Dr. Oz tells Sean Hannity reopening schools may be worth the cost in mortality
Dr. Oz thinks it's about time we reconsider how much good social distancing is actually doing.
Mehmet Oz, the talk show host known for his sometimes sub-par medical advice, made a Fox News appearance on Wednesday night to tell host Sean Hannity "we might be able to open" schools again "without getting into a lot of trouble." He then cited a study from medical journal The Lancet, saying "the opening of schools may only cost us 2 to 3 percent in terms of total mortality." "Any life is a life lost," Oz continued, but getting kids back in schools where they're "safe" and "fed ... might be a tradeoff some folks would consider."
DR OZ: "Schools are a very appetizing opportunity. I just saw a nice piece in The Lancet arguing the opening of schools may only cost us 2 to 3%, in terms of total mortality. Any, you know, any life is a life lost, but ... that might be a tradeoff some folks would consider." pic.twitter.com/aifMeKTsIv
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 16, 2020
Oz made a similar argument on Thursday to Fox & Friends, saying it "really bothered" him that Boston University had already canceled its fall semester.
The study in The Lancet maintains that "Recent modeling studies of COVID-19 predict that school closures alone would prevent only two to four percent of deaths, much less than other social distancing interventions." It does not explicitly argue for reopening schools immediately, though, and instead maintains "combinations of social distancing measures should be considered."
More stories from theweek.com
5 scathing cartoons about Trump's rush to reopen the economy
Why can't you go fishing during the pandemic?
Cuomo reacts to Trump tweet in real time, slams president for 'sitting home watching TV'
