UPDATE: When I said the masks have all come down, I was referring to those that the statists and leftists wear to camouflage themselves. I believe a mask as a biological protectant is a reasonable accompaniment to human interaction for the time being, remaining cognizant of their uses and limitations. A mask, like handwashing and hand sanitizer, like chemo protective agents (hydroxychloroquine?) DO NOT BULLETPROOF YOU. My wife wears a mask to protect herself, I wear a mask to protect myself and my patients.
The next election is evolving into a referendum on managerial expertise. A choice between sterile safety secured by expert rule, or common sense and freedom. As a physician, I have respect and reverence for what science can accomplish, but always respect the balance it has with the “art” of the everyday, boots-on-the-ground practice of my craft.
The great problem in the scientific realm, speaking as, I suppose, an “applied” scientist, much like an engineer, is discerning the research, doctrine and dogma that is valid from that which is often wrong, deceptive, and even harmful. Just for kicks, search “peer-reviewed scientific papers withdrawn”. Get some popcorn and keep digging. The sheer number and the “respected” institutions involved is staggering.
Science, like every realm of life, is full of con artists, pretenders and flat-out liars. I tried bench science in the lab at MD Anderson; had some interesting, provocative findings that I could have parlayed into an academic career on the government grant teat, that MAYBE would have meant something. We spend a LOT of money on MAYBE in research. We spend a LOT of money in good stuff, too, though.
This “crisis” (media tip: inflammatory terminology gets views, hits and attention) has seen more decisions and disruptions based upon scant information, unknowns and maybes than I believe we have ever seen in history. I was among the early supporters of a brief shutdown; we faced an unknown quantity with reportedly severe population-wide consequences and it was obvious from the beginning that China and the WHO lied and obfuscated (POTUS proposed reestablishing our support for the WHO at 10% of the previous amount, equal to China’s….read that again and digest it).
As physicians, when confronted with such, we plan for the worst and walk it back once we learn more. It was obvious early on that this disease is severe in a small fraction of those infected, especially in certain subgroups, and we shouldn’t take it lightly. I’ve not stopped operating through this entire series of events. For a month or so I was at about 40-50% of my capacity…people continue contracting the same illnesses: cancer, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, appendicitis, etc, that they normally do and for some reason we were told to pretend they didn’t.
Balderdash. Utter rubbish. Resistance to “walking it back” and reopening has been stiff, as a lot of petty tyrants have enjoyed the control and ideologues on the left side of the spectrum see opportunity. The media loves it as they have fodder for endless palaver and rumination to fill the 24-hour news cycle, something else with which to criticize and bludgeon POTUS, and a means to demonstrate their slavish devotion to the communists, err…excuse me, Democrats.
We have physicians in my state, Mississippi, a consistently reliable political “red” part of the map (funny how the right became “red”, isn’t it? Ponder that.), calling for those of us in support of reopening and easing restrictions to have our licenses to practice medicine sanctioned and revoked. To them I say “bring it”. Let’s play ball and see who wins. BFYTW.
Ley’s Law Number Three is “People are stupid and they will try to kill you”. I developed this when teaching my oldest daughter, now 35, to drive. It certainly has contemporary application.
I fear that this will not end well. Stay frosty, my friends.
Dr. Ley
