Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway said Wednesday that coronavirus lockdowns are “creating a pandemic within the pandemic,” noting increases in suicides and drug overdoses.
“We have this increase in mental health challenges and suicides and drug use because we are creating a pandemic within the pandemic and that all precious lives lost for whatever reason are precious lives lost,” Conway said during an appearance on Fox News.
Conway said the White House is “urging” governors to take into account mental health when deciding whether or not to reopen their state’s economy. (RELATED: FLASHBACK: Jan.21: Fauci Says Coronavirus ‘Not A Major Threat’ To U.S.)
“We’re urging these governors to each consider mental health and other maladies as part of the reopening plan,” Conway said. “It’s very heartbreaking to me to read the statistics and the anecdotes, the increase in child abuse, spousal abuse, drug abuse, mental health challenges … so many of these kids don’t have a safe place in another adult to go.”
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Conway’s comments echo those of Assistant Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, who warned at the White House Tuesday about the toll the lockdowns are taking on public health.
“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.
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, including suicides, drug overdoses, and deaths related to economic catastrophe.