Drink Up People. It’s Time To Go Home… At 10:00PM

Let’s start with the basics. There’s no evidence that lockdowns work to stop the spread of coronavirus. None.

This is not guesswork. After ten months of the pandemic, we have data from more than 20 major countries around the world that have tried lockdowns in various forms. The lockdowns range from extreme (as happened in Victoria, Australia) to moderate (Sweden) to non-existent (South Dakota).

The results are striking. There was no material difference in caseloads or fatality rates, regardless of what kind of lockdown was used. In some cases, an extreme lockdown reduced the spread for a short period of time. But, sooner than later, the virus returned.

Lockdowns may briefly shift the caseload from one time period to another, but they do not change the total caseload over time. Meanwhile, lockdowns kill.

The lack of socialization during a lockdown leads to drastically increased rates of suicide, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and other deadly behaviors. Many people with other diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, avoid treatment for fear of contagion in hospitals and end up dying as a result.

Apart from deaths caused by lockdowns, there are huge costs from a mental health perspective including depression, anxiety, and anger. Families are separated (at best) and are being torn apart (at worst) due to the separation and stress of lockdowns.

The economic damage is vast and undeniable. There’s nothing wrong with simple precautions such as hand-washing, social distancing, and mask-wearing, although there’s good evidence that masks don’t work either. But, those steps are low cost and people easily adapt to them.

Lockdowns are extreme, don’t work, and come at an enormous cost. They’re mostly virtue signaling for clueless politicians and even more clueless reporters who egg them on.

This article highlights the latest sad chapter in the lockdown saga. Restaurants and bars have been among the hardest hit of the small businesses that have been under attack with senseless lockdown rules. In New York City, the latest rule is a 10:00 pm curfew or closing time.

Does the virus go to sleep at 10:00 pm? Does contagion take a time out as the clock strikes ten? Of course not. A curfew makes no sense. But, it does prevent restaurant owners from having two seatings or actually making a small profit from a nightcap or extra glass of wine.

It also has deleterious health effects because owners have to crowd in their clients during a reduced time frame instead of stretching out the same clients over the course of a longer evening. We already knew politicians and bureaucrats were dumb, but the curfew puts a finer point on it.

Lockdowns don’t stop the spread of coronavirus but they do destroy the economy. Investors should take note.

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