Nearly five months into the government lockdowns, new data shows it's not working any better to combat COVID-19 than the more targeted approach adopted in other nations.

Researchers have been compiling data from all over the world, such as population density, average age and body mass, and have determined total lockdowns cause more pain and anguish than it's worth.

A Special Report by The Heritage Foundation found policies focused on isolating the sick, mass testing and contact tracing worked best to stop the spread. South Korea and Iceland were noted as doing much better without total lockdowns.

“It's very bad for our country to be locked into a house or an apartment,” President Donald Trump told “Fox and Friends” Wednesday. “What's going on with suicide. What's going on with drugs. What's going on with depression. People lose their jobs. They never get it back.”

“The Democrat states, they don't want to open up anything,” he added. “They don't want their schools open. They don't want their businesses open. They want to keep it shut. You can't do that. You're hurting people by doing that.”

The Heritage Foundation also noted countries which developed contact tracing apps reduced the spread much faster. Australia used a tracking app, but also closed its borders completely at the start of the pandemic.

South Korea urged those with symptoms to call a hotline, then isolated them in hospitals or a government-sponsored isolation center.

“What we're seeing in other countries is a more targeted approach compared to blanket policies seems to be the best way to go,” says Dr. Vance Ginn, chief economist for the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “Part of that is testing early so you really know where to target the most. Also look at nursing homes, which ends up being a place where there's a lot of contagion.”

Ginn is pushing what's called the Workplace Recovery Act, to help prevent future lockdowns.

'It would be a great way for Congress to come in and say we're going to keep business operating and we're going to keep people working during this time whenever state and local governments are basically locking down society.”

Michael Berry

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