The Corona Dilemma, as described by economist Paul Frijters, The London School of Economics
"I'm truly worried the (lockdown) approach is going to devastate economies and the future for our children and our grandchildren," says Joffe, who has practised at the Stollery for 25 years and has now written a review paper on the impacts of the lockdown.
The cost of lockdowns in Canada is at least 10 times higher than the benefit in terms of population health and well-being, he estimates, at least if you account for numerous variables such as economic recession, social isolation and impacts on life expectancy, education and the full gamut of health-care priorities.
If you look at the issue worldwide, lockdowns will cause at least five times and, more likely, as much as 50 times more harm than benefit.
Many public health experts continue to implement mandatory lockdowns, as seen recently in Ontario and Quebec. But Joffe no longer supports most such measures, which is an about-face from his position in March.
Comment: Meanwhile, there is this bit of correspondence from Ellen Townsend, published the Lancet: