RIGHT SPEAK: Boris Johnson: I am no longer sure ‘medieval’ Lockdowns Beat Covid; States, Local Governments Continue to Spend Pandemic Aid as Deadline Looms, and other C-Virus related stories

Boris Johnson: I am no longer sure ‘medieval’ lockdowns beat Covid:

Boris Johnson has said he is “no longer sure” lockdowns played a decisive role in defeating Covid.

Describing the pandemic restrictions as “literally medieval in their savagery and consequences”, he likened himself to King Canute and questioned whether it was possible for government action to “repel the waves of a highly contagious disease”.

He has also said that he now believes Covid-19 emerged from a Chinese laboratory leak, rather than from transmission in a wildlife market.

The admission, revealed in extracts from his new memoir, Unleashed, indicates a significant change in thinking from the architect of arguably the most controversial peacetime policy in modern British history.

At the Covid inquiry last December, Mr Johnson acknowledged “appalling harms on either side of the decision” and issued a general apology for mistakes made.

But he has never before admitted to serious doubts about the effectiveness of lockdown.

Mr Johnson writes in the memoir, serialised in the Mail on Sunday, that he initially believed lockdowns were having a suppressing effect on the virus.

“It was only later that I started to look at the curves of the pandemic around the world - the double hump that seemed to rise and fall irrespective of the approaches taken by governments,” he said.

“There were always two waves, whether you were in China, where lockdowns were ruthlessly enforced, or in Sweden, where they took a more voluntary approach.”

He then added: “I am not saying that lockdowns achieved nothing; I am sure they had some effect. But were they decisive in beating back the disease, turning that wave down? All I can say is that I am no longer sure.” --->READ MORE HERE

States, local governments continue to spend pandemic aid as deadline looms:

States and local governments continue to spend the $350 billion given out by the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Congressional watchdog report found that states have obligated 84% ($163.7 billion) and spent 60% ($117.3 billion) of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds as of March 31, the most recent data available. Local governments reported obligating 76% ($95.8 billion) and spending 60% ($75.8 billion) of the awards during the same period.

State and local governments that got SLFRF money through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 must obligate the money by Dec. 31, 2024, and generally have until Dec. 31, 2026, to spend it.

State and local governments used the vast majority of the money distributed through the program to replace revenue lost during the pandemic and deal with the negative effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the latest report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Most of the $117.3 billion in SLFRF awards the states reported spending was used to replace revenue or address the negative economic impacts of COVID-19. Figures show that states reported spending 45% ($53.2 billion) of their SLFRF awards to replace revenue and 39% ($45.5 billion) of their awards to address the negative economic impacts of COVID-19. --->READ MORE HERE