Are we headed for another round of ineffective and economically destructive lockdowns? Let’s jump in…
The pandemic is like the proverbial bad penny — it keeps showing up. As recently as June, experts (who have turned out to be not-so-expert) claimed that the pandemic was finally under control.
This did not mean there were no new cases or fatalities. Of course, there were some. It meant that the case rate and fatalities rate had fallen so low that the disease was something we could just learn to live with but did not have to fear. Mask mandates and lockdown orders were things we could put behind us. Life was finally getting back to normal.
Return of the New Abnormal?
Now, all of that happy talk is in doubt. A distinct fifth wave of increasing cases and fatalities has emerged, both in the U.S. and globally. Here in the U.S., the daily caseload has increased from only 3,700 on July 4, to almost 52,000 new cases on July 16, a 1,300% increase.
The U.S. has been averaging almost 30,000 new cases a day over the last seven days (ending Friday), up from around 11,000 cases a day a month ago, according to the CDC.
Fatalities have not increased as dramatically so far, partly because of better treatments and partly because any fatality increase tends to lag the caseload increase. Still, an increase in fatalities is to be expected.
This increase is being blamed on the “Delta variant” of the virus. Notwithstanding a lack of clear understanding of the science behind the increasing caseload, politicians and incompetent public health officials are demanding the same failed policy responses as they did in prior waves.
Authorities in the U.S. and elsewhere are reintroducing lockdowns, quarantines and mask mandates. These useless policies are being implemented in Australia, especially in Sydney.
On July 14, 2021, the Premier of Australia’s New South Wales extended the lockdown of Sydney by at least 14 days.This new lockdown is the latest in a series of lockdowns that have affected Australia’s largest city and financial center.
The Sydney lockdown is currently set to expire on July 30, but the Premier said the lockdown will only be ended when the number of new cases is close to zero.
There’s no assurance that will happen anytime soon. In fact, based on reliable mathematical models of how new outbreaks spread, (so-called waves, which can be local, national or global), no material reduction in the new case load should be expected before the end of August.
- Source, James Rickards
