Shutdown skeptics challenge health establishment over 'major mistake'

The Washington Times ^ | Tuesday, April 28, 2020 | Valerie Richardson

[E. Pluribus Unum]

When Stanford University School of Medicine professor John Ioannidis warned on March 17 that the rush to implement sweeping coronavirus lockdowns could be “a once-in-a-century evidence fiasco,” his was a lone voice amid the rising pandemic panic.

Not any longer. As the statistical models on deaths are revised downward and the economic and social costs of the stay-at-home strategy grow more dire, contrarians are diving into the data and asking whether the lockdown pain was worth the gain — or whether the COVID-19 reaction was overblown.

“It is now clear that the lockdowns were a major mistake everywhere except the New York City metro area, and possibly even there,” said author and former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson, a leading voice among the COVID-19 contrarians.

“The argument as to whether they were a mistake in NYC rests on a couple of complicated debates about whether they work at all in time to make a difference, but everywhere else, it is clear that the coronavirus is simply not dangerous enough to the general population to justify the measures we have taken,” Mr. Berenson said in an email.

Mr. Berenson, who characterizes the debate as one between “Team Pandemic” and “Team Reality,” has received plenty of pushback from shutdown supporters as the argument rages over whether the states should stay locked down or move more quickly to open up.

Dr. Ioannidis said the lockdowns initially were “the right thing to do,” based on the lack of reliable data, but widespread social isolation is no longer the appropriate response to what he described as a “very common, mild infection for the vast majority of the population.”

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The Wuhan CCP Virus should be renamed the NYC, Blue/Sanctuary State, Illegal Alien, Nursing Home Virus.

[Buckeye McFrog]

The time has come to ask what did Dr. Fauci know, and when did he know it?

His agency was funding research at the Wuhan lab.

Did he become the nation’s #1 lockdown czar because he KNEW that lab was working on something extremely deadly?

Since it appears we did this all based on precious little data that seems like a logical question. Fauci had no answers and assumed the worst.

[madison10]

The only “good” thing about this mess is pulling back the curtains on all the blue governors, mayors and on down. Plus some nasty Democrat Congresscritters. What eye openers.

[madison10]

Oh, I think he had answers. He was going off of what he really KNEW was going on in China and he projected it to the USA. Birx did, too, because she was following Fau Xi.

China’s numbers are astronomical.

[null and void]

I started out in “Team Pandemic” when I saw how China reacted when the virus they developed was detected outside their lab. They had horrific responses, and most honest sources agree they had unreported death rates to match.

I'm now inclined towards “Team Reality” based on the lower death rates as the virus mutates to less virulent strains and more people are developing antibodies in the wild due to sub-clinical infections.

That being said, with my nonagenarian mom living with us we'll be staying hunkered down for awhile.

That's my general risk assessment for society as a whole, minimal, acceptable risk, and my personal family risk, low, but err on the side of caution.

Make your own assessments and act accordingly...

Bring Out Your Dead

Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.

The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.

The false positive rate was 100%.

At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.

*sigh* Such is life, and death...

If a quarantine saves just one child's or one old fart’s life, it's worth it.

[Gay State Conservative]

later

[The Great RJ]

When this mess is over and there is a sober look at the real data without media whipped hysteria, these doctors will be proven totally correct. Thanks to media hysteria people are walking around wearing masks and glove that are of dubious value in public settings. What value is a mask when walking down an uncrowded street, sitting in a park, driving in your car or playing with your kids? Even in places like grocery stores where customers use a social isolation reminiscent of that once given to lepers, a mask is questionable particularly if it is not changed or sanitized. Ditto for gloves. Media fear mongering and state governors enjoying a tyrannical control over their state with the sheeple conned into believing its the end of the world needs to stop.

[V V Camp Enari 67-68]

Bingo!

[aquila48]

How long before “shutdown skeptics” will become “shutdown deniers”?

[Sicon]

“Certainly, a full complete lockdown reduces the spread of the virus,” said the study. “However, as the above data shows, there is an apparent similar decline in the rate of infection even in countries that did not enforce a full shutdown.”

Seems like a roundabout way of saying “lockdowns” are ineffective/pointless...

[null and void]

Did he [Fauci],become the nation’s #1 lockdown czar because he KNEW that lab was working on something extremely deadly?

China certainly pulled out all the stops. Destroy their own economy lock down a city of 11 millions, weld apartment building doors shut, build open ward 1000 bed "hospitals" with no medical facilities or toilets (Like the Nazi "showers" with no floor drains!), and most damning of all, ban all air travel from Wuhan to any other Chinese destination, while allowing free travel to other countries.

They knew. They KNEW! and they wanted to take down the rest of the world with them.

The only saving grace appears to be that COVID-19 shares the high mutation rate of other corona viruses that prevent a vaccine for the corona viruses that cause the common cold, and it is rapidly mutating to progressively milder forms.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I was always and still am on team Limbaugh using common sense in the face of hysteria. The numbers never lined up to label covid 19 as an epidemic but the really shocking thing was all the hysterical freepers that were more than eager to give up all their rights let the govt lock them in their homes and close their businesses.

[N. Theknow]

It has become apparent that a 16 year old from some Scandinavian country should step up and tell the world how to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Jane Long]

LOL...just lost a sip of coffee, over that one.

[Jane Long]

The potential for long term lung, kidney and neurological damage is also a kicker, with this Wuhan Flu.

I saw a chart earlier that shows the ground glass effect (in lungs) can begin in the very early stages (asymptomatic), and progresses, accordingly.

[IrishBrigade]

‘...customers use a social isolation reminiscent of that once given to lepers...’

will this be the final legacy of this adventure into madness...? basic shunning of neighbors...? it would appear so; the tactics learned during this will not go away easily...

doesn’t matter much to me, as I don’t put a lot of stock into acquiring friends, and I am pridefully independent, but it will matter to a great number of others...

[WildHighlander57]

https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3839973/posts?page=6#6

https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3839973/posts?page=12#12

Good points, about it mutating to a less severe form.

[RatRipper]

The time has come to ask what did Dr. Fauci know, and when did he know it?

Amen to that, Buckeye!!!! I have come to believe he is a corrupt little SOB!!!! The virus was here well before their official version said it was. Less deadly than they said it was. He has slow-walked testing and endorsement of treatment that qualified professionals have found to be useful. Aside from being a Hillary Clinton supporting Rat, he is suspect in aiding the development of the virus in Wuhan, and he acts like he is on the take from big Pharma. I see NO redeeming qualities in this creep.

[null and void]

I hope I’m right...