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particularly in light of the invitation-only, three-and-a-half-hour “table- ing out that as of June 23, Sweden's Covid-19
top exercise” called “Event 201” that took place on October 18, 2019 in death rate per capita was higher than in the U.S.
New York City. The sponsors of Event 201—the Johns Hopkins Center (.05 percent versus .037 percent, respectively);
for Health Security, the World Economic Forum and BMGF—convened however, while these individuals criticize the
fifteen “players” from global business, government and public health to Swedish government for its approach, others
participate. These “high-level” players included George Fu Gao (director maintain that Sweden was prudent in avoiding
of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention), Avril Haines major social and economic turmoil. Closing the
(former deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency) and Rear U.S. resulted in the largest one-month increase
Admiral Stephen C. Redd (director of the CDC’s Center for Prepared- in unemployment since 1975. In April, the
ness and Response). 24 number of unemployed persons rose by almost
According to Event 201’s website, the goal of the exercise was to sixteen million to twenty-three million. By
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identify—in the context of a hypothetical, but scientifically plausible, early May, over thirty-three million individu-
severe global coronavirus pandemic—“areas where public/private part- als had filed for unemployment benefits over
nerships [would] be necessary” to “diminish large-scale economic and a seven-week period. Nearly 70 percent of
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societal consequences.” Using dramatic scenario-based discussions, Americans already have less than one thousand
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prerecorded news broadcasts and live “staff” briefings, the exercise simu- dollars to their name, and 45 percent have noth-
lated difficult, “true-to-life” dilemmas associated with the response to ing saved. There are sure to be far more deaths
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the hypothetical pandemic. “Players” examined societal impacts arising from widespread hunger, poverty, loneliness and
from the expected health and economic turmoil, including lack of faith despair than from Covid-19. Perhaps the correct
in government, distrust of news and a breakdown in social cohesion. A solution would have been to keep all aspects of
fictitious media company called GNN dramatized what it would be like society open while recommending, as Sweden
if people were told to stay home from work, travel was slowed, schools did, that those who are vulnerable stay at home
were closed and the distribution chain was hampered. It is interesting to or take other precautionary measures.
note that around this same time—before any reports of coronavirus—the Likewise, the recommendation to wear a
CDC advertised that it was hiring for a “Quarantine Program” in major mask—which doctors use only in acute situ-
cities across the U.S. 26 ations—is poor advice. In a May 2020 article
outlining the risks of mask wearing for the
NO NATURAL HERD IMMUNITY healthy, Dr. Russell Blaylock noted the lack of
With all respiratory diseases, the disease spread is stopped by herd evidentiary support for the CDC’s and WHO’s
immunity. Proponents of vaccination believe it is better to expose the body recommendations, which “are not based on any
to the disease through artificial means rather than in nature. The problem studies of this [coronavirus] and have never been
with this philosophy is that vaccine-induced immunity is temporary at used to contain any other virus pandemic or epi-
best and many times vaccines fail to be effective in the first place. Not demic in history.” Blaylock directed readers’
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only that, but vaccines can be counterproductive—a study conducted by attention to a 2012 review of seventeen studies
the U.S. military showed that members of the military who had previously that showed that masks are largely ineffective;
received a flu shot were 36 percent more likely to subsequently have a none of the studies “established a conclusive
coronavirus infection. relationship between mask/respirator use and
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There is no scientific or historical basis demonstrating that society- protection against influenza infection.” In ad-
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wide lockdowns of healthy, asymptomatic people are the correct way to dition, masks prevent the wearer from receiving
deal with a pandemic. On the contrary, there is evidence that prolonged sufficient oxygen.
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lockdowns to “flatten the curve” actually prevent the timely development The science of microbiology and immunol-
of natural herd immunity. About 80 percent of people in a community ogy tells us that wearing a mask weakens a per-
need to come in contact with a disease to keep it from reoccurring and son’s immune system. This suppression of the
to protect the most vulnerable subgroups. Most will not even realize immune system is counterproductive, creating
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that they have become infected, or they will have very mild symptoms. an opening for opportunistic disease. Constant
In our current circumstances, avoiding natural herd immunity ensures hand washing and “sheltering in place” also
only that the pandemic will drag on for many months and potentially lower the immune system, reducing protective
cause recurring outbreaks that will result in more deaths. 30 flora, increasing susceptibility to disease and
With the emergence of Covid-19, Sweden was one of the rare coun- depriving us of the daily contact with viruses
tries that chose to keep schools and businesses open. Critics are now point- and bacteria that we need to develop immunity.
86 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2020