State of Emergency over

Supervisor Jim Desmond

5th District

Last week, the COVID-19 emergency finally ended at the county and state levels, hallelujah. As we move forward, I think it’s important to look back and learn from the past three years.

My biggest hope is that politicians learn from the mistakes that were made. We should never lock down schools again.

The lockdowns and school closures limited social interactions with peers and teachers and caused severe emotional distress for kids. The pandemic has also had significant long-term implications on children's mental health.

According to studies, lockdowns and social distancing measures have led to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and stress among children. The damage done by COVID-19 lockdowns on children's learning and well-being is significant, and the long-term consequences are yet to be fully understood.

We should also never force some businesses to close while others remain open. Over 100,000 small businesses permanently closed due to the lockdowns.

And finally, we should always be able to question authority. Nobody was perfect with their assessment during COVID. What was “misinformation” one day ended up being a fact the next day. That shows the importance of civil dialogue and questioning authority.

The past three years have been a trying time for millions of people. I’m glad we can now put COVID in the rearview mirror. I appreciate everyone who stayed up to date with my COVID video and email updates. As always, if you need anything, please reach out to my office, and I'm going to continue to update you on issues in San Diego County.