Blair criticizes lockdowns in developing world, saying they caused more harm than good, in podcast interview

June 28, 2024 TruthUSA

The former Labour leader previously supported strict COVID-19 measures but has recognized the negative impacts of lockdowns on developing countries.

During an interview with podcast host Dwarkesh Patel, Sir Tony Blair stated that he now believes COVID-19 lockdowns in poorer nations “caused more harm than good.”

In a comprehensive interview focusing on leadership and AI, the former Labour leader, who once advocated for strict lockdowns, mentioned that COVID-19 was a serious issue but not as severe as some believed it to be.

He explained that governments faced the challenge of deciding the extent of restrictions required to combat the spread of the disease.

Anxiety

“Most governments attempted to strike a balance by implementing restrictions and gradually easing them over time,” he remarked.

However, he noted that one of the dilemmas was the lack of clear guidance for governments.

“They received scientific and medical advice, but had to weigh that against the economic needs and the concerns of many individuals who feared the economic repercussions of extended lockdowns,” he added.

“For developing countries, it could be argued that lockdowns possibly did more harm than good,” he further mentioned.

Humanitarian Fallout

The impact of lockdowns on poorer countries was devastating.

In June 2020, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned that the humanitarian fallout from COVID-19 would far outweigh the number of deaths caused by the virus itself.

This was partly due to the disruption of supply chains, especially with the closure of the commercial airline industry, which posed challenges for organizations like the World Food Programme (WFP) and other UN agencies.

The WFP reported a significant increase in acute food insecurity in countries such as Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Ethiopia, with the number rising to 265 million in 2020 from 135 million in 2019 due to the economic impact of COVID-19.

Sir Tony Blair, through his organization The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, provides advice to political leaders worldwide and has taken a firm stance on COVID-19 policies.

In 2021, he advocated for distinguishing between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals for both domestic activities and international travel.

He referenced a paper from The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change that proposed a “globally interoperable system of health passes” usable by border authorities and other entities within countries.

Regarding the potential creation of a two-tier society based on vaccination status, he emphasized the need for risk management decisions that may involve some level of differentiation.

Additionally, he suggested that the choice for addressing the pandemic was between strict lockdowns or widespread vaccination.

Lily Zhou contributed to this report.

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