Assistant Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz warned Tuesday of the potential public health consequences of coronavirus lockdowns, urging an increased focus on mental health.
“As my physician colleagues on the task force have been careful to rightly note, their perspective and advice centers on one aspect of the pandemic: virus containment,” Katz said. “However, even medically it is not the sole perspective.”
Katz is both an infectious disease expert and a psychiatrist, and urged governors across the country to take into account the mental health toll the lockdowns have taken on many Americans. (RELATED: FLASHBACK: Jan.21: Fauci Says Coronavirus ‘Not A Major Threat’ To U.S.)
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“Never did I imagine the nation would be experiencing the coinciding of mental health issues and infectious disease my training addressed,” Katz said. “The research literature is clear on the effects of quarantine and stay-at-home practices on mental health. We know that the longer the duration of these orders, the greater intensity of mental health problems experienced.”
“We also know that these symptoms persist for years to come even once quarantine is lifted. The data tell us when the lives of adults, children and families are drastically changed for extended lengths of time, for many anxiety, depression and stress disorders will become manifest and will persist. These are real health conditions with potential long-lasting consequences that must be taken seriously.”
Katz asked the governors “how many more lives” the country was willing to sacrifice to contain the coronavirus. (RELATED: Politicians Keep Moving The Goalposts On When America Can Reopen)
“To put all this in perspective, I believe it is important to point out that pre-pandemic, we lose 120,000 lives a year to drug overdose and suicide. How many more lives are we willing to sacrifice in the name of containing the virus?” Katz asked.
“I ask you to remember, not every home is a safe home. Not every individual can withstand the trauma of not seeing or interacting physically with loved ones. Not every parent can survive the anguish of not being able to feed their children because of lost employment. Not every child can exist in a healthy way without the structure and support of school. We have to take a step back and recognize the other effects of our policies.”
A study published earlier this month projected that the U.S. would experience 75,000 “deaths of despair” as a result of the coronavirus lockdowns. These deaths include suicide, drug overdoses and poverty-related deaths.