Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Dr. Abdul el Sayed took a very strict approach to public health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic six years ago, supporting intense statewide lockdowns and keeping schools shut down. El Sayed argued curbing the spread of COVID-19 would “require bold action,” including “eliminating congregation in restaurants, bars and clubs, as well as potentially locking down communities with major outbreaks. Advertisement“It means mandating work from home for non-essential personnel,” el Sayed wrote. Instead of moderating his public health approach for economic stability, el Sayed advised using the public health emergency to advance liberal causes, including as a bridge to Medicare for All, nationalized health insurance. AdvertisementDespite arguing for strict lockdowns at the start of the pandemic, el Sayed also supported the wave of Black Lives Matter protests starting in the summer of 2020 following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.