Lockdown Effectiveness Studies Roundup

We are going to be arguing about the COVID-19 lockdowns for a long time. It’s the kind of topic that gives academics and pundits alike lots of variables to play with. They can reach whatever conclusion they want — and they’re bound to take advantage of the situation, because extraordinary claims require extraordinary . . . media coverage.

But as the lockdowns end, I wanted to offer a brief overview of the work that’s already been done, specifically on the question of whether lockdowns reduce the toll of the virus. Of course, this is just one piece of the puzzle, because lockdowns also harm the economy, damage mental health, and sometimes discourage important medical care. It will probably be years before we even begin to put all that together.

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Robert VerBruggen

Robert VerBruggen is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

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We are going to be arguing about the COVID-19 lockdowns for a long time. It’s the kind of topic that gives academics and pundits alike lots of variables to play with. They can reach whatever conclusion they want — and they’re bound to take advantage of the situation, because extraordinary claims require extraordinary . . . media coverage.

But as the lockdowns end, I wanted to offer a brief overview of the work that’s already been done, specifically on the question of whether lockdowns reduce the toll of the virus. Of course, this is just one piece of the puzzle, because lockdowns also harm the economy, damage mental health, and sometimes discourage important medical care. It will probably be years before we even begin to put all that together.