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By Tim Hunt

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About this blog: I am a native of Alameda County, grew up in Pleasanton and currently live in the house I grew up in that is more than 100 years old. I spent 39 years in the daily newspaper business and wrote a column for more than 25 years in add...  (More)

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Is the lockdown really the best policy?

Uploaded: Oct 29, 2020
A friend of mine who works as a campus supervisor at a Pleasanton middle school is back on campus proctoring a group of four students as part of the district’s pilot re-opening program.

He’s responsible for ensuring that the students are logged into their classes. He noted two important things:
1. All four are delighted to be back on campus.
2. When the program started two weeks ago, it was the first time this semester that started in August that two of the students had logged into classes.
If they hadn’t “attended” since August, you can imagine how active they were in school between March and May last year.

This anecdote speaks to a distressing broader trend—just how much more difficult the COVID-19 shutdown has been to some students, particularly those of color and with lower incomes. California schools already have a huge achievement gap between Asian and White students and Hispanic and Black students. The shutdown magnified the gap that potentially has lifetime impacts in terms of educational achievement and earnings.

Students, particularly elementary aged, need to get back into classrooms ASAP.

The school lockdowns are part of the lockdown established by many governors, including His Highness Newsom, who argued they are following “the science.” That assumes the science is established and it’s clearly not.

Take, for instance, the Great Barrington Declaration, that has been signed by more than 3,500 scientists. It’s critical of the “cure being worse than the disease,” arguing that the lockdowns have destroyed many economies. It’s been challenging enough for lower income Americans, but consider the plight of 3rd World countries where people have been unable to work and the poor have just gotten poorer. An in-depth interview with the Barrington authors in last weekend’s Wall Street Journal 130 million poor people in the 3rd World are facing starvation.

The Barrington Declaration argues for “focused protection” on vulnerable people and allowing the rest of society to get on with their lives. Big social media platforms initially blocked distribution presumably because it offered a viewpoint contrary to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control.

Listening yesterday to Pastor Ray Johnston speak on the Thrive weekly webinar, I thought he put it right. Granite Bay Church has modified its worship center with six-foot round tables to ensure social distancing and requires masks entering and leaving the center. It is ignoring Newsom’s absurd mandate of a maximum of 100 people or 25% of capacity, whichever number is lower. Mandating no more than 100 people in an auditorium that seats 1,000 is silly. If more than 100 show up at Granite Bay, they are welcome.

He made a more significant point. The lockdown is having profound mental health impacts on people. The Bay Area had more suicides in the last four weeks than it had in all of 2019 and 12% of Americans in one survey said they were considering suicide.

Simply stated, “More people are dying from the restriction than are dying from COVID itself,” he said. As a pastor, he is called to shepherd his flock and doing that remotely is a huge challenge.

Local Journalism.
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Comments

Posted by the_real_anon, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Oct 29, 2020 at 8:59 am

the_real_anon is a registered user.

"The Great Barrington Declaration"

The costs were paid for by the American Institute for Economic Research, a libertarian think tank that is part of a Koch-funded network of organizations associated with climate change denial.

Of course.


Posted by Lahommed, a resident of Dublin,
on Oct 29, 2020 at 9:24 am

Lahommed is a registered user.

Sooner or later we must open up there is no other alternative. We have more information and know how to combat this virus better then we did 7 months ago. We can and will defeat this virus. No communist country or any country for that matter must never be allowed to infect other countries like China did to America and the world. With the possibility of a vaccine in our midst we must forge on. America did in the past, will do now and will do in the future!


Posted by Rich Buckley, a resident of Livermore,
on Oct 29, 2020 at 9:28 am

Rich Buckley is a registered user.

Thank you for demonstrating the courage to tackle this complex issue. I plan to repost with credits to you of course.


Posted by the_real_anon, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Oct 29, 2020 at 9:46 am

the_real_anon is a registered user.

"The Great Barrington Declaration"

Anthony Fauci, the director of the American National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and lead member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, called the declaration "ridiculous", "total nonsense" and "very dangerous", saying that it would lead to a large number of avoidable deaths.


Posted by the_real_anon, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Oct 29, 2020 at 9:51 am

the_real_anon is a registered user.

"The Great Barrington Declaration" is a single page document. AUFKM. Tim, remove this from your article. It is total BS. There is no "science" in a single page document.


Posted by Kevin, a resident of Castlewood,
on Oct 29, 2020 at 8:29 pm

Kevin is a registered user.

85,000 infections and over 1000 deaths in the US today Thursday October 29th. And cold weather is just starting. We are not rounding the corner. We are crashing. Tim, you must be watching Trump rallies. He is lying. His own scientists are saying the cases are up because of higher positivity rate. Tim, don't spread Trump lies. Don't be a loser Trump follower! This is a novel virus and science is getting better in its understanding of this virus. But it does not mean we should ignore science. How about if congress and Trump fund the states so they can open safely when positivity rate is low in the Communtiy and schools and businesses put in proper safeguards.


Posted by Kevin, a resident of Castlewood,
on Oct 29, 2020 at 8:33 pm

Kevin is a registered user.

South Dakota has a positivity rate of almost 50%. It is not just big democratic states.

Tim, go back to praying at your church and stop spreading lies.


Posted by Jake Waters, a resident of Birdland,
on Oct 29, 2020 at 9:20 pm

Jake Waters is a registered user.

Please don't listen to this guy @Kevin. He is making accusations that are not true and he can't even begin to articulate facts to support his claims. This lockdown has already been refuted by First Line Doctors and The World Doctors Alliance. The death rate for this China Virus has already been revealed as inaccurate and disingenuously reported for political means. Herd Immunity is the course of action that needs to be pursued. This constant blaming of Trump as the cause is due to ignorance, hatred, disinformation, and political manipulation. Let the deniers comment with their furry, for I am so tired of this subject. It changes nothing. Our only hope to end this madness and Gavin Newsom's insane polices is for Trump to win another term. If Biden takes this election we are in a perpetual free-fall of restrictions our generation has never seen. God help us defeat Biden.


Posted by Rich Buckley, a resident of Livermore,
on Oct 30, 2020 at 6:07 am

Rich Buckley is a registered user.

10/30/2020 Dr. Fauci should be exonerated or indicted.

Web Link


Posted by Rich Buckley, a resident of Livermore,
on Oct 30, 2020 at 6:57 am

Rich Buckley is a registered user.

Dr. Fauci should be exonerated or indicted

Web Link

The direct link to the published 62 page report is:

Web Link

SPIRITUAL COMPONENT:

Yes, I have come to believe Dr Fauci represents evil. Furthermore the issues covered in the 62 Page report have been studied over many months, much of it cited and posted right here on Livermore Closer To Truth open room. Just as Dr Fauci is dedicated to his elite Jesuit priest-like training, apparently following a dark agenda as his spiritual guide, I believe he is here to test humanity. He serves a much greater purpose than his job title. He probably can not see himself as I see him. This test of humanity is individuated within each of us. The test is asking us to turn inward and come to grips with our heart energies. As we collectively decide inside so will be the world outside. I have come to see and treat his evil with compassion.

What does treating evil with compassion mean?

Perhaps first study the 62 Page report linked above. Then let's discuss it.


Posted by Willy, a resident of Old Towne,
on Oct 30, 2020 at 9:18 am

Willy is a registered user.

It would appear that quite a few people making comment here do not understand economics! OPEN UP THE ECONOMY NOW AND SAVE OUR COUNTRY AS WE HAVE KNOWN IT!


Posted by Becky Dennis, a resident of Foxborough Estates,
on Oct 30, 2020 at 10:07 am

Becky Dennis is a registered user.

Our country, with its values of supporting life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all people is not the same thing as the U.S. economy, which has changed fit different national circumstances over time. The shape of economic opportunity should adjust to support national values for all our citizens. Please,let's not embrace public health policies which endanger citizen lives in order to preserve commerce. There are, and always have been, new business opportunities that emerge from natural, unavoidable challenges we face as a nation. Time for entrepreneurs to get creative, and for government to support those efforts. In today's mobile, highly populated world, the current pandemic will not be the last pandemic. The good old days aren't coming back, but we could create even better, safer days if we focus on that goal.


Posted by the_real_anon, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Oct 30, 2020 at 10:09 am

the_real_anon is a registered user.

@Rich,

Qanon is calling my friend. Pick up the phone.


Posted by Kevin, a resident of Castlewood,
on Oct 30, 2020 at 11:26 am

Kevin is a registered user.

@Jake Waters

The truth hurts you and your racist president Trump. You all live in an alternate universe of truth. In many ways, I feel sorry for you because you have been tricked by this president. He sold you the Brooklyn Bridge and soon, you will realize you have been had.

Truth is cases and deaths are escalating. We will unfortunately see unparalleled levels of death from this virus. Deaths lag cases. Hospitals will be full and you will not be able to get regular health care such as colonoscopy.

DON'T BELIEVE TRUMP, TIM, JAKE, RICH, ALL OF THIS BS.


Posted by Kevin, a resident of Castlewood,
on Oct 30, 2020 at 1:47 pm

Kevin is a registered user.

Do you want facts to support my claims, check out the Fox News (Trump State TV station) web site link below. According to you Trump people, Fox and Sean Hannity and friends don't lie (BS). Check the statistics on the right side of the web page. You can even click on state to see the data for that state.

Web Link


Posted by kmary1, a resident of Country Fair,
on Oct 30, 2020 at 1:49 pm

kmary1 is a registered user.

Tim Hunt, you lost me at "His Highness Newsom." When you have to use branding or derogatory labels like our Liar-In-Chief, you lose all credibility. I'd suggest it's better to just make your point even if it is guided by economics and not safety, science or compassion.


Posted by MichaelB, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Oct 31, 2020 at 9:52 am

MichaelB is a registered user.

"Our country, with its values of supporting life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all people is not the same thing as the U.S. economy, which has changed fit different national circumstances over time. The shape of economic opportunity should adjust to support national values for all our citizens. Please,let's not embrace public health policies which endanger citizen lives in order to preserve commerce."


Please let's not embrace or fall for so called "progressive" politicians like Newsom demanding a racially motivated "equity index" before people who have been unemployed for months in the state are allowed to go back to work and open their businesses.


Posted by MichaelB, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Oct 31, 2020 at 10:12 am

MichaelB is a registered user.

"There are, and always have been, new business opportunities that emerge from natural, unavoidable challenges we face as a nation. Time for entrepreneurs to get creative, and for government to support those efforts."


Time for people to understand those supporting lockdowns at the state and federal level are often the same ones promoting/wanting the government to micromanage the economy for climate change, "green jobs", etc. Or until more goods/services are "free" and income distribution is "fair". This is completely the opposite of creativity, freedom, opportunity, and entrepreneurship.


Posted by Linda, a resident of Amador Estates,
on Nov 10, 2020 at 8:36 am

Linda is a registered user.

Whether this decision is correct or not, it will take a long time to debate. Now at the college, we were given assignments to write an argumentative essay regarding the quarantine policy, that is, to argue all the pros and cons. It's good when you can always go to Web Link and get help from a good writing service. In addition, I have read many articles, and now it is clear that people all over the world have their own reasons both to support quarantine measures and to oppose them.


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