COVID & Friendly Fire

You know what it is: When the weapons and strategies you employ to defeat your enemy end up harming your own people.

The weapons and strategies trained against COVID19, especially lockdowns and closures, are definitely causing great harm.

I want you to have some current facts, from secular experts in various field, about lockdowns and closures. Christians who decide to meet together in a worship setting are not ignoring medical science. In some ways, it is our governing authorities who are ignoring it, to the detriment of our society.

Dr. David Nabarro, envoy of the World Health Organization (WHO) now says, “Such restrictive measures should only be treated as a last resort. We in the World Health Organization do not advocate lockdowns as the primary means of control of this virus. The only time we believe a lockdown is justified is to buy you time to reorganize, regroup, rebalance your resources, protect your health workers who are exhausted, but by and large, we’d rather not do it.”

WHO initially supported lockdowns. Their current position isn’t a contradiction. They’ve had 9 months to learn about COVID19, and how best to control its spread.

In the October article, WHO listed two of the damaging effects of the lockdown strategy, including:

• A doubling of world poverty by next year.
• At least a doubling of child malnutrition.

https://nypost.com/2020/10/11/who-warns-against-covid-19-lockdowns-due-to-economic-damage/

In July, the UN released a report that estimated that the coronavirus pandemic could push up to 132 million people into hunger by the end of 2020.

“While it is too early to assess the full impact of the lockdowns and other containment measures, at least another 83 million people, and possibly as many as 132 million, may go hungry in 2020,” the agency added.

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/13/890398347/u-n-report-says-pandemic-could-push-132-million-people-into-hunger

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) noted, “By June 30, 2020, because of concerns about COVID19, an estimated 41% of U.S. adults had delayed or avoided medical care including urgent or emergency care (12%) and routine care (32%). Avoidance of urgent or emergency care was more prevalent among unpaid caregivers for adults, persons with underlying medical conditions, Black adults, Hispanic adults, young adults, and persons with disabilities.”

They are concerned that delayed or avoided medical care will increase morbidity and mortality associated with both chronic and acute health conditions.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6936a4.htm

Researchers say public health measures, like lockdowns, may have a “profound and long-lasting effect on mental health and will extend beyond those who have been affected by the virus.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54616688

Federal agencies and experts warn that a historic wave of mental-health problems is approaching: depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/05/04/mental-health-coronavirus/

The UN has described the worldwide increase in domestic abuse as a “shadow pandemic” alongside COVID19. It’s thought cases have increased by 20% during the lockdown, as many people are trapped at home with their abuser.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-53014211

There has been a rise in the number of minors contacting the National Sexual Assault Hotline to report abuse. That’s according to RAINN, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, which runs the hotline.

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/28/847251985/child-sexual-abuse-reports-are-on-the-rise-amid-lockdown-orders

Let’s look at a few economic consequences of the lockdowns. Reported by fortune.com in September, “More than 97,966 businesses have permanently shut down during the pandemic, according to Yelp.com’s Local Economic Impact Report.”

In that same article they noted that, “If economic trends continue at this rate, one in five business owners anticipates they won’t make it until the end of the year.”

https://fortune.com/2020/09/28/covid-buisnesses-shut-down-closed/

Yelp data also shows that 60% of business closures due to the lockdowns become permanent.

The following iconic retailers are among those who have filed for bankruptcy:

• Lane Bryant
• Brooks Brothers
• Chuck E. Cheese
• GNC
• J. Crew
• Men’s Warehouse
• Joseph A. Bank
• Neiman Marcus
• Pier 1 Imports
• California Pizza Kitchen
• Sur La Table
• Hertz
• Gold’s Gym
• Wendy’s
• Pizza Hut

You probably read that the Disneyland Resort laid-off 28,000 workers. They are about to lay-off a bunch more.

https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/disney-announces-second-round-of-layoffs/

Last (but not least), in our weekly Bible prophecy updates, we have been quoting notable world leaders who want the strict measures to continue because it gives them an unprecedented opportunity to restart the world’s government and economy. Their words, not mine.

Lockdowns and closures are not the only, or the most effective, weapons. There are medically sound alternatives, e.g., the Focused Attention approach suggested in the Great Barrington Declaration.

https://gbdeclaration.org/

The church is the single most essential “building” on the earth. I’m talking about the gathering of the local church as the earthly Temple of the Lord, Jesus Christ. I know; “The church is not the stick and mortar facility.” But when we meet in one:

We are each a living stone that the Lord places together with others present
(Ephesians 2:21; First Peter 2:5)

He walks in our midst, ministering to His people
(Revelation 1:12-13)

We are equipped by gifted men given to the church to go forth and do the work of the ministry
(Ephesians 4:11-12)

Our response to COVID19 has been measured according to actual expert recommendation, medically based, with this understanding that our gathering together is essential and that as we come together our Lord does also in a special way.