Let's not forget the mass casualties of the covid RESPONSE

Part I: Lockdowns

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

The ‘Covid day of reflection’ took place on the 9^th of March 2025 to commemorate the victims of the ‘pandemic’. While it is right to honour the memories of those who perished as a result of a pathogen during the 2020-2022 covid event, my focus here will be on a much larger, and often forgotten, group of victims of this era: those who were harmed or killed by the range of unprecedented and non-evidenced responses to a presumed novel virus.

Because the ‘pandemic’ restrictions imposed by governments were multiple, and the associated harms pervasive, this essay will span three articles. This one will focus on the mass casualties of lockdowns, the second on the victims of fear inflation and mask requirements, and the third upon those impacted by the escalation of ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ orders, Midazolam prescribing, and the covid ‘vaccine’ rollout.

Generalised descriptions of the negative consequences of the extraordinary restrictions and practices witnessed during the covid event often fail to impress upon the reader the extent of suffering and turmoil endured by the victims of these draconian, government-led interventions. Therefore, I will draw heavily on individual testimonies - from the Scottish Covid Inquiry (SCI) and from other sources - in order to convey the depth of emotional impact of these impositions upon ordinary people.

Article 1: LOCKDOWNS

The political decisions to incarcerate healthy people in their own homes, to close businesses, and to shut down schools - which were at odds with any existing pandemic plans - caused widespread damage to communities, both in the UK and across the world. So five years on …

- Let’s not forget the 21,000 non-Covid excess deaths during the first UK lockdown, the and the millions who died in Asia as a direct consequence of this restriction.

‘In Southeast Asia, an elderly couple reliant on the village market died of hunger after the market was closed.’ (Dr. Thi Thuy Van Dinh, migrant worker)

- Let’s not forget the women and children who were murdered or maimed as a result of prolonged incarceration alongside an abusive partner or relative.

‘I was just ready to leave him when the lockdown came…There is no way out and no way to protect my daughter’ (Abuse victim)

‘When I got signed off work things got so much worse for me. Work was a safe place, home was not.’ (Abuse victim)

‘Bruising does not show up as well on darker skin so I sent police photos of bruising from strangulation from my abuser which could be seen on my phone faintly.’ (Abuse victim)

‘Isolation during [the] pandemic with no family support living close by has been devastating.’ (Abuse victim)

‘Children were undoubtedly in incredibly vulnerable places…some of them in households where there were multiple risks around…lack of access to school, nursery would have undoubtedly put them in a very vulnerable position.’ (Alistair Hogg, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) [a national body providing safety for children and young people most at risk] - SCI).

- Let’s not forget how lockdowns were centrally culpable for a torrent of suffering and despair, and spare a thought for: all those who were tormented with anxiety and depression; the swathes of children and young people whose mental health deteriorated; the kids admitted to hospital with eating disorders; those whose solitude tipped them over into psychosis; and the hopeless souls tormented with suicidal thoughts and driven to drug overdoses and self-annihilation.

‘My teenage daughter and her friends think lockdowns will never end and is starting to wonder what the point of anything is. We have been talking about her thoughts of suicide. I’m terrified.’ (Parent during lockdown).

‘My four-year-old son is hysterical. He’s in tears for the third time today trying to engage with online teaching.’ (Parent during lockdown).

‘I began to realise that I was much more social than I’d ever thought and having it all stripped away meant I didn’t have much left in my life … I struggle to live in what is a mad world with no rhyme or reason to it’ ’ (Gilbert, 19-year-old university student).

‘Every day is the same, and no matter how hard I squint, I simply cannot see a future on the horizon … I sometimes take the Xanax, too, when the fear settles in my chest and causes my heart to jump around. And it’s not lost on me that taking half the bottle could bring quick and relatively painless relief from this “new normal” … I cry in the shower every day – at least on the days I can bring myself to take a shower … There will come a point when continuing to live in this much pain is no longer a viable option.’ (Olivier, 19-year old college student).

Just 4 weeks into lockdown, the harms from the restrictions were becoming ‘increasingly disproportionate’ to that of the virus … ‘the depression psychologically … the deterioration physiologically of residents was palpable to those who were at the frontline’. (Dr Donald Mccaskill, Chief Executive of Scottish Care [a voice for care providers, their workforce & people who access care/support] - SCI).

‘The impact on people’s mental health has been pretty devastating ... Our current wellbeing service is bursting at the seams…half of the people are experiencing suicidal ideation.’ (Glasgow Disability Alliance -SCI)

‘I had a call from a relative of one gentleman in a care home who committed suicide because his daily walks had been stopped for six months.’ (Care Home Relatives Scotland Group - SCI).

‘In August my sister who is very close to my daughter and had spoken to her every day on video calls since the lockdown began emailed the care home manager to express her concern at the decline in my daughter's mental health. My daughter had told her that she was "on the floor" and my sister observed that every day my daughter looked more and more unwell and had talked to her of "giving up" … In October 2020, I was still raising the impact of my daughter's imprisonment on her mental health. She was desperate to be able to visit me in my home and to get out of the care home. As my daughter has a history of significant self-harming there was a high level of concern about her mental health … The Impact on my daughter was enormous. It was sad to know that she felt her home now felt like a prison … My daughter used to talk about her future. She doesn't do that anymore.’ (Verona Gibson, mother of a 39-year-old daughter with learning difficulties/mental health problems, residing in a care home – SCI).

‘In March 2020 lockdown was open-ended as far as anyone knew, and it was a time of enormous stress for all our members … Some members had, and still continue to have, real problems with their mental health … The first suicide was in the summer 2020, and the other two were within the period the Inquiry is looking at.’ (Tony Lenehan KC, Scottish Criminal Bar Association – SCI).

- Let’s not forget the thousands of people who drank themselves into oblivion during lockdowns, and those who died of liver disease or alcohol poisoning.

‘I was in a good place before lockdown, I was keeping fit, I was swimming five days a week, I was doing well at work and I was in a good mindset’. But during lockdown ‘I was drinking very early in the morning to stop withdrawal symptoms … I promised myself I wouldn't do it again tomorrow. Of course, the exact same thing happened the next day.’ (Chris McLone, Sales Manager from Teeside)

‘With the lockdown, I thought we were all going to die, so I got drunk for a week … I bought six bottles of wine, a bottle of vodka and a bottle of brandy. I just wanted to die. I really wanted to kill myself, I felt like I was a complete failure and there was no way forward… All I have left on my list is prison or death … The lockdown, it turned out, was the worst thing that could happen to anybody, especially for the alcoholics and addicts’. (Tracy, from Chelmsford)

- Let’s not forget all the babies/toddlers who were starved of human contact and suffered speech impairments, cognitive deficits, and reduced motor performance; the millions of infants and teenagers across the world whose education was suspended, and life chances diminished; and the 100,000 UK children who never returned to school after lockdown.

‘I realised my students’ focus had deteriorated during the school lockout. Their practical reading, writing & even social skills had suffered … Children have been shut away at home, unable to socialise or build up the independence necessary for existence in normal society.’ (Josephine Hussey, Primary School Teacher).

‘My [younger] sisters’ schools are still closed, as well. They haven’t seen the inside of a classroom for a year, and “remote learning” is nothing short of torture for little kids who need movement and play and interaction.’ (Olivier, 19-year old college student).

‘Children need new experiences to learn new words. There is a definite link between lockdown and the rising numbers of children with speech and language problems … This really is a dreadful situation that is not being taken seriously enough’ (Jane Harris, CEO of ‘Speech & Language UK’ – a children’s communication charity).

‘If you are struggling to talk, it is hard to make friends … this can have a lasting impact on your academic success and employment prospects that can last for decades’ (Sandra Chappell, Speech & Language Therapist).

- Let’s not forget all those elderly people in care homes who suffered neglect and the denial of medical treatment, many of whom died prematurely from stroke, cardiac problems, and other physical health conditions.

‘This was really quite harrowing…people were told with a day’s notice your care package will be completely stopped … I am very sure sadly this resulted in excess deaths that we experienced in that first year’ (Adam Stachura, Head of Policy and Communications with Age Scotland [an independent Scottish charity that runs a helpline for elderly people & their carers/families] - SCI)

After a couple of weeks of no contact with her mum in the locked down care home ‘I got my mum on the iPad. Well, she looked like a corpse. She looked absolutely terrible. Pure white, her hair all matted into the back of her head … I just kept thinking who's that woman lying there? That's not my mum, she couldn't even keep her eyes open … I told him [Care Home manager] that I wanted her in hospital now … said that he had been advised to not send patients to hospital’ (Micheline Kane, speaking of her 73-year-old mother with MS but full cognitive capacity, who died 8-weeks into lockdown in her care home - SCI).

‘Care home residents received inadequate medical care, ranging from GP services to more serious therapies and treatments, and were even refused admission to hospital’ (Simon Crabb, advocate, on behalf of Care Home Relatives Scotland Group - SCI).

When they removed dad from the nursing home after one week, ‘He wasn't eating or drinking … he hadn't been out of his bed … He looked like he was dying. He looked horrific and very changed in that one week period. He was acutely unwell and had delirium, which meant he was agitated and more confused than normal. He was in pain with his hip and terrified. He had a pressure wound on his backside that he didn't have before. His tongue was swollen and twice the size it had been, bright red and swollen mouth … Within four hours of Dad being home, he was in a blue light ambulance taking him to Inverclyde Royal Hospital… Dad had severe acute kidney injury is what they said so he was totally dehydrated … It was the neglect he got at the nursing home; I am more unhappy about.’ (Jaqueline Bartlett, Registered Nurse, talking about her father, a dementia & cancer sufferer, who died in Nov 2020 of ‘Covid-19 & aspiration pneumonia’ – SCI).

‘Those who would ordinarily have required hospital treatment were “stuck” in care homes. At one stage there was a resistance to provide health care to these individuals, even in acute situations … Managers could see significant deterioration in some residents, particularly with dementia, which might have been ameliorated’ (CrossReach, a social care organisation operated by the Church of Scotland Social Care Council – SCI).

‘There were a lot of agency staff in the care homes and the quality of care in many was poor… Advocacy workers were finding there were people sitting having soiled themselves, there was somebody wandering about with no clothes, patients not being moved correctly, medication not given’ (Ann Lafferty, The Advocacy Project, a human rights-based organisation – SCI)

- Let’s not forget all the elderly folk who suffered mental health problems and accelerated memory decline during lockdowns, the people of all ages whose cognitive abilities deteriorated, and the many who will have died prematurely as a result of social isolation and loneliness.

‘Imprisoning people for a year and isolating people in small rooms for weeks on end should have been challenged.’ (Care Home Relatives Scotland, a group of volunteers aiming to enhance quality of life of loved ones in care homes – SCI).

‘It was awful. Aunty does not like the cold, but we sat in the garden unable to touch in cold autumn afternoons once a week … trying to communicate with a white board to a deaf, near blind 92-year-old shivering’ (Marian Reynolds, former nurse: statement, talking about care home visits to her elderly, cognitively impaired aunt - SCI).

‘I was basically housebound and didn't leave the house for five and a half months’ (Derek Kelter, who has had a visual impairment for 45 years and suffered chronic asthma since a child – SCI).

Soon after the first lockdown of care homes ‘It was OBVIOUS the quality of life for residents had diminished to a great extent…their conditions got worse…they weren’t the same person they were just a number of weeks beforehand. There’s a rapid decline in their health … A lot of people have died a lot sooner than they otherwise would have or became a lot more ill than they would have because of isolation' (Adam Stachura, Head of Policy and Communications with Age Scotland [an independent Scottish charity that runs a helpline for elderly people & their carers] – SCI).

As a consequence of lockdowns/restricted visiting, residents ‘forgot who their families were … lost communication skills … gave up eating. Their communication decreased & their dementia got worse … the staff were so busy cleaning stuff that sometimes residents were just left’ (Duncan McDonald, manager of Erskine Care Homes [a group that suffered most ‘Covid deaths’ in Scotland’s care home sector] – SCI).

‘The adverse effect [of lockdowns] on residents' physical and mental well-being outweighed the risk posed by COVID-19’ (Independent Care Homes Scotland, closing statement – SCI).

‘They ALL gave up…we did lose them ALL… and their deaths weren’t actually from COVID directly…they didn’t actually keep on going. We had one chap…routine is so important in dementia...this chap went out every day for his lunch… suddenly he wasn’t able to…and he died shortly afterwards’ (Jayne Burnett, Manager of ‘Visiting Friends’ [a befriending network] – SCI).

‘Yet what were we doing to our elderly?...we were locking them up and keeping them away from the things that made them healthy’ (Susan Smith, hospice nurse, testimony – SCI).

‘People living with dementia died during the pandemic, not from COVID-19, but their lives were shortened because they did not understand what was going on and they gave up’ (Susan Smith, hospice nurse, witness statement – SCI).

‘The consultant said to us "More people are dying in homes because they are not allowed to see their loved ones than are dying of COVID” … As soon as lockdown was announced in March 2020, we were not allowed to see him. We never got to touch him for 6 months. We got to see him one time through a window, and he started to put his hand out, but he wasn't allowed to be touched … Seeing him through a window, it meant nothing to him … I never saw the inside of Deeside Care Home … I wasn't allowed to see him at all in the first few weeks. He was in isolation … I think that's why he deteriorated so quickly, he was kept in his room, confined to one room. For someone with dementia, who is used to walking around … Cause of death was aspiration pneumonia and unspecified dementia. He didn't have COVID’ (Diane Montgomery, wife of a dementia sufferer - SCI).

‘We had no access to mum during lockdown. My mum died on her own. I will never recover from that.’ (Micheline Kane, speaking of her 73-year-old mother with MS but full cognitive capacity, who died 8-weeks into lockdown in her care home – SCI).

‘The Inquiry is asked to acknowledge the number of residents that will have died alone, without any visits — around 16,000 in the first 12 months of the pandemic … The restrictions faced by care home residents, in particular the lack of meaningful contact with loved ones, caused significant mental and physical distress, and is likely to have contributed in a number of cases to cognitive and emotional decline, and even death … There was no understanding of what happens when people in care homes lose contact with those who are most important to them’ (Simon Crabb, advocate, on behalf of Care Home Relatives Scotland - SCI).

This time five years ago we were 18 days into the first lockdown (with two more months to endure) and with two further extended periods of incarceration on the horizon. It is therefore timely to remember the victims of this mass-casualty event, and to proclaim – to the global elite, to our politicians, to friends and family, to our public health ‘experts’, to anyone who might listen – that LOCKDOWNS MUST NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

[I am indebted to Dave, an independent researcher at BiologyPhenom, for drawing attention to the personal testimonies from the Scottish Covid Inquiry]