It is now a federal crime in the U.S. not to wear a mask while using public transportation. IBM and Salesforce are teaming up to offer digital COVID passports to help you get back to normal life (except now your health status is to be monitored wherever you go). Canada has now imposed a requirement that returning international travelers must go to an isolation center to be tested and potentially detained. This weekend, Calgary police forcably took a woman into mandatory isolation and refused to tell family where they were taking her. Even a year ago who would have imagined that “democratic” governments would impose such draconian measures? And yet many accept it because of the dangers the dangers of the disease. I think far more dangerous is the erosion of personal rights and autonomy being justified by the “pandemic”.
More COVID Restrictions in the U.S. and Canada
Published by markskidmore
Mark Skidmore is Professor of Economics at Michigan State University where he holds the Morris Chair in State and Local Government Finance and Policy. His research focuses on topics in public finance, regional economics, and the economics of natural disasters. Mark created the Lighthouse Economics website and blog to share economic research and information relevant for navigating tumultuous times. View more posts