What a difference a few years make. In 2020, the mainstream media lauded Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his strong but compassionate COVID-19 leadership. He won a special Emmy for his “masterful” press briefings and a book contract from a major publisher to discuss his “leadership lessons.” Celebrities declared themselves “Cuomosexuals.”
Cuomo was admired for his willingness to impose lockdown measures, like closing businesses and schools, that though painful would purportedly protect society in the long run. He criticized leaders of Florida and other states who were reopening their economies in late spring 2020 for ignoring science. “You played politics with this virus, and you lost,” he intoned.
Well, actually not.
A new study I coauthored with colleagues at the Paragon Health Institute confirms what many long suspected: States like New York that forced severe, prolonged lockdowns did not significantly improve health outcomes compared with less restrictive states — and had much worse economic and education outcomes. States like Florida that ignored the pseudo-science promoted by Cuomo and multiple federal officials did far better.