First published: 05 January 2021
This is one of the most recent studies related to non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and the spread of COVID-19. Ultimately, the authors of the study concluded: “While small benefits cannot be excluded, we do not find specific benefits in case growth of more restrictive NPIs.”
The authors further suggested that “it is possible that stay-at-home orders may facilitate transmission...”
Stay-at-home orders increase person-to-person contact within households (closed spaces) where transmission is efficient. It requires only one family member to become infected outside of the home (i.e. from work, transit, shopping, another household) to potentially infect the entire household where family members are in close contact. To be effective, stay-at-home orders would require all family members to remain at home indefinitely, and to self-isolate for a predetermined period of time prior to returning home in order to avoid contact and potential transmission to other family members. Further studies are required in this area, but in my opinion, stay-at-home orders should be a last resort effort if mortality rates increase exponentially and ultimately exceed a predetermined percentage of the population in the absence of pharmaceutical measures and/or treatments.
On March 20, New York Governor ordered all “nonessential” businesses closed. He called the new policy New York State on PAUSE for “Policies that Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone.” The psychological warfare was in full effect.
In April 2020, three of the hospitals in close proximity to where I live (there are 11 major hospitals in my county) were near capacity with COVID patients. This claim is based upon firsthand accounts from family and friends who were employed in those hospitals. By April, the hospitals in my county placed moratoriums on non-emergency (elective) medical procedures due to the high rate of COVID patients. Parking lots were empty due to the fact that visitors were prohibited, and non-emergency procedures were halted. By May, the frequency of COVID patients began to diminish as the summer months approached. Throughout that time, public schools were closed, non-essential small businesses were closed, restaurants were providing takeout only, and large retail stores were limiting the number of customers in order to maintain “social distancing” of six feet between patrons. Also during that time, masks were mandated indoors, as well as outdoors where “social distancing” was unavoidable. It begs the question: Did the curve flatten due to the NPIs? Was it a correlation or a causation? More data and further studies are required to answer these questions.
By April 2, New York surpassed China in the number of cases. New York went from a single case on March 1 to more than 83,000 statewide and more than 2,300 dead on April 1.
On April 14, the New York City Health Department began counting “probable and not just confirmed COVID-19 deaths.” The new policy increased the nationwide death count by 17%. Note: NYS Department of Health did not begin counting “probable deaths” for nearly another month.
Personally, I do not accept the “stay-at-home” orders. What was done will never be reversed. There is no going “back to normal.” Not that what we had was great, it really wasn’t, but it was better than what is taking place now. There is no COVID-19 in reverse. The measures are harsh, and in some cases, detrimental to both physical and emotional health. Where I live, during the third week of March everything changed when the lockdowns took over. They nearly shutdown everything. Many things are still shutdown. Many mom-and-pops retired early. Many others lost their businesses. I know firsthand that Main Street was seriously affected. Millions lost necessary jobs. Countless others became homeless. Depression. Neglected medical procedures. Broken families. The list goes on. The effects are forever. By May, nearly 20,000 New Yorkers statewide either died from COVID-19 or they “probably” died from (or with) CVOID-19. In New York City, the number of daily cases, hospitalizations, and deaths includes probable cases and deaths. Probable. Think about that. I want to see some studies regarding the so-called “probable cases,” and whether the number of probable cases were potentially influenza or some other virus.
My sister is the head of speech pathology in a Connecticut hospital. She works in the COVID-19 unit every other week. We talked about influenza and she said that influenza started appearing in patients in early December. I asked her if her hospital was testing COVID-19 patients for influenza. She said no. I informed her that I was looking for studies related to COVID-19 and influenza. In particular, I was looking for data regarding the percentage of confirmed COVID-19 positive infections in people who also received the yearly flu vaccine. I was wondering if the flu vaccine had any effect whatsoever on the body’s immune response to SARS-COV-2. She was curious if there was any research suggesting the flu vaccine creates a decreased long-term immune response in healthy adults. At her hospital the following week she received a memo stating:
“Any patient who is known to have been exposed to COVID-19 or influenza or has symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or influenza shall be tested for both such diseases.”
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