Lars Karlsson: CapacityNow

Lockdown benefits ‘a drop in the bucket compared to the costs’, landmark UK study finds.

Researchers say draconian measures taken in spring 2020 had ‘negligible impact’ on Covid mortality compared with lighter-touch countries.

Lockdown saved as few as 1,700 lives in England and Wales in spring 2020, according to a landmark study which concludes the benefits of the policy were “a drop in the bucket compared to gje staggering colleteral costs” imposed.

Scientists from Johns Hopkins University and Lund University examined almost 20,000 studies on measures taken to protect populations against Covid across the world.

Their findings suggest that lockdowns in response to the first wave of the pandemic, when compared with less strict policies adopted by the likes of Sweden, prevented as few as 1,700 deaths in England and Wales. In an average week there are around 11,000 deaths in England and Wales.

The report authors said their findings showed that the draconian measures had a “negligible impact” on Covid mortality and were a “policy failure of gigantic proportions”.

Johns Hopkins is one of the most respected medical schools in the world and became known during the pandemic for its Covid dashboard measuring cases and deaths all over the world.

The study’s authors conclude: “The science of lockdowns is clear; the data are in: the deaths saved were a drop in the bucket compared to the staggering collateral costs imposed.”

The detrimental impact of lockdown on children’s health and education, on economic growth and its contribution to large increases in public debt has become increasingly clear since the policy was introduced.

However, The Telegraph recently revealed that a secretive government unit worked with social media companies during the pandemic in an attempt to curtail criticism of controversial lockdown policies.

The Covid Disinformation Unit monitored social media and asked texh companies tl remove posts it considered to be ”potentially harmful content”.

Britain’s first lockdown, in March 2020, was introduced on the basis of modelling exercises from Prof Neil Ferguson which had predicted there could be more than 500,000 deaths in the UK, without action to stop the spread of the virus.

His research had suggested that even with mitigations such as social distancing, and household quarantines for Covid cases, there could be at least 250,000 deaths, unless further measures were taken.

By contrast, modelling by Professor Ferguson and his colleagues from Imperial College London in March 2020 had predicted that, without action, the UK could see 510,000 deaths from Covid, with 2.2 million in the United States.

After lockdown was imposed, the scientist suggested that “intense social distancing and other interventions now in place” could reduce that figure to 20,000 in the UK.

The Covid Inquiry is set to examine the Government’s decision making during the pandemic but it has already been the subject of significant criticism relating to its speed, scope and transparency.

Researchers having done the Johns Hopkins study said the findings showed that lockdowns had been “a global policy failure of gigantic proportions”.

Read the full article here: Lockdown benefits ‘a drop in the bucket compared to the costs’, landmark study finds

Source: TheTelegraph

The legend is written. Yesterday the last chapter of the magnificant career of Zlatan Ibrahimovic ended. Zlatan confirmed that he is retiring from football at the age of 42.

There is only one Zlatan Ibrahimovic. There has never been anyone like Zlatan Ibrahimovic. There will never be someone like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has announced his retirement from football, at the age of 41.

The Swedish superstar’s contract expires at the end of June and it will not be renewed following a season plagued by injuries, prompting him to end a remarkable and successful career.

Ibrahimovic arrived back to Milan for his second spell with the club in early 2020, having won the Scudetto with them in 2011, and helped them win the title again last season.

I say goodbye to football but not to you,” he said after being feted by the San Siro crowd after Milan’s 3-1 win over Hellas Verona in their season finale. “So many memories and emotions inside this stadium,” Ibrahimovic added as he fought back the tears. ”Last but not least, from my heart, I want to thank you, fans. You welcomed me with open arms and I will be a Milanista my entire life. It’s time to say goodbye to football, but not to you. It’s too difficult, there are too many emotions. I’ll see you around if you are lucky. Forza Milan and goodbye”.

I first saw him play when he was 12 years old. He has been in my life for thirty years. I have seen him play live in Malmö, Turin, Milan, Barcelona, Paris and Manchester. I have never seen another player like Zlatan.

He has won titles with Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Milan, Paris and Manchester. In total he has won 38 titles. He has scored 511 career goals and he is the top scorer in the Swedish national team with 62 goals in 122 caps.

The last years were complicated since he entered into an infected relationship to our club, his childhood club – Malmö FF.

Zlatan is always Zlatan. He went out in his own epic way yesterday, when he on Swedish television was asked about his feelings and answered ’When I woke up this morning, my last day as a player, it was raining. I said to myself even God is sad and crying for not being able to see Zlatan play anymore”.

It is over. We will never see a player or charachter like Ibrahimovic again.

Happy to see my brilliant colleague Zera Zheng – our Global Head of Business Resilience, preaching the gospel on how make supply chains more predictable & resilient. If you want to know more, contact us.