Tuberville cites consequences of COVID lockdowns

Calling the COVID-19 crisis “weaponized,” U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville called on Congress to end the emergency declaration and vow to never again use such dangerous lockdown measures

“It’s high time we take a look back at the devastating impacts some of the federal and state government policies in response to COVID-19,” Tuberville (R-Auburn) said on the Senate floor Monday. “Most importantly, we have to focus on education. We have to look at the toll the lockdowns have taken on our country’s youngest citizens.

“Unfortunately, like many issues in D.C., the COVID crisis was weaponized for some political gain. The government misused emergency measures to grow its control over Americans’ daily lives. Hopefully, those days are over.”

As the 118^th Congress begins, Tuberville disclosed the rise in excess mortality rates and decrease in educational success during COVID-19 lockdowns. The excess rate describes the number of deaths above historical norms, or how many Americans died than would typically expect to die during any given year.

“…According to data from the CDC, the number of non-COVID excess deaths reached almost 100,000 people in 2020 and 2021,” he said. “The hundreds of thousands of non-COVID excess deaths during the pandemic can be mainly attributed to shocking increases in accidents, overdoses, and death from alcoholism and homicide.

“And those causes disproportionately impacted minorities and low-income Americans, the same groups lockdowns were often billed and made to protect.”

Tuberville, a former coach and educator, spoke on the effects the lockdown had on the youth.

“In total, excess deaths among young adults throughout the pandemic were 27 percent higher than they should be, according to historical trends,” he said. “Today, our schools are facing a shortage of teachers, months of instruction still missing, [and] a mental health and behavioral crisis among our country’s students.

“As someone who spent decades as an educator and a coach, and fostered the potential of young adults, I am committed to ensuring we never inflict the damage on our school-aged kids again.”