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."
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 Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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."
-
Political cartoons for January 3Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include citizen journalists, self-reflective AI, and Donald Trump's transparency
-
Into the Woods: a ‘hypnotic’ productionThe Week Recommends Jordan Fein’s revival of the much-loved Stephen Sondheim musical is ‘sharp, propulsive and often very funny’
-
‘Let 2026 be a year of reckoning’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
