COVID Lockdowns Were a Giant Experiment. It Was a Failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still have no clue why all the playgrounds got fenced off and closed. WHY?!

We tried very hard to keep things normal for our small kids, but as parents we paid a heavy price. I changed a lot as a parent and also as a person. I had a great life beforehand filled with friends and relatives. It made me realize that you can't rely on anyone. Grandparents just huddled in their houses by themselves while kids had mental breakdown and parents nearly lost their jobs.

Yes I was changed as a person too. Became pretty jaded. My kid, surprisingly, did better - but I would never dream of denying that some kids were deeply affected.
As for the playgrounds - those in power had to “do something” and it was the easiest thing to do.

People were dying and your biggest worry was playgrounds. You can get a $100-200 swing set for your backyard. No backyard, go to a friends house.

Kids couldn't go to the playground, but hordes of people could gather en masse for BLM protests. With the explicit permission of public health officials.

See why some of us are jaded?

You could also go to a bar with the stipulation that the bar couldn't have stools at the bar top. But you could still stand at the bar top. I.e., the various rules were just a mix of stupid and form over substance. Various leaders just put in exceptions that worked for them and made rules for everybody else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly at this point who cares. We did the best we could under a unique and heretofore inexperienced event. This is for scientists to be studying to plan for future pandemics. Getting angry now is ridiculous.

The problem is we weren’t allowed to ask questions and dissenting views were discouraged. Anytime you’re not allowed to ask questions or push back on something you should be concerned. The climate at the time didn’t allow questioning of precautions.

We were there. No one was banned from asking questions. You are entitled to your opinion, not entitled to everyone agreeing and respecting it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apologies if this was already posted, but I came across this article from New York magazine that made me question the efficacy of lockdowns, and our whole response to the pandemic. Very much 20/20 hindsight, but the more I think about it, the angrier I get, especially with closing the schools.

Here’s a link, along with a key paragraph arguing that Sweden probably had the right response.

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/covid-lockdowns-big-fail-joe-nocera-bethany-mclean-book-excerpt.html

So in attempting to gauge the value of lockdowns, the most appropriate way is to look not just at COVID deaths but at all deaths during the pandemic years. That’s known as the “excess deaths” — a measure of how many more people died than in a normal year. One authoritative accounting was compiled by The Spectator using data gathered by the OECD. It showed that during the first two years of the pandemic — 2020 and 2021 — the U.S. had 19 percent more deaths than it normally saw in two years’ time. For the U.K., there was a 10 percent rise. And for Sweden — one of the few countries that had refused to lock down its society — it was just 4 percent. An analysis by Bloomberg found broadly similar results. In other words, for all the criticism Sweden shouldered from the world’s public health officials for refusing to institute lockdowns, it wound up seeing a lower overall death rate during the pandemic than most peer nations that shut down schools and public gatherings. It is not unreasonable to conclude from the available data that the lockdowns led to more overall deaths in the U.S. than a policy that resembled Sweden’s would have.

This is a stupid take.

That was enlightening. Let me guess, you’re a COVID cultist who’s angry that your extreme precautions proved to be a waste of time and resources.

I hope one day you find reconciliation from your estranged family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keeping public schools closed for an extra year - while private schools and restaurants and retail and etc were open - was a giant mistake.

And I will never forgive progressives and teachers unions for throwing kids under the bus like that

You are right, they should have kept them all closed/virtual. Imagine if they did how many lives could have been saved. So, some of us did our part while the rest of you lived life as normal, spreading it to the rest of us and killing our family members. Thank you. Really appreciate your kindness and empathy.

I bet you really believe this and there are so many like you.

See I still wonder why no one ever talks about why so many people with no health conditions they knew of died. That’s what is scary. It shows how lacking diagnostics for health really are.

And then I wonder if the “cure” was worse than the disease. I do know one person who died bc the massive amounts of steroids used led to a heart attack. I think if we were to really look into the covid deaths this would not be an unusual case.

What I learned from the pandemic was how easily overwhelmed and frightened even the smartest people can be and no amount of reason can help them overcome this. And the next time around maybe anti anxiety pills need to be given out more freely. I am not kidding either. I think it would have helped a lot.

I don’t blame the govt or either president bc none had experienced a pandemic. Yes the govt had plans but they were always based on the idea that modern medicine would be do good as to overcome it in a short duration think like less than 1 yr. Now they know better so they will do better. The basis for planning was 1918 so they thought look how far we have come surely modern medicine will be able to get it sorted out in months.

And then throw in media and people bring home with nothing to do but consume it …

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be great to have a non-partisan assessment of what worked and what didn’t work. Everything is so politicized and polarized it is ridiculous.

I think one important lesson is that schools stayed closed far too long, and we are paying a heavy price for that.

The kids paid a heavy price, and their parents. The people who made these decisions aren't paying anything and will never be held accountable.

You keep forgetting to mention the teachers who might have refused to go to work or quit if they had been forced back. Who was going to do the teaching? Why do you expect people to sacrifice for you?

This is the latest Democratic spin. “Oh we could not have opened schools! Teachers would have quit!” Do you think we are idiots? In DC right here, private and parochial teachers returnee. They returned in other states and in countries around the world. The reason blue city teachers refused to return is that their unions had political support and the Dems turned “keep schools closed” into a campaign promise, which is absolutely deranged. And then cowed public opinion by labeling any parent who dissented as a racist teacher-killer. Not to mention exaggerating the risk. We lived through it sweetie - we know what happened.

You’re full of it. It hasn’t been in blue states with robust teacher unions that schools have had to cut down to 4-day weeks—in 2023—because they’ve had so many staff walk away.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/education/more-school-districts-adopt-4-day-weeks-citing-lower-costs-and-better-teacher-recruitment

Per you, missing one day a week in person is NBD so not sure why you think this is a good point. Remember when Wednesdays had NO virtual instruction for no discernible reason? Good times!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still have no clue why all the playgrounds got fenced off and closed. WHY?!

We tried very hard to keep things normal for our small kids, but as parents we paid a heavy price. I changed a lot as a parent and also as a person. I had a great life beforehand filled with friends and relatives. It made me realize that you can't rely on anyone. Grandparents just huddled in their houses by themselves while kids had mental breakdown and parents nearly lost their jobs.

Yes I was changed as a person too. Became pretty jaded. My kid, surprisingly, did better - but I would never dream of denying that some kids were deeply affected.
As for the playgrounds - those in power had to “do something” and it was the easiest thing to do.

People were dying and your biggest worry was playgrounds. You can get a $100-200 swing set for your backyard. No backyard, go to a friends house.

Kids couldn't go to the playground, but hordes of people could gather en masse for BLM protests. With the explicit permission of public health officials.

See why some of us are jaded?

You could also go to a bar with the stipulation that the bar couldn't have stools at the bar top. But you could still stand at the bar top. I.e., the various rules were just a mix of stupid and form over substance. Various leaders just put in exceptions that worked for them and made rules for everybody else.

and meanwhile they were making 2 year olds wear masks!!

[Anonymous]

I personally found it interesting how you couldn’t transmit covid on a plane as long as you were eating, and you couldn’t transmit or catch covid on a plane as long as everyone took their masks off and ate at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly at this point who cares. We did the best we could under a unique and heretofore inexperienced event. This is for scientists to be studying to plan for future pandemics. Getting angry now is ridiculous.

The problem is we weren’t allowed to ask questions and dissenting views were discouraged. Anytime you’re not allowed to ask questions or push back on something you should be concerned. The climate at the time didn’t allow questioning of precautions.

We were there. No one was banned from asking questions. You are entitled to your opinion, not entitled to everyone agreeing and respecting it.

You'd have to be a real fool to believe this. Sure, you could ask questions. But the media and government authorities were a) refusing to hear you, b) judging and shaming anyone who dared ask questions, and c) censoring in the name of saving grandma's life. The Great Barrington declaration died a fast death within a day because media refused to cover it while other powers that be accused it of endangering people's lives. On local levels I used to post on a few reddits including my city reddit and just one polite disagreement post over a local COVID ordinance had me banned for life. Just one disagreement post.

The whole COVID experience was surreal in the degree of official and unofficial censorship and the degree it was enforced. We're still feeling the effects and divisiveness today. This kind of near totalitarian outlook and consensus would have been unthinkable 20 years ago and it's because a large segment of society willingly accepts unthinking and unquestioning compliance because "the authorities are experts and therefore always right."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly at this point who cares. We did the best we could under a unique and heretofore inexperienced event. This is for scientists to be studying to plan for future pandemics. Getting angry now is ridiculous.

The problem is we weren’t allowed to ask questions and dissenting views were discouraged. Anytime you’re not allowed to ask questions or push back on something you should be concerned. The climate at the time didn’t allow questioning of precautions.

We were there. No one was banned from asking questions. You are entitled to your opinion, not entitled to everyone agreeing and respecting it.

Right here on DCUM Jeff deleted threads/posts regularly if they questioned vaccine effectiveness. And I'm not talking wacky conspiracy theories about 5G or spoons sticking to your injection site, but hey these vaccines aren't preventing transmissions and infections conversations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still have no clue why all the playgrounds got fenced off and closed. WHY?!

We tried very hard to keep things normal for our small kids, but as parents we paid a heavy price. I changed a lot as a parent and also as a person. I had a great life beforehand filled with friends and relatives. It made me realize that you can't rely on anyone. Grandparents just huddled in their houses by themselves while kids had mental breakdown and parents nearly lost their jobs.

Yes I was changed as a person too. Became pretty jaded. My kid, surprisingly, did better - but I would never dream of denying that some kids were deeply affected.
As for the playgrounds - those in power had to “do something” and it was the easiest thing to do.

People were dying and your biggest worry was playgrounds. You can get a $100-200 swing set for your backyard. No backyard, go to a friends house.

Literally no one was dying of covid from open playgrounds. Don't be ridiculous.

Of course a kid could get Covid and bring it home to a parent or grandparents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keeping public schools closed for an extra year - while private schools and restaurants and retail and etc were open - was a giant mistake.

And I will never forgive progressives and teachers unions for throwing kids under the bus like that

You are right, they should have kept them all closed/virtual. Imagine if they did how many lives could have been saved. So, some of us did our part while the rest of you lived life as normal, spreading it to the rest of us and killing our family members. Thank you. Really appreciate your kindness and empathy.

How did you do your part? By outsourcing all your home services (food, utilities, infrastructure, etc.) to others out in public while you WFH or SHM?

If those of us who could stay home, it made it safer for those who could not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still have no clue why all the playgrounds got fenced off and closed. WHY?!

We tried very hard to keep things normal for our small kids, but as parents we paid a heavy price. I changed a lot as a parent and also as a person. I had a great life beforehand filled with friends and relatives. It made me realize that you can't rely on anyone. Grandparents just huddled in their houses by themselves while kids had mental breakdown and parents nearly lost their jobs.

Yes I was changed as a person too. Became pretty jaded. My kid, surprisingly, did better - but I would never dream of denying that some kids were deeply affected.
As for the playgrounds - those in power had to “do something” and it was the easiest thing to do.

People were dying and your biggest worry was playgrounds. You can get a $100-200 swing set for your backyard. No backyard, go to a friends house.

Literally no one was dying of covid from open playgrounds. Don't be ridiculous.

Of course a kid could get Covid and bring it home to a parent or grandparents.

You don’t think that is a risk that a parent or grandparent should be able to assess for themselves and then make their own decision?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly at this point who cares. We did the best we could under a unique and heretofore inexperienced event. This is for scientists to be studying to plan for future pandemics. Getting angry now is ridiculous.

The problem is we weren’t allowed to ask questions and dissenting views were discouraged. Anytime you’re not allowed to ask questions or push back on something you should be concerned. The climate at the time didn’t allow questioning of precautions.

We were there. No one was banned from asking questions. You are entitled to your opinion, not entitled to everyone agreeing and respecting it.

Right here on DCUM Jeff deleted threads/posts regularly if they questioned vaccine effectiveness. And I'm not talking wacky conspiracy theories about 5G or spoons sticking to your injection site, but hey these vaccines aren't preventing transmissions and infections conversations.

Yep. Also remember any criticism, no matter how gentle, of Fauci got deleted and even got you temporarily banned.

There had never been an episode before in modern American history where suddenly, and without warning, there is this massive and complicated topic that came with only one correct view and opinion and all dissenting voices were banned, censored, and completely shut out, no matter how valid their points may have been and no matter how often the "correct opinion" was often wrong and flawed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still have no clue why all the playgrounds got fenced off and closed. WHY?!

We tried very hard to keep things normal for our small kids, but as parents we paid a heavy price. I changed a lot as a parent and also as a person. I had a great life beforehand filled with friends and relatives. It made me realize that you can't rely on anyone. Grandparents just huddled in their houses by themselves while kids had mental breakdown and parents nearly lost their jobs.

Yes I was changed as a person too. Became pretty jaded. My kid, surprisingly, did better - but I would never dream of denying that some kids were deeply affected.
As for the playgrounds - those in power had to “do something” and it was the easiest thing to do.

People were dying and your biggest worry was playgrounds. You can get a $100-200 swing set for your backyard. No backyard, go to a friends house.

Literally no one was dying of covid from open playgrounds. Don't be ridiculous.

Of course a kid could get Covid and bring it home to a parent or grandparents.

Then cite an example of playground-transmitted covid.

Outdoor playgrounds were a ridiculously low-risk setting. It is ridiculous that Travis Gayles kept them closed in MoCo over the "sanitization" requirement he had the county institute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly at this point who cares. We did the best we could under a unique and heretofore inexperienced event. This is for scientists to be studying to plan for future pandemics. Getting angry now is ridiculous.

The problem is we weren’t allowed to ask questions and dissenting views were discouraged. Anytime you’re not allowed to ask questions or push back on something you should be concerned. The climate at the time didn’t allow questioning of precautions.

We were there. No one was banned from asking questions. You are entitled to your opinion, not entitled to everyone agreeing and respecting it.

Right here on DCUM Jeff deleted threads/posts regularly if they questioned vaccine effectiveness. And I'm not talking wacky conspiracy theories about 5G or spoons sticking to your injection site, but hey these vaccines aren't preventing transmissions and infections conversations.

Yep. Also remember any criticism, no matter how gentle, of Fauci got deleted and even got you temporarily banned.

There had never been an episode before in modern American history where suddenly, and without warning, there is this massive and complicated topic that came with only one correct view and opinion and all dissenting voices were banned, censored, and completely shut out, no matter how valid their points may have been and no matter how often the "correct opinion" was often wrong and flawed.

I don't remember if I got banned, but I even had posts deleted and a thread locked for simply calling attention to Fauci's own admissions.