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Jay Bhattacharya defends anti-lockdown stand
“Lockdowns were the biggest public health disaster in history,” he said.
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Malvika Choudhary - Sat, 29, Nov 2025
- 11:50 EST
- 5
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Jay Bhattacharya / X/ @DrJBhattacharya
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya pushed back against a recent New York Times article that questioned his refusal to support lockdowns in the event of a future pandemic.
Responding to the criticism in a post on X, he said that he stood by his long-held position, adding, “Lockdowns were the biggest public health disaster in history and it’s true I won’t ever recommend one.”
Bhattacharya, one of the most prominent critics of pandemic-era restrictions, reiterated his view that lockdowns caused “catastrophic harm” and failed to prevent deaths.
He reposted an earlier 2024 statement in which he argued that countries that avoided strict shutdowns fared no worse—citing Sweden’s cumulative age-adjusted all-cause excess deaths as among the lowest in Europe, while contrasting California’s mortality outcomes with Florida’s.
A friend told me that the NYT just published a piece criticizing me, fearful I wouldn't recommend a lockdown if another pandemic came along. Not sure why that's a criticism. Lockdowns were the biggest public health disaster in history and it's true I won't ever recommend one! pic.twitter.com/npbIovqYt4
— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) November 27, 2025
His remarks come as scrutiny intensifies around the NIH under his leadership. Bhattacharya assumed office as the agency’s 18th director on April 1, following Senate confirmation on March 25.
Since taking charge, he has overseen shifts in research priorities and faced criticism from public health experts over the cancellation or suspension of certain grants, including those related to health-disparities research.
University groups and researchers have voiced concern that the agency’s direction under his tenure may weaken preparedness for future health emergencies.
While some studies credit lockdowns with slowing transmission and preventing hospitals from being overwhelmed, others document long-term economic, educational, and mental-health fallout.
Bhattacharya, an Indian-American physician and economist, previously taught at Stanford University and rose to prominence as a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, which called for “focused protection” of vulnerable groups instead of broad lockdowns.
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