21stcenturywire--2020-05-13--COVID CHAOS: A Closer Look At Coronavirus Testing

A remarkable story made headlines last week — a goat , a quail and a papaya tested positive for coronavirus .
Following a request by the president of Tanzania to evaluate the country ’ s coronavirus test kits , state security services sent a series of non-human samples to the national health laboratory to be tested .
The samples — which included goat , quail and papaya , as well as inorganic substances such as motor oil — were labelled with human names and ages , while technicians at the lab were not told of the plot .
After the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results , President John Magufuli said there was a “ dirty game ” playing out at the lab , and that the imported test kits were faulty and had “ technical errors ” .
He also questioned whether there was a possibility of bribes or sabotage taking place : Importantly , the president then expressed concern about false positive test results , saying that the some people are being told they are infected when they are not actually carrying the virus .
The lab ’ s director as well as its quality assurance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Health announced a 10-person committee to investigate operations at the lab — not only procedures for handling and processing samples , but also the test kits themselves .
In response , the Africa CDC , who provided the tests in conjunction with the Jack Ma Foundation , defended the tests , as did the World Health Organization .
Jack Ma , the richest man in China and the man behind Alibaba , has been on a mission to supply over 150 countries with medical supplies , including a shipment of 1.1 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that instead of acknowledging a possible problem with test kits or procedures , MSM reporting on this story repeatedly mentions President Magafuli ’ s endorsement of a Madagascan tonic as a COVID-19 treatment , his wish for Tanzanians to “ pray away ” the virus , and Tanzania ’ s failures with respect to its coronavirus response .
Mainstream outlets tend not to mention that he has a PhD in chemistry , his comments about sabotage , or his concerns over faulty tests and false positive results .
This is not the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Britain , tests produced under Public Health England ( PHE ) protocols were found to lack sufficient accuracy and were abandoned .
Similarly , in the United States , the CDC ’ s own tests were also found to be flawed .
Other countries including the United States , Spain , Czech Republic , Slovakia , Turkey and India have all reported faulty or inaccurate tests from Chinese suppliers .
Obviously , bad tests means bad results .
False negative test results return people who are actually infected with COVID-19 back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe to enjoy their remaining freedom .
If the virus spreads and behaves as the MSM would have us believe , a small number of false negatives could spell disaster .
False positive results are dangerous for another reason — they cause people to be diagnosed with COVID-19 when they don ’ t actually have it .
Considering those people and possibly their entire households may then be quarantined , this is not a good outcome .
It gets worse when you add in the possibility of all their contacts being traced , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and also possibly being isolated , based on bad test results .
Bear in mind that when large numbers of people are tested , a small percentage of false positives will falsely inflate case numbers , possibly giving the appearance of outbreaks occurring where there may be none .
Considering much of the world has been placed on lockdown and large chunks of the global economy held for ransom , we ought to have an exceptionally high degree of confidence in the tests being used to detect coronavirus .
Preparation for extraction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dean Calma/IAEA .
Source : Wikicommons ) Unfortunately , taking a closer look at the details of the testing process does not inspire confidence .
Rather , it brings up a number of potential pitfalls , which , taken together cast a different light on the entire coronavirus crisis .
The following brief analysis by virus researcher David Crowe summarises his discoveries regarding the RT-PCR test , the main method being used to test people for COVID-19 .
His research points to what are potentially massive flaws , including : • the arbitrary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nature of test results • documented cases in which test subjects alternately test positive , then negative and then positive again on successive tests • the inability of the test to prove that a virus is functional or even present • the possibility of both false negative AND false positive results • variability in test procedures ( which portions of the virus are being sought , etc ) among dozens of different test kits • the possibility of the ultra-sensitive tests being contaminated .
Before we mortgage our freedom and the global economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it should be a prerequisite that their results are at least accurate — but neither the tests themselves nor the public health bureaucrats pushing them even attempt to claim total accuracy .
So , who will test the tests ?
How accurate would you like your test to be ?
More on this from David Crowe ’ s The Infectious Myth : A lot depends on the result of your COVID-19 test , whether it is positive , indicating infection or , big sigh of relief , negative , indicating that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a thing as “ the ” COVID-19 test ?
Indeed there is not .
There are many and each is looking for different things and making different decisions about whether those things are present or not .
The Test is Not Binary It is important to understand that the COVID-19 test does not inherently have only two values .
The test uses multiple cycles of the PCR ( Polymerase Chain Reaction ) technology , with an arbitrary count of cycles being the boundary between positive and negative , usually interpreted as infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ division arbitrary , but we know that it does not work that well because there are numerous published examples of people testing positive , then negative , then positive again , within a few days .
There is , so far , no explanation of this phenomenon amongst people who are unwilling to question the test technology , test implementation or viral theory , although manufacturers do obliquely refer to this problem in their technical documentation by admitting that false positives can be caused by “ non-specific signals in the assay ” or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other tests , false-positive results may occur.
” Imagine a game dreamed up by Harry Potter and Lewis Carroll .
It is played in a field and the bounds are a circle that is not marked .
If someone yells “ out of bounds ” the referee goes to the centre with a curled-up flamingo and rotates it a number of times , a number chosen arbitrarily by the referee .
Some choose 30 , and some choose other numbers up to 45 .
Additionally , different referees have flamingoes of different sizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more tightly than at other times .
But , if you are within the , say , 37 flamingo turns , you are safe , and if not , out of bounds .
Welcome to the world of testing for the coronavirus .
Coronavirus tests are performed by sophisticated machines with simple interfaces .
Program the parameters of the test , pop in the samples , and in a relatively short time , the results are displayed , sometimes as a graph , or other times as simply as “ Positive ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the process is not simple .
First the RNA needs to be extracted from the sample , which will include a lot coming from your cells , from bacteria , or other sources , as well as possibly some from viral particles , all of which could possibly react with a later stage , causing a false positive .
It is also important at this step to eliminate non-RNA substances that could interfere with following steps .
Secondly , the RNA needs to be converted into DNA , because PCR only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the enzyme Reverse Transcriptase , hence the moniker RT-PCR for the combination of RNA conversion followed by standard PCR .
The RNA to complementary DNA ( cDNA ) conversion process is quite inefficient .
Stephen Bustin , a professor at Anglia Ruskin university , and perhaps the world ’ s leading expert on quality control of RT-PCR , told me in a recent interview ( infectiousmyth.podbean.com/e/the-infectious-myth-stephen-bustin-on-challenges-with-rt-pcr ) that the amount of DNA obtained can vary widely , easily by a factor of 10 .
Since the PCR cycle number is a measure of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efficiencies at the RT step essentially invalidate the simple use of the PCR cycle number .
Two different test setups in two different labs , that both use the PCR cycle number 35 as a cutoff , may actually have the cutoff between negative and positive at wildly different places .
Finally , the third step , pure PCR occurs .
As described above , this is repeated many times .
On each cycle the DNA is unrolled from the double helix into two strands , the portion of interest is duplicated , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You may think this explanation is complicated .
Yes .
It is a complicated process .
And although a fancy machine makes it simple to operate , it doesn ’ t mean that every machine , every lab and every operator gets comparable results .
Your situation is even worse than the operators because you will likely just be told either “ Infected ” or “ Clear ” .
The NHS does not exert much control over the choice of COVID-19 test , allowing in-house validation of test kits ( http : //www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/guidance-and-sop-covid-19-virus-testingin-nhs-laboratories-v1.pdf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started to insist that commercially available , rather than in-house tests be used ( www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/21/public-health-england-admits-coronavirus-tests-used-send-nhs ) .
The US Food and Drug Administration , on the other hand , requires at least a façade of test approval through their Emergency Use Authorizations .
I downloaded 33 of the test kit instructions , hopefully a representative sample , to try to see how the tests differed in what they were looking for , how long they were looking , and how they decided whether they had found it or not .
I also scanned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the manufacturers thought their tests were perfect or not .
If you are a true masochist , you can check my analysis at : https : //www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-situations-medical-devices/emergency-use-authorizations For some tests in the FDA list , the number of PCR cycles to distinguish positive from negative is not specified , but for most , it is .
In general , the more PCR cycles , the more likely that a false positive will be obtained , and the fewer cycles , the more likely a false negative will be obtained .
One manufacturer each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 36 , 37 , 38 and 39 .
40 cycles was most popular , chosen by 12 manufacturers , and two recommended 43 and 45 .
The MIQE ( Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative RT-PCR Experiments ) guidelines for operation and reporting of RT-PCR states that the use of 40 or more cycles is unwise ( academic.oup.com/clinchem/article/55/4/611/5631762 ) .
Bustin ’ s advice in my interview with him was that not more than 35 cycles be used .
With either 35 or less than 40 , the majority of COVID-19 RT-PCR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing RT-PCR to its limits or beyond .
What is Being Looked For ?
The RT-PCR tests look for only a tiny fraction of the COVID-19 genome .
And different tests look for different tiny fractions .
Most do not specify the size of the portions , but a test developed by Charité Berlin ( not on the FDA list ) looks for the RdRp and E genes , which amount to 213 bases out of about 30,000 for the entire genome , or less than one percent .
On the FDA list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ N and S genes and portions of the ORF ( Open Reading Frame ) .
What is most important to know is not what the function of these RNA segments is , but simply that the tests are looking for very different things .
It is as if we went looking for leopards with one person using spots as the guide , another the claws , another the teeth and another the eyes .
Worse than differences in what they are looking for is the way of defining whether they have found it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that must be present for the test to be declared positive .
Others look for two portions and both must be positive , while others only require one of the two to be positive .
Some tests look for three portions , and generally only require two to be detected , although one test requires all three .
This is worth thinking about .
A test that looks for three portions of the genome is generally happy if two are found .
That means that we can have a leopard without spots as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teeth .
Or spots and teeth , but different claws .
What does it mean to have a genome of a very simple creature like a virus , for which any part can be missing , but we still say it is what we are looking for ?
And if we only have 1 % of an animal , is it possible we will decide it is a leopard when it is actually an ocelot ?
Each test comes with a list of limitations .
And the majority probably apply to all tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some .
These include noting that the test is only looking for RNA , and does not prove that a virus is present , and certainly can not prove that the virus is functional .
Some note that RNA from the virus may persist after the infection has been resolved .
A variety of reasons for false negatives and false positives are given .
While public health agencies are generally not interested in false positives , this problem has the power to magnify the epidemic , as well as turning people ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note correctly that false positives increase as the number of actual infections in the population being tested decrease .
Also , RT-PCR is so ultra-sensitive , that a tiny amount of contamination at any stage of the process can result in a false positive , and the manufacturers warn about this .
Some tests indicate that other coronaviruses may cause positive test results , but many coronaviruses are not believed to be very pathogenic , so this is equivalent to a false positive to the person receiving the misleading result .
A mix-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive and one false negative , as people are given the wrong results .
Some tests indicate correctly that the presence of the coronavirus RNA , even if taken as proof of viral infection , does not prove that it is the cause of any symptoms being experienced .
Many also recommend that the test alone not be used to make a diagnosis but that clinical information ( such as symptoms ) and a doctor ’ s opinion be incorporated .
Many tests admit they have not been tested on immunocompromised people or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the manufacturers are concerned about the accuracy in these groups .
One story from China illustrates the absurdity of the current situation with COVID-19 testing , the impact on people ’ s lives , and the unwillingness of medical professionals to consider that the test could ever be a problem .
The story of an elderly Chinese man is found in a pre-publication medical article ( https : //www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-23197/v1 ) : The most disturbing thing about this article is that , at no point , did the authors raise the possibility of false @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 68-year-old man would disagree , arguing that his life being turned upside down , being forced to take drugs while healthy , and being isolated from his family was more disturbing .
For more information , discussion and references , see David Crowe ’ s critique of the COVID-19 pandemic theory at : http : //theinfectiousmyth.com/book/CoronavirusPanic.pdf

By
A remarkable story made headlines last week — a goat, a quail and a papaya tested positive for coronavirus.
Following a request by the president of Tanzania to evaluate the country’s coronavirus test kits, state security services sent a series of non-human samples to the national health laboratory to be tested. The samples — which included goat, quail and papaya, as well as inorganic substances such as motor oil — were labelled with human names and ages, while technicians at the lab were not told of the plot.
After the fruit and animal samples received their positive results, President John Magufuli said there was a “dirty game” playing out at the lab, and that the imported test kits were faulty and had “technical errors”. He also questioned whether there was a possibility of bribes or sabotage taking place:
“People could be used, the test kits could be used too. It could also be a sabotage because this is war… So when you notice something like this, you must know there is a dirty game being played in these tests… that there are unbelievable things happening in this country. Either the laboratory workers in there are bought by people with money, either they are not well-educated, which is not true because this laboratory is used for other diseases… Because even the reagents are imported, because even the swabs are also imported, so it’s a must that something is actually going on.”
Importantly, the president then expressed concern about false positive test results, saying that some people are being told they are infected when they are not actually carrying the virus.
“Through the extra information I have here, there must be people who are told they are positive, while they are not really corona patients, and some might even die from worry.”
The lab’s director as well as its quality assurance manager were suspended, while the Ministry of Health announced a 10-person committee to investigate operations at the lab — not only procedures for handling and processing samples, but also the test kits themselves.
Tanzania suspected that Chinese COVID19 testing kits supplied by WHO are faulty.
So, President John Magufuli devised a plan.
He sent samples from sheep, goat, papaya, engine oil etc. to the lab and labelled them as human samples.
Some returned as positive!https://t.co/uRIayFHk26 — Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) May 12, 2020
In response, the Africa CDC, who provided the tests in conjunction with the Jack Ma Foundation, defended the tests, as did the World Health Organization. Jack Ma, the richest man in China and the man behind Alibaba, has been on a mission to supply over 150 countries with medical supplies, including a shipment of 1.1 million coronavirus tests kits to Africa.
Note that instead of acknowledging a possible problem with test kits or procedures, MSM reporting on this story repeatedly mentions President Magafuli’s endorsement of a Madagascan tonic as a COVID-19 treatment, his wish for Tanzanians to “pray away” the virus, and Tanzania’s failures with respect to its coronavirus response. Mainstream outlets tend not to mention that he has a PhD in chemistry, his comments about sabotage, or his concerns over faulty tests and false positive results.
Flaws in Testing
This is not the first time coronavirus tests have come into question. In Britain, tests produced under Public Health England (PHE) protocols were found to lack sufficient accuracy and were abandoned. Similarly, in the United States, the CDC’s own tests were also found to be flawed. Other countries including the United States, Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey and India have all reported faulty or inaccurate tests from Chinese suppliers.
Obviously, bad tests means bad results. False negative test results return people who are actually infected with COVID-19 back into the community, confirmed to be safe to enjoy their remaining freedom. If the virus spreads and behaves as the MSM would have us believe, a small number of false negatives could spell disaster.
False positive results are dangerous for another reason — they cause people to be diagnosed with COVID-19 when they don’t actually have it. Considering those people and possibly their entire households may then be quarantined, this is not a good outcome. It gets worse when you add in the possibility of all their contacts being traced, notified that they might have COVID-19, and also possibly being isolated, based on bad test results.
Bear in mind that when large numbers of people are tested, a small percentage of false positives will falsely inflate case numbers, possibly giving the appearance of outbreaks occurring where there may be none. Considering much of the world has been placed on lockdown and large chunks of the global economy held for ransom, we ought to have an exceptionally high degree of confidence in the tests being used to detect coronavirus.
Preparation for extraction of SARS-CoV-2 genome using RT-PCR (Photo: Dean Calma/IAEA. Source: Wikicommons)
A Closer Look
Unfortunately, taking a closer look at the details of the testing process does not inspire confidence. Rather, it brings up a number of potential pitfalls, which, taken together cast a different light on the entire coronavirus crisis.
The following brief analysis by virus researcher David Crowe summarises his discoveries regarding the ‘PCR‘ or RT-PCR test, the main method being used to test people for COVID-19. His research points to what are potentially massive flaws, including:
the arbitrary nature of test procedures and the ambiguous nature of test results
documented cases in which test subjects alternately test positive, then negative, and then positive again on successive tests
the inability of the test to prove that a virus is functional or even present
the possibility of both false negative AND false positive results
variability in test procedures (which sequence portions of the virus are being sought, etc) among dozens of different test kits
the possibility of the ultra-sensitive tests being contaminated.
Before we mortgage our freedom and the global economy alike on the back of these tests, it should be a prerequisite that their results are at least accurate — but neither the tests themselves nor the public health bureaucrats pushing them even attempt to claim total accuracy.
So, who will test the tests? How accurate would you like your test to be?
More on this from David Crowe’s The Infectious Myth:
A lot depends on the result of your COVID-19 test, whether it is positive, indicating infection or, big sigh of relief, negative, indicating that you are not infected. But is there such a thing as “the” COVID-19 test? Indeed there is not. There are many and each is looking for different things and making different decisions about whether those things are present or not.
The Test is Not Binary
It is important to understand that the COVID-19 test does not inherently have only two values. The test uses multiple cycles of the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology, with an arbitrary count of cycles being the boundary between positive and negative, usually interpreted as infected and uninfected. Not only is this division arbitrary, but we know that it does not work that well because there are numerous published examples of people testing positive, then negative, then positive again, within a few days. There is, so far, no explanation of this phenomenon amongst people who are unwilling to question the test technology, test implementation or viral theory, although manufacturers do obliquely refer to this problem in their technical documentation by admitting that false positives can be caused by “non-specific signals in the assay” or, more directly, “As with other tests, false-positive results may occur.”
Imagine a game dreamed up by Harry Potter and Lewis Carroll. It is played in a field and the bounds are a circle that is not marked. If someone yells “out of bounds” the referee goes to the centre with a curled-up flamingo and rotates it a number of times, a number chosen arbitrarily by the referee. Some choose 30, and some choose other numbers up to 45. Additionally, different referees have flamingoes of different sizes, and sometimes they are curled up more tightly than at other times. But, if you are within the, say, 37 flamingo turns, you are safe, and if not, out of bounds. Welcome to the world of testing for the coronavirus.
Complexity
Coronavirus tests are performed by sophisticated machines with simple interfaces. Program the parameters of the test, pop in the samples, and in a relatively short time, the results are displayed, sometimes as a graph, or other times as simply as “Positive”, “Negative” or “Invalid”. But the process is not simple. First the RNA needs to be extracted from the sample, which will include a lot coming from your cells, from bacteria, or other sources, as well as possibly some from viral particles, all of which could possibly react with a later stage, causing a false positive. It is also important at this step to eliminate non-RNA substances that could interfere with following steps.
Secondly, the RNA needs to be converted into DNA, because PCR only works with DNA. This process uses the enzyme Reverse Transcriptase, hence the moniker RT-PCR for the combination of RNA conversion followed by standard PCR. The RNA to complementary DNA (cDNA) conversion process is quite inefficient. Stephen Bustin, a professor at Anglia Ruskin university, and perhaps the world’s leading expert on quality control of RT-PCR, told me in a recent interview
(infectiousmyth.podbean.com/e/the-infectious-myth-stephen-bustin-on-challenges-with-rt-pcr) that the amount of DNA obtained can vary widely, easily by a factor of 10. Since the PCR cycle number is a measure of the amount of material obtained, different efficiencies at the RT step essentially invalidate the simple use of the PCR cycle number. Two different test setups in two different labs, that both use the PCR cycle number 35 as a cutoff, may actually have the cutoff between negative and positive at wildly different places.
Finally, the third step, pure PCR occurs. As described above, this is repeated many times. On each cycle the DNA is unrolled from the double helix into two strands, the portion of interest is duplicated, and the DNA rolls up again.
You may think this explanation is complicated. Yes. It is a complicated process. And although a fancy machine makes it simple to operate, it doesn’t mean that every machine, every lab and every operator gets comparable results. Your situation is even worse than the operators because you will likely just be told either “Infected” or “Clear”.
A Potpourri of Tests
The NHS does not exert much control over the choice of COVID-19 test, allowing in-house validation of test kits (http://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/guidance-and-sop-covid-19-virus-testingin-nhs-laboratories-v1.pdf) although, more recently, it started to insist that commercially available, rather than in-house tests be used (www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/21/public-health-england-admits-coronavirus-tests-used-send-nhs). The US Food and Drug Administration, on the other hand, requires at least a façade of test approval through their Emergency Use Authorizations. I downloaded 33 of the test kit instructions, hopefully a representative sample, to try to see how the tests differed in what they were looking for, how long they were looking, and how they decided whether they had found it or not. I also scanned the test limitations, to see whether the manufacturers thought their tests were perfect or not. If you are a true masochist, you can check my analysis at:
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-situations-medical-devices/emergency-use-authorizations
The Number of Flamingo Turns
For some tests in the FDA list, the number of PCR cycles to distinguish positive from negative is not specified, but for most, it is. In general, the more PCR cycles, the more likely that a false positive will be obtained, and the fewer cycles, the more likely a false negative will be obtained. One manufacturer each recommended 30 cycles, 31, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39. 40 cycles was most popular, chosen by 12 manufacturers, and two recommended 43 and 45. The MIQE (Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative RT-PCR Experiments) guidelines for operation and reporting of RT-PCR states that the use of 40 or more cycles is unwise (academic.oup.com/clinchem/article/55/4/611/5631762). Bustin’s advice in my interview with him was that not more than 35 cycles be used. With either 35 or less than 40, the majority of COVID-19 RT-PCR tests approved by the FDA may be pushing RT-PCR to its limits or beyond.
What is Being Looked For?
The RT-PCR tests look for only a tiny fraction of the COVID-19 genome. And different tests look for different tiny fractions. Most do not specify the size of the portions, but a test developed by Charité Berlin (not on the FDA list) looks for the RdRp and E genes, which amount to 213 bases out of about 30,000 for the entire genome, or less than one percent. On the FDA list, the tests reference the E, N and S genes and portions of the ORF (Open Reading Frame). What is most important to know is not what the function of these RNA segments is, but simply that the tests are looking for very different things. It is as if we went looking for leopards with one person using spots as the guide, another the claws, another the teeth and another the eyes.
Worse than differences in what they are looking for is the way of defining whether they have found it. Some tests look for one portion that must be present for the test to be declared positive. Others look for two portions and both must be positive, while others only require one of the two to be positive. Some tests look for three portions, and generally only require two to be detected, although one test requires all three.
This is worth thinking about. A test that looks for three portions of the genome is generally happy if two are found. That means that we can have a leopard without spots as long as it has leopard-like claws and teeth. Or spots and teeth, but different claws. What does it mean to have a genome of a very simple creature like a virus, for which any part can be missing, but we still say it is what we are looking for? And if we only have 1% of an animal, is it possible we will decide it is a leopard when it is actually an ocelot?
Limitations of the Test
Each test comes with a list of limitations. And the majority probably apply to all tests, even though they are only listed in some. These include noting that the test is only looking for RNA, and does not prove that a virus is present, and certainly cannot prove that the virus is functional. Some note that RNA from the virus may persist after the infection has been resolved.
A variety of reasons for false negatives and false positives are given. While public health agencies are generally not interested in false positives, this problem has the power to magnify the epidemic, as well as turning people’s lives upside down. Some tests note correctly that false positives increase as the number of actual infections in the population being tested decrease. Also, RT-PCR is so ultra-sensitive, that a tiny amount of contamination at any stage of the process can result in a false positive, and the manufacturers warn about this. Some tests indicate that other coronaviruses may cause positive test results, but many coronaviruses are not believed to be very pathogenic, so this is equivalent to a false positive to the person receiving the misleading result. A mix-up of two specimens may cause one false positive and one false negative, as people are given the wrong results.
Some tests indicate correctly that the presence of the coronavirus RNA, even if taken as proof of viral infection, does not prove that it is the cause of any symptoms being experienced.
Many also recommend that the test alone not be used to make a diagnosis but that clinical information (such as symptoms) and a doctor’s opinion be incorporated.
Many tests admit they have not been tested on immunocompromised people or on people with symptoms, indicating that the manufacturers are concerned about the accuracy in these groups.
Impact on Your Life
One story from China illustrates the absurdity of the current situation with COVID-19 testing, the impact on people’s lives, and the unwillingness of medical professionals to consider that the test could ever be a problem.
The story of an elderly Chinese man is found in a pre-publication medical article
(https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-23197/v1):
A 68-year-old man was admitted due to fever, muscle pain, and fatigue. He was initially diagnosed with COVID-19 according to two consecutive positive results for SARS-CoV-2 RNA plus clinical symptoms and chest CT findings, and was discharged from hospital when meeting the discharge criteria, including two consecutive negative results. He was tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA twice during the quarantine and was hospitalized again. He was asymptomatic then, but IgG and IgM [antibodies, with IgG indicating immunity] were both positive. He was discharged in the context of four consecutive negative test results for SARS-CoV-2 RNA after antiviral treatment. However, he was tested positive once again on the 3rd and 4th day after the second discharge, although still asymptomatic. IgG and IgM were still positive. After antiviral treatment, the results of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were negative in three consecutive retests, and he was finally discharged and quarantined for further surveillance.
The most disturbing thing about this article is that, at no point, did the authors raise the possibility of false positive test results. Perhaps the unnamed 68-year-old man would disagree, arguing that his life being turned upside down, being forced to take drugs while healthy, and being isolated from his family was more disturbing.
More Information
For more information, discussion and references, see David Crowe’s critique of the COVID-19 pandemic theory at:
http://theinfectiousmyth.com/book/CoronavirusPanic.pdf
Continue reading at The Infectious Myth
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-14--Wisconsin’s Coronavirus Lockdown Order Struck Down by State Supreme Court – ‘Unelected Officials Cre

Wisconsin’s Coronavirus Lockdown Order Struck Down by State Supreme Court – ‘Unelected Officials Creating Law’

The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the state ’ s coronavirus lockdown order on Wednesday in a 4-3 majority decision by the high court – a ‘ first of its kind ’ crackdown on executive power in the state , according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel .
After weeks of public skepticism and frustration over the lockdown , the people of Wisconsin begin to see some light after their high court ’ s ruling .
In the majority decision , the court found that Secretary-Designee of Health Services Andrea Palm , along with Governor Tony Evers , did not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” which would have given state lawmakers veto power when the health agency issued new regulations like the stay-at-home order .
In mid-April , Gov .
Evers , Palm and state health officials made the executive decision to extend the order until at least May 26 and were subsequently met with frustrated protests .
The high court further ruled that without legislative review , “ an unelected official could create law applicable to all people during the course of COVID-19 and subject people to imprisonment when they disobeyed her ( Palm ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in their majority decision .
As news of the court ’ s decision broke , there were already reports of bars across the state opening their doors to patrons .
In the court ’ s dissenting opinion , one judge called the decision “ one of the most blatant examples of judicial activism in this court ’ s history ” and that “ it will be Wisconsinites who pay the price , ” found on page 90 of the official ruling .
According to Wisconsin ’ s public health department , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 and 421 reported deaths .
Gov .
Evers appeared on CNN shortly after the high court ’ s decision and decried the ruling saying that it would lead to coronavirus “ spikes across the state ” and statewide chaos .
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By
The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the state’s coronavirus lockdown order on Wednesday in a 4-3 majority decision by the high court – a ‘first of its kind’ crackdown on executive power in the state, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
After weeks of public skepticism and frustration over the lockdown, the people of Wisconsin begin to see some light after their high court’s ruling.
In the majority decision, the court found that Secretary-Designee of Health Services Andrea Palm, along with Governor Tony Evers, did not follow a process known as “rulemaking” which would have given state lawmakers veto power when the health agency issued new regulations like the stay-at-home order.
In mid-April, Gov. Evers, Palm and state health officials made the executive decision to extend the order until at least May 26 and were subsequently met with frustrated protests.
The high court further ruled that without legislative review, “an unelected official could create law applicable to all people during the course of COVID-19 and subject people to imprisonment when they disobeyed her (Palm’s) order,” four conservative judges wrote in their majority decision.
In the dissenting opinion, one judge called the decision “one of the most blatant examples of judicial activism in this court’s history” and that “it will be Wisconsinites who pay the price,” found on page 90 of the official ruling.
As news of the decision broke, there were already reports of bars across the state opening their doors to patrons.
According to Wisconsin’s public health department, there have been just under 11,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 421 reported deaths.
Gov. Evers appeared on CNN shortly after the high court’s decision and decried the ruling saying that it would lead to coronavirus “spikes across the state” and statewide chaos.
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-14--New Stanford Study on COVID-19 and the Dilemma of ‘Lockdown’ Policy

Dr. Jay Bhattacharaya from Stanford School of Medicine to give an update on his department ’ s latest COVID-19 serology @ @ @ @ @ Baseball employees which he co-authored .
His team tested some 5,600 employees at all levels @ @ @ @ @ League Baseball clubs across the country .
The results showed some interesting conclusions regarding the @ @ @ @ @ ’ within this mixed demographic , but also insights into how COVID may be spreading @ @ @ @ @ .
Dr. Bhattacharya also warns of some very real social health risks and damage to @ @ @ @ @ prolonged ‘ lockdown ’ policy .
Uncommon Knowledge host Peter Robinson discusses all this and @ @ @ @ @ .
Watch :

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Dr. Jay Bhattacharaya from Stanford School of Medicine to give an update on his department’s latest COVID-19 serology antibody survey of Major League Baseball employees which he co-authored. His team tested some 5,600 employees at all levels, across all 26 Major League Baseball clubs across the country. The results showed some interesting conclusions regarding the concept of ‘herd immunity’ within this mixed demographic, but also insights into how COVID may be spreading across geographical and economic lines. Dr. Bhattacharya also warns of some very real social health risks and damage to the country resulting from a prolonged ‘lockdown’ policy.
Uncommon Knowledge host Peter Robinson discusses all this and more with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. Watch:
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-15--UKC News: ‘Another Good Reason to End the Lockdown’

As the US and UK governments continue pressing forward with their disastrous lockdown policy , the fissures in the economy @ @ @ @ @ more evidence to suggest that the death toll is being driven primarily by the lockdown @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , confused Unions are trying to shut down schools and public services supposedly @ @ @ @ @ ” but are playing right into the hands of a billionaire class colluding with big @ @ @ @ @ Industrial Revolution .
All this and more .
Co-hosts Mike Robinson and Patrick Henningsen bringing @ @ @ @ @ .
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As the US and UK governments continue pressing forward with their disastrous lockdown policy, the fissures in the economy are now widening, with more evidence to suggest that the death toll is being driven primarily by the lockdown itself, and not COVID-19. Meanwhile, confused Unions are trying to shut down schools and public services supposedly over “COVID safety fears” but are playing right into the hands of a billionaire class colluding with big government to kickstart their Fourth Industrial Revolution. All this and more.
Co-hosts Mike Robinson and Patrick Henningsen bringing you the latest Coronavirus updates. Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-njp9CAVeQ
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-16--Fascism, California Style: Leaders Using Lockdown Rules to Thwart Any Political Challenge

In a rambling interview this week , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti ( above , wearing a mask ) informed America ’ s largest city that stay-at-home ‘ lockdown ’ orders will continue ‘ with all certainty ’ for another three months , bringing his house arrest sentence for upwards of 13 million residents up to the month August .
All this , despite the fact that LA only has recorded some 1,613 deaths from Coronavirus – a mere fraction of casualties suffered by New York City which is set to lift its lockdown in a few weeks time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement where he claimed that “ LA will never be completely open until we have a cure ” ( presumably he means a vaccine ) .
However , the Mayor was forced to backpedal on comments made the previous day by LA County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on who said that stay-at-home orders in LA will ‘ with all certainty ’ be for the next three months – as he attempted to revise her previous statement by claiming that she really only meant that they wanted people to just ‘ cover our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re safest working from and staying at home ’ .
It ’ s now become apparent that both the Mayor and the state ’ s governor , Gavin Newsom , are using their own draconian lockdown rules to keep residents from gathering enough signatures for a state recall challenge against them .
As a result of these authoritarian trends , angry state residents have taken to social media to voice their opposition and anger as the state politicians ’ power grab .
Have American political leaders become too intoxicated with their newfound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to let go ?
American news host Tucker Carlson reveals the extend to which California ’ s rulers have gone to secure lockdown through summer .
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In a rambling interview this week, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (above, wearing a mask) informed America’s largest city that stay-at-home ‘lockdown’ orders will continue ‘with all certainty’ for another three months, bringing his house arrest sentence for upwards of 13 million residents up to the month of August. All this, despite the fact that LA only has recorded some 1,613 deaths from Coronavirus – a mere fraction of casualties suffered by New York City which is set to lift its lockdown in a few weeks time.
A crazed Garcetti also made a bizarre statement where he claimed that “LA will never be completely open until we have a cure” (presumably he means a vaccine). However, the Mayor was forced to backpedal on comments made the previous day by LA County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on who said that stay-at-home orders in LA will ‘with all certainty’ be for the next three months – as he attempted to revise her previous statement by claiming that she really only meant that they wanted people to just ‘cover our faces, physically distance and that you’re safest working from and staying at home’.
It’s now become apparent that both the Mayor and the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, are using their own draconian lockdown rules to keep residents from gathering enough signatures for a state recall challenge against them. As a result of these authoritarian trends, angry state residents have taken to social media to voice their opposition and anger as the state politicians’ power grab.
Have American political leaders become too intoxicated with their newfound dictatorial powers, and are now unwilling to let go?
American news host Tucker Carlson reveals the extent to which California’s rulers have gone to secure lockdown through summer. Watch:
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-16--Robert Kennedy Jr. Exposes Big Pharma, Fauci and the Danger of a COVID-19 Vaccine

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to drift on , western governments are looking for more excuses to extend what is now known to be a disastrous lockdown policy .
One of the hooks which politicians and health officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci continue to dangle in front of the public is the promise of a “ cure ” for the Coronavirus , or more specifically – a vaccine .
The sheer scale of the corruption between industry and government difficult to fathom .
Masterminding the public campaign for a Coronavirus vaccine ‘ panacea ’ is billionaire Bill Gates and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation who are now partnering with Big Pharma to roll-out a global vaccine program for 7 billion people worldwide .
This incessant rush to market means that this new ‘ miracle vaccine ’ will not go through the normal research , development and safety procedures .
With such a well-connected and well-financed corporate and ideological cartel now in control of western governments , there ’ s a very real danger of unprecedented corruption on a global level – a clear and present danger to the health and well being of many millions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jr talks with host Patrick Bet-David about vaccines , the lockdowns , Dr Fauci , and how generations of elites criminal cartels have taken control of America .
Watch : Visit RFK Jr ’ s Childrens Health Defense and follow him on Instagram at @ robertfkennedyjr SUPPORT OUR WORK BY SUBSCRIBING & BECOMING A MEMBER @ 21WIRE.TV

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As the COVID-19 crisis continues to drift on, western governments are looking for more excuses to extend what is now known to be a disastrous lockdown policy. One of the hooks which politicians and health officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci continue to dangle in front of the public is the promise of a “cure” for the Coronavirus, or more specifically – a vaccine. The sheer scale of the corruption between industry and government is difficult to fathom. Masterminding the public campaign for a Coronavirus vaccine ‘panacea’ is billionaire Bill Gates and his funding machine, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who are now partnering with Big Pharma to roll-out a global vaccine program for 7 billion people worldwide. This incessant rush to market means that this new ‘miracle vaccine’ will not go through the normal research, development and safety procedures. With such a well-connected and well-financed corporate and ideological cartel now in control of western governments, there’s a very real danger of unprecedented corruption on a global level – a clear and present danger to the health and well being of many millions.
In this interview, Robert F Kennedy, Jr talks with host Patrick Bet-David about vaccines, the lockdowns, Dr Fauci, and how generations of elite criminal cartels have taken control of America. Watch:
Visit RFK Jr’s Childrens Health Defense and follow him on Instagram at @robertfkennedyjr
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-16--REVEALED: Pressure Placed on Pharmacies NOT to Prescribe Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19

Yesterday , it was announced that the UK government will spend £20 million to purchase stocks of hydroxychloroquin , a known generic antimalarial drug which received considerable attention after Donald Trump began promoting it as a potential cure for COVID-19 back in March .
This is both a partisan political issue as well as a corporate power one .
With the 2020 Election beckoning , any thing or person favored or opposed by President Trump will immediately attract the opposite reaction from the media and his political opposition .
Additionally , because chloroquine is generic and thus incredibly cheap ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is simply not profitable for the major pharmaceutical companies who naturally want to make as much money as they can during the COVID crisis .
Instead , industry representatives are pushing more expensive solutions like Remdesivir made by Gilead pharmaceuticals ( roughly $ 900 per course ) .
It ’ s no secret how enmeshed Big Pharma is with Washington , it ’ s political leaders and its health officials like Dr Anthony Fauci who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
As a result of both Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combined with pressure from Big Pharma , it now appears that serious political and financial pressure has been put to bear on pharmacy and drug store outlets across America to discourage doctors from prescribing hydroxychloroquin to patients who are suffering from symptoms of COVID-19 .
One doctor from Dallas has been speaking out – Dr. Ivette C. Lozano spoke to TV news host Laura Ingraham ( original aired May 14 , 2020 ) .
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Yesterday, it was announced that the UK government will spend £20 million to purchase stocks of hydroxychloroquine, a known generic antimalarial drug which received considerable attention after Donald Trump began promoting it as a potential cure for COVID-19 back in March.
This is both a partisan political issue as well as a corporate power one. With the 2020 Election beckoning, any thing or person favored or opposed by President Trump will immediately attract the opposite reaction from the media and his political opposition. Additionally, because chloroquine is generic and thus incredibly cheap (only $13 per prescription), it is simply not profitable for the major pharmaceutical companies who naturally want to make as much money as they can during the COVID crisis. Instead, industry representatives are pushing more expensive solutions like Remdesivir made by Gilead pharmaceuticals (roughly $900 per course). It’s no secret how enmeshed Big Pharma is with Washington, it’s political leaders and its health officials like Dr Anthony Fauci who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
As a result of both Democratic Party and mainstream media disdain for Trump, combined with pressure from Big Pharma, it now appears that serious political and financial pressure has been put to bear on pharmacy and drug store outlets across America to discourage doctors from prescribing hydroxychloroquine to patients who are suffering from symptoms of COVID-19.
One doctor from Dallas has been speaking out – Dr. Ivette C. Lozano spoke to TV news host Laura Ingraham (original aired May 14, 2020). Watch:
READ MORE COVID-19 NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire COVID-19 Files
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-18--UKC News: Gov’t Promises Miracle Vaccine by Fall, Confusion on Social Distancing

As the British government continues its disastrous COVID ‘ lockdown ’ experiment , officials are now struggling to communicate to @ @ @ @ @ of ‘ social distancing ’ is still in place , especially since it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ and hospitalisations already peak in early April .
Also , the government and its media @ @ @ @ @ vaccines , promising a miracle panacea by September .
But what about safety testing ?
@ @ @ @ @ Co-hosts Brian Gerrish , Mike Robinson and David Scott bringing you the latest Coronavirus updates @ @ @ @ @ WORK BY SUBSCRIBING & BECOMING A MEMBER @ 21WIRE.TV

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As the British government continues its disastrous COVID ‘lockdown’ experiment, officials are now struggling to communicate to the public why the policy of ‘social distancing’ is still in place, especially since it’s been scientifically shown that infections and hospitalisations already peak in early April. Also, the government and its media partners have ramped-up messaging on vaccines, promising a miracle panacea by September. But what about safety testing? All this and more.
Co-hosts Brian Gerrish, Mike Robinson and David Scott bringing you the latest Coronavirus updates. Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q6ne5jZ4kk
READ MORE COVID-19 NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire COVID-19 Files
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-18--REVEALED: New Coronavirus Relief Bill is Political Power-play by Democratic Party

This week , the US House voted in a virtual whip line 208 to 199 , to pass the third Coronavirus Relief Bill , this time totaling some $ 3 Trillion .
The bill represents yet another round of direct cash payments for Americans , and unemployment benefits to the end of January , hazard pay for front-line workers , virus-testing efforts , contact tracing and money treatment .
Republicans maintain that the bill contains an unprecedented amount of “ stimulus pork ” which Democrats are using to buy votes for the coming election .
“ This is a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tailored strictly to meet the needs of the American people regarding the coronavirus pandemic , ” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) .
“ To do anything less would not be responsible.
” However , Pelosi ’ s package looks dead on arrival in the Senate .
Democrats are claiming that the pandemic will worsen , as will the economic and public health toll , and so the bill sets the framework for more fiscal stimulus going forward .
“ Instead of going big , it seems you went crazy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R-CA ) .
“ This is a political messaging bill that has no chance of becoming law.
” The ideological and political lines are now drawn .
Trump has already issued a veto warning if the Democratic bill reaches his desk .
“ This proposed legislation , however , is more concerned with delivering on longstanding partisan and ideological wishlists than with enhancing the ability of our Nation to deal with the public health and economic challenges we face , ” said the White House .
“ When the smoke clears , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us out from our mountain of debt , ” says FOX host Tucker Carlson .
Certainly , in partisan terms and with COVID still in full crisis mode , this situation has the potential to go ‘ nuclear ’ .
Is Washington heading for major gridlock amidst this historic crisis and an election year ?
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This week, the US House voted in a virtual whip line 208 to 199, to pass the third Coronavirus Relief Bill, this time totaling some $3 Trillion. The bill represents yet another round of direct cash payments for Americans, and unemployment benefits to the end of January, hazard pay for front-line workers, virus-testing efforts, contact tracing and money treatment. Republicans maintain that the bill contains an unprecedented amount of “stimulus pork” which Democrats are using to buy votes for the coming election.
“This is a very strategically planned piece of legislation that is tailored strictly to meet the needs of the American people regarding the coronavirus pandemic,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). “To do anything less would not be responsible.”
However, Pelosi’s package looks dead on arrival in the Senate. Democrats are claiming that the pandemic will worsen, as will the economic and public health toll, and so the bill sets the framework for more fiscal stimulus going forward.
“Instead of going big, it seems you went crazy,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). “This is a political messaging bill that has no chance of becoming law.”
The ideological and political lines are now drawn. Trump has already issued a veto warning if the Democratic bill reaches his desk. “This proposed legislation, however, is more concerned with delivering on longstanding partisan and ideological wishlists than with enhancing the ability of our Nation to deal with the public health and economic challenges we face,” said the White House.
“When the smoke clears, only China will be able to bail us out from our mountain of debt,” says FOX host Tucker Carlson.
Certainly, in partisan terms and with COVID still in full crisis mode, this situation has the potential to go ‘nuclear’. Is Washington heading for major gridlock amidst this historic crisis and an election year? Watch this provocative segment:
READ MORE COVID-19 NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire COVID-19 Files
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-18--Is COVID-19 Accelerating the End of Neoliberalism?

Governments are now spending trillions in to manage the fallout from COVID-19 crisis .
But how long can this last @ @ @ @ @ into the era of bigger government and sweeping state intervention in markets and infrastructure ?
@ @ @ @ @ that easily , and is the last four decades of ‘ pro-market ’ neoliberal reforms @ @ @ @ @ so , what is coming next ?
The Agenda host Steve Paikin talks with Conservative @ @ @ @ @ Bhaskar Sunkara , author of “ The Socialist Manifesto , ” for a North American @ @ @ @ @ crisis could draw government institutions away from neoliberal consensus of the last 40 years .
@ @

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Governments are now spending trillions to manage the fallout from COVID-19 crisis. But how long can this last? Is western society moving into the era of bigger government and sweeping state intervention in markets and infrastructure? Can globalization really be unwound that easily, and is the last four decades of ‘pro-market’ neoliberal reforms coming to end? If so, what is coming next?
The Agenda host Steve Paikin talks with Conservative economist Sean Speer, and Bhaskar Sunkara, author of “The Socialist Manifesto,” for a North American perspective on how the COVID crisis could draw government institutions away from neoliberal consensus of the last 40 years. Watch:
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-18--The ‘Battle’ Against COVID-19 in a Fragmented World, Has Ruined Billions of Lives

It is not only about physically surviving the pandemic .
People miss people , and places , sometimes desperately .
And they die , when separated .
We are bombarded by briefings and numbers .
We are scared into submission by horrifying medical stories , by shocking images , and then , simultaneously , by predictions of economic and social downfall .
Day and night , day and night .
But somehow , so often during this so-called coronavirus emergency , we tend to forget that people are people , not numbers , and that bare survival is far from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ You are living in a globalized world .
Borders have become redundant.
” Some reluctantly , others happily , accepted Rich Westerners invaded all corners of the world with their yachts , villas and third and fourth homes .
Poor Philippine and Indonesian maids and hotel employees have migrated to the Gulf , in search of decently paid jobs .
Interracial , intercontinental marriages and relationships became the norm .
By the end of 2019 , hundreds of millions were living in several parts of the world , simultaneously .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals .
For some it became a lifestyle , for others bare necessity .
For better or worse , cultures were increasingly becoming intertwined .
To many , the color of skin was increasingly irrelevant .
At least to those few hundreds of millions , who have been living on this planet Earth , not just in Asia or Europe , Oceania , the Middle East , South or North America .
I have written a lot about this trend .
Some of it was clearly positive , while I have been criticizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was the reality , and as many of us believed , an irreversible , permanent one .
Human beings were breaking up the chains of their past .
Suddenly , they felt free to step out of their traditional cultures , religions , habits .
They formed relations with human beings coming from other parts of the world .
They were marrying people with thoroughly different cultures and backgrounds .
They were moving to far away places .
And not only young people .
Often their parents , seduced by wanderlust , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away .
Men and women were doing research , in deep rainforests , some of them deciding to stay there , forever .
Others were ruining these forests , becoming rich on shameless plunder .
So many stories , good and bad .
So many reasons , wonderful and horrible , of globalized or internationalized life .
COVID-19 , or call it novel coronavirus , has arrived .
It came from nowhere , its mortality rate is relatively low , very similar to that of the common flu , but still remarkably contagious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken away from the people .
So fast , and without plebiscites , referendums , debates .
Police , drones , surveillance , have rapidly been employed against the citizens , virtually everywhere .
And then , almost from the start of the pandemic , the borders began closing down .
Borders , which we used to be told , were there to stay open , forever .
And the international , or for some of us internationalist life , was suddenly arrested .
The changes were implemented so rapidly , that most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We watched , helplessly , as frontiers were closed , airlines cancelled flights , and the movement of people came to an abrupt stop .
VIDEO : Stunning aerial footage from over the southwestern United States , showing hundreds of abandoned passenger airliners parked indefinitely ( Source : Twitter ) .
Watch : Across the border lines , disappearing beyond the horizon , were our families , or loved ones , our colleagues and comrades , as well as countries and cities for which we longed for .
There was nothing much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global lockdown was apparently performed “ for our own good.
” We found ourselves sheltered in prison , ‘ so we , and others , could survive.
’ Or that ’ s what we were told .
We have not been allowed to take risks , nor to dare .
Our loved ones have not been allowed to dare , either .
We have all become soft , and so easy to manipulate .
All that talk about freedom and democracy has quickly been forgotten .
In just one or two months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never before .
Borders have been closed , even between the countries of Europe , Asia , Latin America , Africa , and the Middle East .
Europeans , for instance , who were forced into great sacrifices in exchange for a borderless continent , were suddenly stuck with those existing sacrifices , but also with the re-erected frontiers .
With shocking speed , all the gains made by humanity – gains towards an open world – were annulled , liquidated .
I have to repeat : the people were not asked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporations , chief among them the airlines , began receiving billions of dollars in government subsidies , there has been no compensation for those hundreds of millions of people whose lives have been virtually ruined , reduced to near nothing by the travel bans , which have amounted to imprisoning multitudes in their current locations .
Right now , almost the entire South America is “ out of reach ” , and so is Asia .
Foreigners can not enter the United States .
Actually , most of the countries have turned themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatives living in a different part of the world .
Imagine that your spouse is there , somewhere , or your house , or important work which you love , passionately .
Imagine that some neoliberal government is using COVID-19 lockdown to cover up the speeding-up of the destruction of its rainforests , as is happening right now in places such as Brazil and Indonesia .
Imagine that such governments are dispossessing indigenous people , and you can not continue your work , which is to expose crimes against humanity and nature .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , but you can not go .
The borders are closed , planes are not flying .
Still , we ’ re told , “ It is all for your own good , ” and “ It ’ s all for the sake others ” .
You may want to ask : “ What about the good of those millions who are being robbed , impoverished , even killed by events unrelated , or just partially-related to the COVID-19 ?
Do they have the right to live ?
Do they have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” But it seems not many are asking those questions !
And if they do , the mass media is not paying attention .
The novel coronavirus , it appears , is now all that matters , at least to some , or to the majority .
Or to the regime .
It is like the many hospitals , which are letting people die from cancer and strokes , because their emergency rooms and beds are being used exclusively to treat COVID-19 patients .
There is something essentially and morally wrong with this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and logically , too .
Do governments in , say , Europe , have the right to tell a husband whose wife is dying in Japan or Korea , that he can not jump on a plane and go , in order to be with her ?
Can a scientist be prevented from flying to a lab , on the other side of the world , if he or she is working on some urgent project that could improve life on our planet ?
Can I , as a journalist , be prevented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Colombian mercenaries have just attempted yet another coup against a legitimate government ?
It is the “ new normal.
” Four or five months ago , it would all have been considered insane , unacceptable , even criminal .
But now , a flu pandemic , has suddenly created a new ‘ morality ’ , as well as thoroughly new rules and norms for humanity .
And we do not have to look for important missions , or life and death situations , only .
There are hundreds of millions , perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living on this beautiful planet of ours , not in just one particular country , and who can not exist in any other way .
Their culture is multiculturalism .
I do not say that it is good or bad .
It is simply a fact .
Their health , even medical supplies , depend on this ‘ lifestyle ’ , as well as their emotional well-being , and their work .
Without being able to travel , their personal relationships are falling apart , their houses and apartments are literally collapsing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Is anyone compiling statistics on how many human lives are being affected , or even ruined in this manner ?
The numbers must definitely be staggering .
Caution , of course !
Caution is essential .
The coronavirus should not be taken lightly .
But not the extreme approaches , which could , for decades to come , set back those countless positive gains that have been made by our civilization .
To travel , to explore ; getting to know “ the Other ” , trying to understand , to live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is one of the great advances made by humankind .
Imperfect , sometimes hypocritical or half-hearted , but a great advance , nevertheless .
Not globalization , but internationalism , when things are at their best .
We thought that we could take these advances for granted .
We strongly believed that they couldn ’ t be removed from us .
We fought for the others , for the people of all nationalities and races , to be able to enjoy them , soon , too .
We thought that we could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sudden , we have realized that everything was just a mirage .
One strike of a pen by some government official , and all our liberties can disappear , get cancelled .
We get pushed into the corner , as if we were cattle , or kindergarten children .
True rights are only those rights that can never , under any circumstances , be taken away from us .
The most frightening is the absolutism , extremism with which the regulations have been introduced .
A state of siege , perhaps , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been made difficult , but still possible .
I will say it as an anecdote , but there is some truth in it : I have a combat gas mask , which I use when covering riots , uprisings and revolutions .
It has a huge filter .
There is no way that if I was wearing it , I could get infected , or infect other people on an airplane .
If that is not enough , I would be willing to wear some plastic disposable suit , all the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asia , with transit points in Europe .
It would be an extremely uncomfortable , but safe ( for me and everybody ) way of travel .
And when in Asia , say Japan , I ’ d be happy to undergo a 14-day self-quarantine .
And even pay some reasonable fee , for ‘ causing bother ’ .
But if I really need to go , if it is a matter of life and death for me , there should be some draconic option for me and for millions like me .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ borders of the entire Asia and of South America are closed , hermetically .
Even the borders of the United States are sealed , despite the fact that it has the highest rate of infected people .
Only citizens and green card holders can board the inbound planes .
And so , human lives continue being ruined , on a just recently unimaginable scale .
Nothing , absolutely nothing can be done , it appears .
All of us are at the mercy of our regimes .
We had no idea , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions are lifted , nothing will ever be “ normal ” .
People will be well aware of the fact that their lives can be shattered again , on any pretext – at any time .
If a cure , or prevention , are ten times , or even hundred times deadlier than the disease , then it is immoral to be applying them .
Also , it is essential to remember , that there are many different ways in which human beings can die .
Some people could easily perish even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are beating .
They could die from sorrow , from the absence of loved ones , or from the meaninglessness of life in confinement .
Today ’ s struggle , and combat should not be exclusively against COVID-19 .
The battle should be simply for life , for each and every human life , no matter what viruses , conditions or circumstances are endangering it .
* Andre Vltchek is a philosopher , novelist , filmmaker and investigative journalist .
He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries .
Five of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Road Initiative ” , “ China and Ecological Civilization ” with John B. Cobb , Jr. , “ Revolutionary Optimism , Western Nihilism ” , the revolutionary novel “ Aurora ” and a bestselling work of political non-fiction : “ Exposing Lies Of The Empire ” .
View his other books here .
Watch Rwanda Gambit , his ground-breaking documentary about Rwanda and DR Congo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky “ On Western Terrorism ” .
Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and Latin America , and continues to work around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through his website , his and his Patreon

By
Andre Vltchek
21st Century Wire
It is not only about physically surviving the pandemic. People miss people, and places, sometimes desperately. And they die, when separated.
We are bombarded by briefings and numbers. We are scared into submission by horrifying medical stories, by shocking images, and then, simultaneously, by predictions of economic and social downfall. Day and night, day and night.
But somehow, so often during this so-called coronavirus emergency, we tend to forget that people are people, not numbers, and that bare survival is far from everything.
For decades we were told: “You are living in a globalized world. Borders have become redundant.” Some reluctantly, others happily, accepted
Rich Westerners invaded all corners of the world with their yachts, villas and third and fourth homes.
Poor Philippine and Indonesian maids and hotel employees have migrated to the Gulf, in search of decently paid jobs.
Interracial, intercontinental marriages and relationships became the norm.
By the end of 2019, hundreds of millions were living in several parts of the world, simultaneously. For different reasons, both rich and poor individuals. For some it became a lifestyle, for others bare necessity.
For better or worse, cultures were increasingly becoming intertwined. To many, the color of skin was increasingly irrelevant. At least to those few hundreds of millions, who have been living on this planet Earth, not just in Asia or Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, South or North America.
I have written a lot about this trend. Some of it was clearly positive, while I have been criticizing, decisively, many elements.
But it was the reality, and as many of us believed, an irreversible, permanent one.
Human beings were breaking up the chains of their past. Suddenly, they felt free to step out of their traditional cultures, religions, habits. They formed relations with human beings coming from other parts of the world. They were marrying people with thoroughly different cultures and backgrounds. They were moving to far away places. And not only young people. Often their parents, seduced by wanderlust, were deciding to retire thousands of miles away.
Men and women were doing research, in deep rainforests, some of them deciding to stay there, forever. Others were ruining these forests, becoming rich on shameless plunder.
So many stories, good and bad. So many reasons, wonderful and horrible, of globalized or internationalized life.
Then suddenly, the end. Full stop!
COVID-19, or call it novel coronavirus, has arrived.
It came from nowhere, its mortality rate is relatively low, very similar to that of the common flu, but still remarkably contagious.
Abruptly, our world stopped.
Almost all proverbial liberties have been taken away from the people. So fast, and without plebiscites, referendums, debates. Police, drones, surveillance, have rapidly been employed against the citizens, virtually everywhere.
And then, almost from the start of the pandemic, the borders began closing down. Borders, which we used to be told, were there to stay open, forever.
And the international, or for some of us internationalist life, was suddenly arrested.
The changes were implemented so rapidly, that most of us had no time to react. We watched, helplessly, as frontiers were closed, airlines cancelled flights, and the movement of people came to an abrupt stop.
VIDEO : Stunning aerial footage from over the southwestern United States, showing hundreds of abandoned passenger airliners parked indefinitely (Source: Twitter). Watch:
Across the border lines, disappearing beyond the horizon, were our families, or loved ones, our colleagues and comrades, as well as countries and cities for which we longed for.
There was nothing much we could do, because this brutal global lockdown was apparently performed “for our own good.” We found ourselves sheltered in prison, ‘so we, and others, could survive.’ Or that’s what we were told.
We have not been allowed to take risks, nor to dare. Our loved ones have not been allowed to dare, either.
We have all become soft, and so easy to manipulate. All that talk about freedom and democracy has quickly been forgotten.
In just one or two months, our planet has become fragmented, as never before. Borders have been closed, even between the countries of Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.
Europeans, for instance, who were forced into great sacrifices in exchange for a borderless continent, were suddenly stuck with those existing sacrifices, but also with the re-erected frontiers.
With shocking speed, all the gains made by humanity – gains towards an open world – were annulled, liquidated.
I have to repeat: the people were not asked. Nobody consulted them.
While several transnational corporations, chief among them the airlines, began receiving billions of dollars in government subsidies, there has been no compensation for those hundreds of millions of people whose lives have been virtually ruined, reduced to near nothing by the travel bans, which have amounted to imprisoning multitudes in their current locations.
Right now, almost the entire South America is “out of reach”, and so is Asia. Foreigners cannot enter the United States. Actually, most of the countries have turned themselves into fortresses.
Imagine that you have relatives living in a different part of the world. Imagine that your spouse is there, somewhere, or your house, or important work which you love, passionately.
Imagine that some neoliberal government is using COVID-19 lockdown to cover up the speeding-up of the destruction of its rainforests, as is happening right now in places such as Brazil and Indonesia. Imagine that such governments are dispossessing indigenous people, and you cannot continue your work, which is to expose crimes against humanity and nature.
Millions of people depend on your investigative work, but you cannot go. The borders are closed, planes are not flying.
Still, we’re told, “It is all for your own good,” and “It’s all for the sake others”.
You may want to ask: “What about the good of those millions who are being robbed, impoverished, even killed by events unrelated, or just partially-related to the COVID-19? Do they have the right to live? Do they have the right to be protected, defended?”
But it seems not many are asking those questions! And if they do, the mass media is not paying attention.
The novel coronavirus, it appears, is now all that matters, at least to some, or to the majority. Or to the regime.
It is like the many hospitals, which are letting people die from cancer and strokes, because their emergency rooms and beds are being used exclusively to treat COVID-19 patients.
There is something essentially and morally wrong with this approach. Something deeply wrong, philosophically and logically, too.
Do governments in, say, Europe, have the right to tell a husband whose wife is dying in Japan or Korea, that he cannot jump on a plane and go, in order to be with her?
Can a scientist be prevented from flying to a lab, on the other side of the world, if he or she is working on some urgent project that could improve life on our planet?
Can I, as a journalist, be prevented from flying to Venezuela, where U.S. and Colombian mercenaries have just attempted yet another coup against a legitimate government?
Apparently, the answer is “Yes!”
It is the “new normal.”
Four or five months ago, it would all have been considered insane, unacceptable, even criminal.
But now, a flu pandemic, has suddenly created a new ‘morality’, as well as thoroughly new rules and norms for humanity.
And we do not have to look for important missions, or life and death situations, only.
There are hundreds of millions, perhaps billions of people, who are simply living on this beautiful planet of ours, not in just one particular country, and who cannot exist in any other way. Their culture is multiculturalism. I do not say that it is good or bad. It is simply a fact. Their health, even medical supplies, depend on this ‘lifestyle’, as well as their emotional well-being, and their work.
Without being able to travel, their personal relationships are falling apart, their houses and apartments are literally collapsing, and their life is losing its meaning.
Is anyone compiling statistics on how many human lives are being affected, or even ruined in this manner? The numbers must definitely be staggering.
Caution, of course! Caution is essential. The coronavirus should not be taken lightly. But not the extreme approaches, which could, for decades to come, set back those countless positive gains that have been made by our civilization.
To travel, to explore; getting to know “the Other”, trying to understand, to live with each other as one humanity: this is one of the great advances made by humankind. Imperfect, sometimes hypocritical or half-hearted, but a great advance, nevertheless. Not globalization, but internationalism, when things are at their best.
We thought that we could take these advances for granted. We strongly believed that they couldn’t be removed from us.
We fought for the others, for the people of all nationalities and races, to be able to enjoy them, soon, too. We thought that we could win.
And now, all of a sudden, we have realized that everything was just a mirage.
One strike of a pen by some government official, and all our liberties can disappear, get cancelled. We get pushed into the corner, as if we were cattle, or kindergarten children.
True rights are only those rights that can never, under any circumstances, be taken away from us.
The most frightening is the absolutism, extremism with which the regulations have been introduced.
A state of siege, perhaps, but not outright incarceration.
Travel could have been made difficult, but still possible.
I will say it as an anecdote, but there is some truth in it: I have a combat gas mask, which I use when covering riots, uprisings and revolutions. It has a huge filter. There is no way that if I was wearing it, I could get infected, or infect other people on an airplane. If that is not enough, I would be willing to wear some plastic disposable suit, all the way from, say, South America to Asia, with transit points in Europe. It would be an extremely uncomfortable, but safe (for me and everybody) way of travel. And when in Asia, say Japan, I’d be happy to undergo a 14-day self-quarantine. And even pay some reasonable fee, for ‘causing bother’.
But if I really need to go, if it is a matter of life and death for me, there should be some draconic option for me and for millions like me. But there isn’t! The borders of the entire Asia and of South America are closed, hermetically. Even the borders of the United States are sealed, despite the fact that it has the highest rate of infected people. Only citizens and green card holders can board the inbound planes.
And so, human lives continue being ruined, on a just recently unimaginable scale.
Nothing, absolutely nothing can be done, it appears. All of us are at the mercy of our regimes.
We had no idea, but now we know.
Even when these restrictions are lifted, nothing will ever be “normal”. People will be well aware of the fact that their lives can be shattered again, on any pretext – at any time.
If a cure, or prevention, are ten times, or even hundred times deadlier than the disease, then it is immoral to be applying them.
Also, it is essential to remember, that there are many different ways in which human beings can die. Some people could easily perish even if their lungs are intact, and hearts are beating. They could die from sorrow, from the absence of loved ones, or from the meaninglessness of life in confinement.
Today’s struggle, and combat should not be exclusively against COVID-19. The battle should be simply for life, for each and every human life, no matter what viruses, conditions or circumstances are endangering it.
*
Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Five of his latest books are “China Belt and Road Initiative”, “China and Ecological Civilization” with John B. Cobb, Jr., “Revolutionary Optimism, Western Nihilism”, the revolutionary novel “Aurora” and a bestselling work of political non-fiction: “Exposing Lies Of The Empire”. View his other books here. Watch Rwanda Gambit, his ground-breaking documentary about Rwanda and DR Congo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky “On Western Terrorism”. Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and Latin America, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website, his Twitter and his Patreon .
READ MORE CORONAVIRUS NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Coronavirus Files
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-17--SUNDAY SCREENING: ‘Human Resources: Social Engineering In The 20th Century’ (2010)

Our weekly documentary film curated by the editorial team at 21WIRE .
This documentary explores the rise of mechanistic philosophy @ @ @ @ @ humans in technologically-driven society .
The 20th century saw the introduction of the technocracy as @ @ @ @ @ behaviorism , scientific management , work-place democracy , schooling , frustration-aggression hypothesis and human experimentation @ @ @ @ @ is a fundamental transformation in human experience – one which many people today are still @ @ @ @ @ .
David Ker Thomson ’ s review of the film describes it as follows : @ @ @ @ @ events of the last century the way a glass answers the implicit questions of a @ @ @ @ @ reflective surface , point for point .
It corresponds , in short , to reality.
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Our weekly documentary film curated by the editorial team at 21WIRE.
This documentary explores the rise of mechanistic philosophy and the modern role of humans in technologically-driven society. The 20th century saw the introduction of the technocracy as an organizational framework, including behaviorism, scientific management, work-place democracy, schooling, frustration-aggression hypothesis and human experimentation. This systemization of mankind is a fundamental transformation in human experience – one which many people today are still struggling to articulate and understand. David Ker Thomson’s review of the film describes it as follows: “It answers the significant events of the last century the way a glass answers the implicit questions of a man who peers into its reflective surface, point for point. It corresponds, in short, to reality.” Watch:
Run time: 1 hr 20 min
Director: Scott Noble
Production: Metanonia Films (2010)
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-17--Episode #326 – ‘COVID Crash Test’ with guest David Crowe and more

Episode # 326 of SUNDAY WIRE SHOW resumes on this week , May 17 , 2020 with host Patrick Henningsen , broadcasting LIVE on the Alternate Current Radio Network ( ACR ) … 5pm-8pm UK Time | 12pm-3pm EST ( US ) | 9am-12pm PST ( US ) This week the SUNDAY WIRE broadcasts LIVE on ACR with host Patrick Henningsen covering the top stories in the US , Europe and internationally .
This week we continue our commentary on the Coronavirus COVID-19 crisis and the great social engineering experiment known as ‘ lockdown ’ , as governments continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain to be the biggest epic failure in modern history .
New economic figures are in which now point to a global depression , with central banks printing money like there ’ s no tomorrow , and governments saying that the people must pay the bill through higher taxes and spending cuts over the coming decades .
In the second hour , we ’ ll connect with special guest , independent researcher , David Crowe , to discuss his recent analysis of the COVID-19 RT-PCR RNA testing , as well the efficacy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are and how this paradigm could affect governments ’ policies and society going forward .
In the final segment we ’ ll also talk with SUNDAY WIRE Roving Correspondent for Culture & Sport , Basil Valentine , and ACR ’ s Hesher for the latest on US states lifting lockdowns this week .
All this and much , much more .
Enjoy the show… SUPPORT OUR INDY MEDIA PLATFORM BY DONATING HERE AND ALSO BECOME A TEAM MEMBER @ 21WIRE.TV *NOTE : THIS EPISODE MAY CONTAIN STRONG LANGUAGE AND MATURE THEMES*

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Episode #326 of SUNDAY WIRE SHOW resumes on this week, May 17, 2020 with host Patrick Henningsen, broadcasting LIVE on the Alternate Current Radio Network (ACR)…
LISTEN LIVE ON THIS PAGE – START TIMES:
5pm-8pm UK Time | 12pm-3pm EST (US) | 9am-12pm PST (US)
This week the SUNDAY WIRE broadcasts LIVE on ACR with host Patrick Henningsen covering the top stories in the US, Europe and internationally. This week we continue our commentary on the Coronavirus COVID-19 crisis and the great social engineering experiment known as ‘lockdown’, as governments continue to double-down on a policy decision which looks certain to be the biggest epic failure in modern history. New economic figures are in which now point to a global depression, with central banks printing money like there’s no tomorrow, and governments saying that the people must pay the bill through higher taxes and spending cuts over the coming decades. In the second hour, we’ll connect with special guest, independent researcher, David Crowe, to discuss his recent analysis of the COVID-19 RT-PCR RNA testing, as well the efficacy of COVID antibody testing – how accurate they are and how this paradigm could affect governments’ policies and society going forward. In the final segment we’ll also talk with SUNDAY WIRE Roving Correspondent for Culture & Sport, Basil Valentine, and ACR’s Hesher for the latest on US states lifting lockdowns this week. All this and much, much more. Enjoy the show…
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*NOTE: THIS EPISODE MAY CONTAIN STRONG LANGUAGE AND MATURE THEMES*
Download the most recent Episode #326
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-19--Professor Karol Sikora: ‘Fear is More Deadly Than COVID-19’

UnHerd host Freddie Sayers speaks with Professor Karol Sikora , the Founding Dean and Professor of Medicine at the University of Buckingham Medical School and an ex-director of the WHO Cancer Programme .
Virus ‘ getting tired ’ : – In the past two weeks , the virus is showing signs of petering out – It ’ s as though the virus is ‘ getting tired ’ , almost ‘ getting bored ’ – It ’ s happening across the world at the same time Existing herd immunity : – The serology results around the world ( and forthcoming in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the percentage of people who have had the disease – He estimates 25-30 % of the UK population has had Covid-19 , and higher in the group that is most susceptible – Pockets of herd immunity help *already* explain the downturn – Sweden ’ s end result will not be different to ours – lockdown versus no lockdown Fear more deadly than the virus : – When the history books are written , the fear will have killed many more people than the virus , including large numbers of cancer and cardiological patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got the machinery of the NHS for non-corona patients back open earlier Masks and schools : – Evidence on masks is just not there either way so it should be an ‘ individual decision ’ – We should move to 1m social distancing which means restaurants and bars could reopen – More schools should reopen in June as ‘ children are not the transmitters of this virus ’ – We should be getting back to the ‘ old normal ’ not a ‘ new normal ’ SUPPORT OUR WORK BY SUBSCRIBING & BECOMING @ @ @ @

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UnHerd host Freddie Sayers speaks with Professor Karol Sikora, the Founding Dean and Professor of Medicine at the University of Buckingham Medical School and an ex-director of the WHO Cancer Programme.
Highlights of this discussion:
Virus ‘getting tired’:
– In the past two weeks, the virus is showing signs of petering out
– It’s as though the virus is ‘getting tired’, almost ‘getting bored’
– It’s happening across the world at the same time
Existing herd immunity:
– The serology results around the world (and forthcoming in Britain) don’t necessarily reveal the percentage of people who have had the disease
– He estimates 25-30% of the UK population has had Covid-19, and higher in the group that is most susceptible
– Pockets of herd immunity help *already* explain the downturn
– Sweden’s end result will not be different to ours
– lockdown versus no lockdown
Fear more deadly than the virus:
– When the history books are written, the fear will have killed many more people than the virus, including large numbers of cancer and cardiological patients not being treated
– We should have gotten the machinery of the NHS for non-corona patients back open earlier
Masks and schools:
– Evidence on masks is just not there either way so it should be an ‘individual decision’
– We should move to 1m social distancing which means restaurants and bars could reopen
– More schools should reopen in June as ‘children are not the transmitters of this virus’
– We should be getting back to the ‘old normal’ not a ‘new normal’
Watch this highly informative interview:
READ MORE COVID-19 NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire COVID-19 Files
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-19--Dr John Lee Dismantles UK Government’s COVID-19 Lockdown Policy

As the UK government continues to double-down on what can only be described as a failed ‘ lockdown ’ policy , independent scientists and experts continue to challenge the official narrative on COVID-19 and why governments took the unusual move of shutting down entire economies and societies in order to supposedly “ save lives.
” Upon closer examination though , this does not appear to add up .
How well were these policies thought through by politicians ?
Do they even make any scientific sense ?
In this first part of a Escape the Lockdown series host Alex McCarron talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of UK government ’ s scientific case for its COVID-19 ‘ lockdown ’ , with a valuable analysis which not only challenges the popular assumptions about the Coronavirus but also sheds light on vast damage and casualties due to the lockdown itself .
Listen : .
Guest Dr John Lee MD BSc PhD FRCPath is an eminent retired Pathologist , recently coming out of retirement to write a series of fascinating articles in the Spectator during the Covid crisis .
Previously he has written for the New Scientist , the Lancet Oncology and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TV events “ Autopsy.
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As the UK government continues to double-down on what can only be described as a failed ‘lockdown’ policy, independent scientists and experts continue to challenge the official narrative on COVID-19 and why governments took the unusual move of shutting down entire economies and societies in order to supposedly “save lives.” Upon closer examination though, this does not appear to add up. How well were these policies thought through by politicians? Do they even make any scientific sense?
In this first part of Escape the Lockdown series host Alex McCarron talks with Dr John Lee about the merits of UK government’s scientific case for its COVID-19 ‘lockdown’, with a valuable analysis which not only challenges the popular assumptions about the Coronavirus but also sheds light on vast damage and casualties due to the lockdown itself. Listen:
.
Guest Dr John Lee MD BSc PhD FRCPath is an eminent retired Pathologist, recently coming out of retirement to write a series of fascinating articles in the Spectator during the Covid crisis. Previously he has written for the New Scientist, the Lancet Oncology and appeared in the Channel 4 series of TV events “Autopsy.”
READ MORE COVID-19 NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire COVID-19 Files
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21stcenturywire--2020-05-19--Bill Maher: ‘The Key to Beating COVID is Through Your Immune System’

EDITOR ’ S NOTE : This may be the first time ever that this publication has been in agreement with Bill Maher .
Suffice to say , we live in hope .
In his editorial “ New Rule , ” Real Time host Bill Maher argues that people should fight the coronavirus by strengthening their immune systems , rather than by sanitizing the universe .
He explains , “ I worry that the past two months of quarantine have given people the idea that the way for humans to win our million year war with microbes is to avoid them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tell you you can ’ t .
The key to beating COVID isn ’ t dining through glass or never going to a concert or a ballgame again .
It ’ s your immune system .
You hear people say ‘ COVID-19 is a new virus so the immune system doesn ’ t know how to handle it.
’ Of course it does , that ’ s why the vast majority of people have had it either recovered or didn ’ t even know they had it.
” Watch Maher deliver a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with hypochondria : SUPPORT OUR WORK BY SUBSCRIBING & BECOMING A MEMBER @ 21WIRE.TV

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This may be the first time ever that this publication has been in agreement with Bill Maher. Suffice to say, we live in hope.
In his editorial “New Rule,” Real Time host Bill Maher argues that people should fight the coronavirus by strengthening their immune systems, rather than by sanitizing the universe.
He explains, “I worry that the past two months of quarantine have given people the idea that the way for humans to win our million year war with microbes is to avoid them completely. And I’m here to tell you you can’t. The key to beating COVID isn’t dining through glass or never going to a concert or a ballgame again. It’s your immune system. You hear people say ‘COVID-19 is a new virus so the immune system doesn’t know how to handle it.’ Of course it does, that’s why the vast majority of people have had it either recovered or didn’t even know they had it.”
Watch Maher deliver a most timely address to an America overcome with hypochondria:
READ MORE COVID-19 NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire COVID-19 Files
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