Stronger COVID Restrictions Saved Lives, Per Study

A study published in JAMA Health Forum reveals that stronger COVID-19 restrictions could have significantly reduced pandemic deaths in the U.S. If all states had adopted the strict policies of the 10 most restrictive states, excess deaths between July 2020 and June 2022 might have been 10-21% lower.

 

The analysis highlights that mask mandates, particularly in schools, and vaccine requirements were strongly associated with lower mortality rates, while the absence of such mandates correlated with higher deaths. Though the study can't definitively prove causation, it underscores that stringent COVID-19 measures likely saved lives and stresses the importance of targeted public health policies in reducing mortality during pandemics. Read more from JAMA here.