Dr. Oz says schools should reopen because ‘only 2-3 percent’ more people could die

Dr. Oz sparked outrage this week when he advocated for reopening schools amid the coronavirus pandemic — saying that it would result in “only 2 to 3 percent” more deaths.

While appearing Tuesday on Sean Hannity’s show, “Hannity,” the celebrity health expert called reopening schools “a very appetizing opportunity” to help the US get its “mojo back” as it battles the contagion.

“I just saw a nice piece in The Lancet arguing the opening of schools may only cost us 2 to 3 percent, in terms of total mortality,” said Oz — citing a figure that amounts to a death toll of hundreds of thousands of people.

“Any, you know, any life is a life lost, but … that might be a tradeoff some folks would consider,” he said.

Oz was referencing an article that appeared in The Lancet journal of Child & Adolescent Health last week, which cites a study that found school closures in the UK “will reduce COVID-19 deaths by only 2 to 4 percent.”

The doctor appeared to argue that getting kids back into a normal learning environment is more important than reducing overall coronavirus deaths by a small margin.

But his comment infuriated many viewers, who say the statement callously undervalues the lives of Americans.

“Trying to wrap my brain around #DrOz comments and can’t: 2-3% deaths in exchange for U.S. getting the mojo back but the possible deaths will be teachers, aides, school officials, janitors, security guards, and children,” one angry Twitter-user wrote.

“As someone who has coronavirus I say f–k you #DrOz. Not one single death is worth opening this country for,” another tweeted.

Another added: “Things I did not expect to see in 2020. #DrOz arguing I should risk death going back to school so things can go back to normal.”

As of Thursday afternoon, more than 650,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 31,000 deaths have been recorded in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Worldwide, more than 2.1 million have been infected and at least 141,000 have died.

A rep for Dr. Oz didn’t immediately return a request for comment.