Free Republic

The state-wide shutdowns have only been in place for a couple of weeks at most, but people are already starting to get understandably jumpy. Even if we assume that the governments, both state and federal, are handling this pandemic in the wisest way possible, when does it all end? When can we declare this emergency to be in our rearview mirror and have our lives return to some semblance of normality? This weekend, the Boston Globe put that question to some experts in epidemiology and the answers aren’t terribly comforting, at least in my opinion. “That’s one of the hardest...

So let's set priorities rather than setting off panics Flu fear is in the air! Emergency rooms are swamped. Sore throat? Nasal congestion? Get thee to the hospital! Now! We know we should believe this because the media tell us so. The hype: “Get Ready, Some Medical Experts Are Predicting the Worst Flu Season In History,” declares a CNBC headline. “Here’s Why the Flu Is Especially Bad This Year,” says Time. “Five Things You Should Know About This Year’s Very Bad Flu,” proclaims The Washington Post. We repeatedly hear of “deadly flu” and are told in dire terms that over...

The revelation that a severely obese three-year-old girl died from heart failure made headlines around the world. Coming in the opening sentences of an influential Commons report about the obesity epidemic, it appeared to be a carefully chosen wake-up call. The report went on to demand dozens of radical measures to tackle obesity - including bans on junk food advertisements and yearly "weigh-ins" for school pupils. It provoked a debate about the responsibility of parents, Government, advertisers and the food industry. What it did not reveal was that the girl, thought to be a Bengali from East London, had a...