The authoritarian dream of “control” of the virus, that these punishing measures will “win the war” + “save lives”, is underwritten by a fatal fallacy: that life is something separated from social + economic decisions. That ideology has somehow been sold.

But social & economic decisions cost lives. Across power, from Government lockdown to YouTube censoring non-WHO verified Covid info, there’s a fantasy that the virus is immediately knowable, quantifiable & controllable. And that scientific imposition of more controls saves lives.

“Lives” as some biological thing distinct from social & economic decisions. It’s important for the human rights balance - there can be no blank cheque for prolonged lockdown on the basis of right to life. The lockdown is costing lives & will continue to, the effects are prolonged

The temptation for governments is to prolong “control” because the test of success has become controlling and lowering quantifiable “Covid deaths” - despite the numbers being unclear, despite almost half UK weekly excess deaths not Covid related ( https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51979654)

If governments are going to “fight the battle” on these terms they’ll overlook, minimise or deny the consequences of anything associated with the “war effort” that this is becoming. Whilst growing more obsessed with control.