Downriver Today

In recent months, people from both sides of the political aisle have argued about whether the government-mandated lockdowns and restrictions are worth the economic impact that they are having -- but one aspect of the lockdowns and restrictions that has not been so widely debated is the impact they are having on children.

According to a report by the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER), the lockdowns are having an impact on children that are far outside the scope of what many people may have considered. This nonprofit think tank has been hard at work in determining the noneconomic impact of the lockdowns on society and the development of children, who are most affected by the restrictions. 

The Michigan state government seems dedicated to the idea of lockdowns and restrictions as a way to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more restrictions and closures being announced in November. The latest round of lockdowns is set to last for three weeks, which many believe could be even more harmful to both the economy and the mental state of adults and children.

“In the debate over coronavirus policy, there has been far too little focus on the costs of lockdowns. It’s very common for the proponents of these interventions to write articles and large studies without even mentioning the downside," says the AIER report.

The unstated negative effects of the lockdowns include rising mental health issues in Americans, increased substance abuse, increase in suicidal thoughts, increase in emergency room visits due to mental health, decrease in breast cancer diagnosis -- and perhaps most striking -- lowered life expectancy in children as a result of the pandemic and the stress that was induced by the situation. 

The Institute calls its findings "The Great Barrington Declaration," which claims that state and federal officials are failing to analyze the entire scope of their actions and that those actions will likely cause negative effects for years to come, in terms of public health. The declaration has been signed by thousands of health care professionals around the country.