California’s Stringent Virus Lockdowns: Have They Done Any Good?

The so-called “guidance” that is moving governors to stringent virus restrictions is not actually stopping the spread as they maintain. The numbers don’t lie: in spite of ratcheting down the lives of their constituents, the number of cases of the CCP virus are still climbing in some states. That particularly applies to California.

Large scale physical distancing measures and movement restrictions, often referred to as ‘lockdowns’, can slow COVID‑19 transmission by limiting contact between people.

However, these measures can have a profound negative impact on individuals, communities, and societies by bringing social and economic life to a near stop. Such measures disproportionately affect disadvantaged groups, including people in poverty, migrants, internally displaced people and refugees, who most often live in overcrowded and under resourced settings, and depend on daily labour for subsistence.

World Health Organization

No kidding, WHO. Destruction of a vibrant economy is just one problem. The adverse emotional damage is a killer – suicides are up. Depression is rampant. Many people have been so bombarded with negativity that they are afraid to leave their homes.

What about Masks?

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Given the continual narratives of so-called “experts” that change with the direction of the wind, masks are not the be-all and end-all either. Sometimes they demand we wear them. Other times they claim they don’t do any good. The continual confusion coming from well known infectious disease docs like Fauci and Birx is enough to make you pitch that mask in the garbage can. (Please do use a garbage can. This watching birds running around with a paper mask around their talons is disheartening.)

In Florida, for example, most counties have so far bravely refused to implement mask mandates while others, usually in high population centers, have done so. Justin Hart and the team at Rational Ground (follow them on Twitter here – it’s worth it) just released a comprehensive data analysis of masked vs non-masked counties in the state. A total of 22 of 67 counties in the state have implemented a mask order at some point during the period of May 1 through December 15. It may not sound like many, but these include almost all of Florida’s largest metro areas. To be more than fair, if an area added a mask order at some point during the outbreak, the study’s authors gave a 14 day period to allow time for cases to begin subsiding. “Cases were summed for both mandate and non-mandate jurisdictions and adjusted per 100,000 people for days the mandates were or were not in effect,” wrote the authors, describing the methodology used.

If masks did even close to as advertised, one would expect to see the counties that went maskless to be absolute dumpster fires next to the counties that implemented mandates, right? At the very least, the numbers should favor the masked areas by more than a percentage point or two. So, how did it go? Yep, it was the Mask Cult’s worse nightmare:

“When counties DID have a mandate in effect, there were 667,239 cases over 3,137 days with an average of 23 cases per 100,000 per day. When counties DID NOT have a countywide order, there were 438,687 cases over 12,139 days with an average of 22 cases per 100,000 per day.”

Townhall

Notice anything odd? The states with a mask mandate had slightly fewer cases than those with more stringent virus restrictions.

According to Politico, people are questioning the “science” behind the rigid lockdowns. Even an LA judge told Los Angeles to prove the “science” in a recent court ruling. Courts have recently allowed certain churches to resume indoor services and relaxed rules on opening playgrounds and grocery store capacity.

Nationally, there has been a kaleidoscopic application of every imaginable type of lockdown order with California being the most restrictive and inflicting the most devastation on small businesses and the most economically vulnerable service workers. And still, we are none the better as far as COVID is concerned. In fact in L.A. where indoor and outdoor dining are completely shut down, with indoor dining [closed] since July, the virus rages on.

California Restaurant Association President and CEO Jot Condie to Politico

By the way, did you know that the CDC reports that “Seasonal influenza activity in the United States remains lower than usual for this time of year.” Gee I wonder…