There would be more suicides and deaths due to postponed medical examinations, neglected elderly care, etc. Some also claim that people have died out of sheer panic.
In the following I will refute this collateral damage thesis using the example of Spain. /3
I used the results of this epidemiological study as a basis for my analysis:
https://www.mscbs.gob.es/ciudadanos/ene-covid/docs/ESTUDIO_ENE-COVID19_INFORME_FINAL.pdf
I also used data from the following report on excess mortality:
https://www.isciii.es/QueHacemos/Servicios/VigilanciaSaludPublicaRENAVE/EnfermedadesTransmisibles/MoMo/Documents/informesMoMo2020/MoMo_Situacion%20a%2021%20de%20septiembre_CNE.pdf
/9
IMHO: The lockdown in Spain has saved many thousands of lives. Nevertheless, I am of the same opinion as Tomas Pueyo. Because of the second wave, a new nationwide lockdown is currently not necessary in Spain or anywhere else in Europe. /18
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RT @tomaspueyo
What's going on in Europe? Is there a 2nd wave? What can we expect in the coming weeks? Thread.
Europe had a terrible 1st wave, beat it at the beginning of the summer, but wasn't…
https://twitter.com/tomaspueyo/status/1302215472415297536
If you prefer to read the results of the Spanish epidemiological study in English, here is an article in The Lancet:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31483-5/fulltext
Why Spain?
1. there was a huge excess mortality in Spain
2. Spain had the strictest lockdown in Europe
The points 1. and 2. seem to confirm the collateral damage thesis. /4
63% excess mortality in Spain between 11 March and 9 May 2020: