New Analysis Of The Effects Of COVID-19 Lockdowns On Mortality Rates Sparks Controversy

New analysis of the effects lockdowns in the United States and Europe to control the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on mortality rates has sparked controversy. The lockdowns had little or no effect on COVID-19 mortality rates, according to a working paper that presented a multi-country comparison. Lockdowns were defined as governmental imposition of at least one compulsory, non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI), such as masks, that directly restricted the internal movements of residents, closed schools and businesses, or banned international travel. However, the study methodology has been challenged as having serious flaws because the authors are . . .