Lockdowns are not a mistake: they are there to prevent healthcare systems to be overwhelmed. Even with the current lockdown situation in France, things are only slightly getting better now. Without a lockdown, we would have had much more deaths around, because our hospitals will have just blown up. This is this entire "flattening the curve" story. Of course, what is valid for France may not be valid elsewhere. It depends on the boundary conditions.
I find it a bit sad this article does not contain any source to any scientific article (peer-reviewed) justifying what it says. I usually do not take as granted what is reported in the press, as scientific journalists have in general the tendency to rewrite things in their own words and distort the speech.
To make it clear, I don't say this is right or wrong. I only say I would like to have access to better sources backuping up those important claims.
There are zero peer reviewed scientific articles on NCOV19. The peer review process takes many months.
Your claim that you would have had more deaths without a lockdown is entirely unsupported by evidence and contrary to the experience of nations that did not lock down (Brazil, Sweden etc) referred time in the article.
You destroyed your economy for nothing!
I know. Which is why we must be careful with what we read and be honest with the conclusions we draw.
In general, preprints are available. Here, there is not even a link to a preprint.
I do not think we did. The hospitals have now few beds available. A few... Thanks to the lockdown.
Ahaha your comment has been edited after I answered :)
That is true. I have no evidence. This however sounds logical to me: if the hospital are overwhelmed, some people will not be able to given a proper follow-up. and would have died. I am thinking about all these people in intensive care units that barely survive in there. Also, we must keep in mind that many services have been closed so that they could be re-organised into COVID units. The patients usually followed there have not received their treatment and I can let you imagine their status now (not necessarily death, just worse with potential consequences).
However, the evidence you point does not necessarily apply everywhere, and are actually not really evidence too. At least not yet.
As I said, the boundary conditions matter. What could work in Sweden may not work in France (the healthcare system is different), and it is too early to say it worked.