The devastating consequences of Covid lockdowns | Professor Jay Bhattacharya

In September 2022, the Institute of Public Affairs invited Stanford Professor Dr Jay Bhattacharya to Melbourne to discuss the devastating impacts of Covid lockdowns. In the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours, former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews received Australia’s highest honour, despite presiding over the world’s longest lockdowns, and despite the fact Victorians still do not know the truth of what was decided behind closed doors. Lockdowns closed schools and playgrounds, shuttered businesses, and barred international travel. They forced elderly people to die alone. Lockdowns cancelled screening and even treatment for cancer patients and made sure that diabetics skipped their check-ups and regular exercise. IPA research has confirmed that the lockdowns and restrictions have had a far greater impact on life and our economy than the pandemic itself. We cannot live in the past; however, we must also learn the hard lessons from Australia’s failed Covid response to ensure these gross errors never happen again. We deserve to know what went on during the pandemic and only a joint Royal Commission including the Commonwealth and State Governments can achieve this. Dr Bhattacharya is one of the world's leading public health experts and was an author of the Great Barrington Declaration, he explained the need for a full and honest accounting and acknowledgement of the harm done so the mistakes made are never repeated. To find out more about the IPA’s research or to become a member visit https://ipa.org.au/ If you would like to support more content like this, please consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://members.ipa.org.au/donate/