Lockdowns Drive Us Crazy?

Dirk Richter (Bern University Hospital) and Lucy Foulkes (University College London) examine the government mantra that the UK lockdown must cease because of its negative impact on mental health (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/05/lockdown-mental-health-pandemic>). Richter and Foulkes concede that lockdown has certainly exacerbated mental health problems in the UK. They note, however, that failure to impose lockdowns would also have had mental health consequences. These are likely to have been worse than those linked to lockdowns. For example, more people would have been infected. Patients are often traumatised by hospital treatment, especially in intensive care units. Many of those infected by the virus would have developed Long Covid, also with associated mental health problems. There would have been more deaths, each resulting in mental health pressures on family members and friends. Richter and Foulkes suggest that, under the circumstances, lockdown was the least worst of the 2 available options. A better approach seems to have been to try to exclude the virus. This was attempted in Australia and South Korea, where it seems to have resulted in fewer deaths, less economic disruption and a reduced impact on mental health. The UK (mostly an island) was actually better placed to do something similar, than most of mainland Europe. It was effectively ruled out by the earlier decision to go for 'herd immunity' via infections. The UK was also keen to be seen as 'open for business' and didn't effectively close its borders. Richter and Foulkes clearly feel, there will be subsequent viral pandemics to deal with. They suggest the UK might, if it has learned from the experience, do better next time on mental health.