential, had to comply with. Johns Hopkins now has an analysis of multiple data sets from studies on lockdowns in Europe and the U.S. during the pandemic. And the authors have determined various restrictions on movement only reduce COVID mortality by an average of 0.2%. The mortality rate drops by 2.9% when there are more strict shelter-in place orders. While lockdowns are not thought to have adverse effects on public health, the authors state that they can have severe economic and social consequences. Therefore, lockdown policies should not be considered a panademic policy tool. 

Although they are well intended, mandates and lockdowns have been controversial due to their impact on the economy. This study recommends that the emphasis be shifted to voluntary actions people can take in order to reduce their COVID exposure. Authors note that governments play an important role in providing citizens with information to help them make informed choices. While not explicitly mentioned in this study many parents will need to make crucial decisions over the next few weeks about vaccinating their younger children. Pfizer submitted clinical data today at FDA’s request to support an expansion of their emergency authorization. If approved by regulators you might see shots reaching children as young six months old. Gillian?

TURNER: That’s big news. Thank you Jonathan Serrie, Atlanta.  

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