Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries implemented a lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. In 2020, more than half of the world’s population was in lockdown, where they couldn’t leave their homes. However, despite the efforts of governments, cases are still increasing rapidly, and more than 5 hundred million people have been infected by the virus. Continuous protests are occurring around the world to stop the lockdowns, and some people are simply ignoring the lockdowns, causing more infections to occur. So, were the lockdown regulations worth it in the end? The current situation and data prove that the lockdowns were ineffective or necessary and ultimately failed to work, providing no effective results.
During the first phase of the lockdowns, it was very effective; it brought many positive effects to society. According to a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, public mobility in the US decreased by about 90%, and vehicle traffic was reduced by 40%. Also, the global demand for coal decreased by 8%, and the demand for electricity decreased by 30%. Furthermore, lockdowns reduced the emissions of nitrous oxides by 20 to 30%. The decrease in these harmful gas emissions proves that the lockdowns were improving air pollution and benefiting the environment. The lockdowns also gave individuals to spend more time with their family and do enjoyable activities. A survey by World Economic Forum states that 67% of participants had more time to do entertaining things, and 53% were able to spend more time with their partner or spouse. Overall, the lockdown was implemented in order to reduce the number of daily cases and prevent further outbreaks. Even though there were numerous benefits of the lockdowns, the negative effects outweigh the positive effects.
The lockdowns brought disruption to the society. Currently, there are many protests and movements against lockdowns. An example of this would be the protests occurring in Shanghai. Shanghai has been on lockdown for more than a month since March 1, 2022. On April 8, 2022, there were multiple social media reports of people shouting from their windows, expressing their rage and discomfort. Since they were on full lockdown, they could not buy necessities, and those who were out of food had to protest for more. Furthermore, the lockdowns with the combination of a global pandemic also caused an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes around the world. Since people were unhappy about the concerns relating to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the forced lockdowns they were in, they started blaming the Asian people for the pandemic and their misery. According to a study by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, anti-Asian hate crime increased by 339% in 2021 compared to the year before, in major cities in America. According to the study, New York City had a drastic rise of a 343% increase. San Francisco and Los Angeles also experienced a huge increase of 567% and 173% each. The increase shows the severity of Asian hate crimes these days, and how the lockdowns bring more disruption and racism to the society.
Lockdowns did not only trigger social disturbances in the public, but they also impacted the business sectors around the world. Businesses in the UK also reported their sales were 21% lower and their investment was 26% lower during the lockdowns; some industries were more affected by the lockdowns than others. Industries that rely on personal activities, like gyms and food services, experienced a 50% decrease in their sales. In addition, prices for packaged goods have increased by more than 22%, and manufacturing wages and labor costs rose to 20%. Both individuals and companies are affected by this increase; some individuals will not be able to afford certain products, and companies will also spend more. Overall, many businesses and citizens are experiencing challenges from lockdowns, bringing upon unnecessary impacts that cause an imbalance in a peaceful society.
They can also negatively impact one’s health and well-being. During lockdowns, people are separated from society; this can cause mental issues. Jo Adetunji, an editor in The Conversation UK, created a review of all the studies on mental health conducted during the first year of COVID-19. It consisted of 33 studies conducted on about 132,000 people around the world. In the review, they discovered that social restrictions, including lockdowns, almost doubled people’s chances of suffering mental symptoms. They also found that the odds of people experiencing depression increased by 4.5 times, the odds of having stress increased by 1.5 times, and the probability of loneliness almost increased by 2 times. The results clearly show how lockdowns can impact one’s mental health. Not only do lockdowns negatively affect mental health, but they can also affect people’s physical health, too. As people stay at home, they will often experience limits in physical activity, which can also bring many harms to people’s physical health. According to the CDC, lack of physical activity can bring many health problems including heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. The lockdown’s main purpose was to prevent the pandemic from spreading. Although it might have achieved the goal, it has caused a consequence of people becoming unhealthier.
Currently, many countries are under lockdown due to COVID-19, while some are changing their guidelines. Although having the lockdowns may be beneficial in some ways, their disadvantages clearly outweigh the advantages. COVID-19 is causing many problems for both individuals and society. It is causing more disruption in society and businesses, and increased health issues. In order to prevent these serious problems from occurring, governments must start releasing and changing their COVID-19 restrictions.
Sources
1. National Library of Medicine, “Positive environmental effects of the coronavirus 2020 episode: a review”
2. Lynn Williams, World Economic Forum, “Lockdown has led to positive change for some people. Here’s why.”
3. Kimmy Yam, NBC News, “Anti-Asian hate crimes increased 339 percent nationwide last year, report says”
4. Lena Anayi, Nick Bloom, Philip Bunn, Scarlet Chen, Paul Mizen, Myrto Oikonomou, Gregory Thwaites, Pawel Smietanka. “Update: Which firms and industries have been most affected by Covid-19?”
5. Laura Knox, Gery C. Karantzas, Daniel Romano, Judith A. Feeney, Jeffry A. Simpson.
“One year on: What we have learned about the psychological effects of COVID-19 social restrictions: A meta-analysis”
6. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “Physical Inactivity”
Submitted for John Locke Institute Essay Competition 2022 / Received "Commendation"
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