World experts release declaration that shows harms of new coronavirus restrictions.

UK Governmental ministers are back to the drawing board as a group of experts release a statement named “The Great Barrington Declaration” on October 4, questioning new coronavirus restrictions.

The declaration was put together by Dr. Martin Kulldorff, professor of medicine at Harvard University, Dr. Sunetra Gupta, professor at Oxford University and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, professor at Stanford University Medical School reads:

“As infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists, we are concerned about the physical and mental health impacts of prevailing policies regarding COVID-19 and we recommend an approach we call Targeted Protection.”

The declaration goes on to highlight how these regulations can be making things worse for the general public, “Coming from both the left and the right, and from around the world, we have dedicated our profession to protecting others. The current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on public health in the short and long term. The results (to name a few) include lower vaccination rates, worsening cardiovascular disease outcomes, fewer cancer detections, and deteriorating mental health — leading to higher excess mortality in the years to come, with the working class being and the younger members of society who bear the greatest burden of these measures. Keeping children out of schools is a grave injustice.”

One of the important parts of the statement is as follows “Keeping these measures in place until a vaccine is available will cause irreparable harm to the less privileged, ending up disproportionately affected.” 

It goes on to say, “Fortunately, our knowledge about the virus is growing. We know that the vulnerability to death from COVID-19 is more than a thousand times greater in the elderly and infirm than in the young. Indeed, for children, COVID-19 is less harmful than many other dangers, including influenza.

As immunity develops, the risk of infection that everyone has — including the vulnerable — drops. We know that all populations will eventually reach herd immunity – that is, the point at which the rate of new infections remains stable – and that this can benefit from (but is not dependent on) a vaccine.

The most humane way to approach this, measuring the risks and benefits of achieving herd immunity, is to allow those who are at minimal risk of dying to live their lives normally to achieve immunity to the virus through natural infection, while better protecting those most at risk. We call this Focused Protection.

Adapting measures to protect the vulnerable should be the central objective of public health actions targeting COVID-19. As an example, nursing homes should employ staff with acquired immunity and perform PCR tests on staff and visitors frequently. Staff turnover should be limited. Retired people living at home should have groceries and other essentials sent home. As soon as possible, they should meet with their family members rather than indoors. An exhaustive and detailed list of measures, including a particular approach for multigenerational households, can be implemented, in addition to being framed in the scope and capacities of public health professionals.

Those who are not vulnerable should immediately resume a normal life. Simple hygiene measures, like washing hands and staying home when sick, should be carried out by each and everyone to lower the herd immunity threshold. Schools and colleges must open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular activities, such as sports, must be resumed. Low-risk young adults should work normally, rather than from home.

Restaurants and other businesses must open. Arts, music, sports, and other cultural activities should resume. People who are at higher risk can participate if they wish.

The declaration can be found and signed here and has already been signed by many others in their field.

We hope you enjoyed this article “World experts release declaration that shows harms of new coronavirus restrictions.”

You may also wish to read “UK Health Secretary Hancock backs investigation to get to the bottom of unreported infections.”

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