australiannationalreview--2020-05-15--Federal government spent $10m on inaccurate antibody tests

The Australian government spent almost $ 10 million on 500,000 antibody tests that have been found to be inaccurate at testing for COVID-19 .
The federal government confirmed on Thursday it had spent $ 9.9 million buying 500,000 OnSite antibody tests from MD Solutions , an Australian distributor .
It said the tests could still be used in conjunction with further laboratory tests .
The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity ran lab tests on the antibody test kits and found they were far less accurate than claimed , and were not sensitive enough to diagnose an acute COVID-19 case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official advice saying the tests could not be used at all in Australia .
In March the government announced it had bought the tests and would roll them out to GPs and hospitals within days .
They never arrived at clinics .
As late as last Thursday Health Minister Greg Hunt said they were still undergoing analysis .
He told media there was no chance the antibody kits the government had bought would hit the same problems encountered by the UK government – which discovered $ US20 million ( $ 30.9 million ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not work .
“ That ’ s because we ’ ve been very cautious and took a preliminary sample – we wanted to make sure that we had the option if the science stacked up , ” Mr Hunt said at the time .
“ The advice that we have is that what Australia has purchased is of the highest quality.
” The OnSite tests were cleared by Australia ’ s medical regulator on the basis of data the company supplied .
No independent tests were conducted before they were approved .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 96.8 per cent of people with COVID-19 antibodies .
However , independent testing at the Doherty Institute later found the number was just 56.9 per cent , although it rose to 84.8 per cent for people tested 20 days after the onset of symptoms .
In an emailed statement , the Health Department defended its decision to buy the tests before independent testing had been conducted on their efficacy .
The department said the tests could still be used for population-level surveillance .
“ These tests have been demonstrated to be sufficiently accurate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approximately two weeks after symptoms have started could be presumed to be positive for COVID-19 .
This could then be confirmed by laboratory testing , ” the statement says .
“ These tests have not been purchased for the purpose of , and should not be used to , diagnose acute infection of COVID‑19 , as antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 can take up to two weeks or more to become detectable after infection.
” Dean Whiting , CEO of Pathology Technology Australia , the industry ’ s peak body , said the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When you look at all the advice the government has been given since , clearly it was the wrong call .
The World Health Organisation , the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia , Western Australia and South Australia , they have all made the call on this and said these tests can not and should not be used for diagnosis.
” The contract is the government ’ s second bungled purchase of antibody testing .
It also entered into a contract – later cancelled – to buy 500,000 antibody tests from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ erectile dysfunction machines , The Guardian has reported .
Those tests were manufactured by Wondfo Biotech .
The Chinese biotech company also supplied tests to the UK government , which have since become embroiled in scandal .
Wondfo denied problems with its tests following a report by The New York Times that the UK government had concluded they did not work .

By Liam Mannix
The Australian government spent almost $10 million on 500,000 antibody tests that have been found to be inaccurate at testing for COVID-19.
The federal government confirmed on Thursday it had spent $9.9 million buying 500,000 OnSite antibody tests from MD Solutions, an Australian distributor. It said the tests could still be used in conjunction with further laboratory tests.
The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity ran lab tests on the antibody test kits and found they were far less accurate than claimed, and were not sensitive enough to diagnose an acute COVID-19 case.
Earlier, the government received separate official advice saying the tests could not be used at all in Australia.
In March the government announced it had bought the tests and would roll them out to GPs and hospitals within days. They never arrived at clinics. As late as last Thursday Health Minister Greg Hunt said they were still undergoing analysis. He told media there was no chance the antibody kits the government had bought would hit the same problems encountered by the UK government – which discovered $US20 million ($30.9 million) of kits it had purchased from China did not work. “That’s because we’ve been very cautious and took a preliminary sample – we wanted to make sure that we had the option if the science stacked up,” Mr Hunt said at the time.
“The advice that we have is that what Australia has purchased is of the highest quality.”


australiannationalreview--2020-05-15--Worker At Another McDonald’s Tests Positive For Coronavirus

A McDonald ’ s restaurant north of Melbourne has been forced to close after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus .
A McDonald ’ s spokesperson said the Craigieburn restaurant was “ immediately closed ” out of an abundance of caution .
All staff at the restaurant have been told not to return to work for 14 days and have been advised to be tested .
“ We have engaged an external contractor to conduct a deep clean of the restaurant using the highest-grade chemicals recommended by the Department of Health , ” the spokesperson said .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the restaurant is over and above the Department ’ s requirements.
” The employee who tested positive is self-isolating at home with minor symptoms and has been identified as an extended relative of one of the previously confirmed COVID-19 cases at Fawkner in Melbourne ’ s north .
The staffer last worked at the Craigieburn restaurant on Tuesday , May 12 .
So far four employees at McDonald ’ s Fawkner have tested positive after a small cluster of cases was detected .
McDonald ’ s said 101 staff at the Fawkner store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began , with 93 returning negative results and the results of four employees still pending .
The total number of cases linked to the outbreak at Fawkner has now reached 10 .
“ Following the department ’ s advice , McDonald ’ s closed the restaurant and undertook a deep clean .
All close contacts of confirmed cases have been contacted by the department and will remain in quarantine for 14 days , ” Victoria ’ s Health Department .
On Friday , Victoria recorded a net increase of 20 new cases since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s total to 1,543 cases .

By Viki Gerova |10 daily news reporter
A McDonald’s restaurant north of Melbourne has been forced to close after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said the Craigieburn restaurant was “immediately closed” out of an abundance of caution.
All staff at the restaurant have been told not to return to work for 14 days and have been advised to be tested.
“We have engaged an external contractor to conduct a deep clean of the restaurant using the highest-grade chemicals recommended by the Department of Health,” the spokesperson said.
“The decision to immediately close and deep clean the restaurant is over and above the Department’s requirements.”
The employee who tested positive is self-isolating at home with minor symptoms and has been identified as an extended relative of one of the previously confirmed COVID-19 cases at Fawkner in Melbourne’s north.
The staffer last worked at the Craigieburn restaurant on Tuesday, May 12.
So far four employees at McDonald’s Fawkner have tested positive after a small cluster of cases was detected.
McDonald’s said 101 staff at the Fawkner store have been tested since the outbreak there began, with 93 returning negative results and the results of four employees still pending.
The total number of cases linked to the outbreak at Fawkner has now reached 10.
“Following the department’s advice, McDonald’s closed the restaurant and undertook a deep clean. All close contacts of confirmed cases have been contacted by the department and will remain in quarantine for 14 days,” Victoria’s Health Department.
On Friday, Victoria recorded a net increase of 20 new cases since the previous day, bringing the state’s total to 1,543 cases.


australiannationalreview--2020-05-16--Trump, Biden campaigns clash over who is ‘China’s puppet’

Washington : US President Donald Trump and his presumptive Democratic opponent Joe Biden are both ramping up accusations that their rival is soft on Beijing , signalling that the tense US-China relationship will be central to the November election battle .
Both campaigns are trying to tap into the increasingly negative views Americans hold of China , a sentiment that has intensified during the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump ’ s re-election campaign is referring to the former vice president as “ Beijing Biden ” in emails to supporters and has painted him as “ China ’ s puppet ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
The Trump campaign ’ s negative ads have aired in battleground states such as Florida , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania as well as running online .
In one advertisement , the Trump campaign attacks Biden for favouring the normalisation of trade relations with China and questioning Trump ’ s restrictions on Chinese arrivals during the early days of the coronavirus outbreak .
It also also accuses Biden ’ s son Hunter of receiving over US $ 1 billion for working for a Chinese state-owned bank .
The second advertisement ties together what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major weaknesses : his track record on China and the perception that , at age 77 , he lacks the mental acuity to be president .
The ad included footage of Biden standing next to Chinese President Xi Jinping saying : “ The growth of China is overwhelmingly in our interest ” .
The third advertisement attacks Biden while seeking to deflect criticism of Trump ’ s handling of the virus by blaming China .
“ Joe Biden won ’ t stand up to China , ” the advertisement says .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Trump rolled over for the Chinese , ” a Biden campaign advertisement says .
“ He took their word for it.
” It highlights a January 24 tweet from the President saying : “ China has been working very hard to contain the coronavirus .
The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency .
It will all work out well .
In particular , on behalf of the American People , I want to thank President Xi !
” A separate ad by the Bulwark , a group of anti-Trump Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of quoting “ straight out of China ’ s propaganda playbook ” .
In an interview with Reuters this week , Biden ’ s foreign policy adviser Jake Sullivan said : “ The vice president intends to do two things : hold Trump accountable for a catastrophic set of failures in his approach to China , and a colossal gap between tough talk and weak action.
” Most major polls show Biden leading Trump nationally and ahead in the battleground states that will decide the election , but both parties expect a close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen as a particularly effective message for independent swing voters who do not have a strong attachment to either the Republican or Democratic parties .
A Pew Research poll released in April found that 66 per cent of Americans have an unfavourable view of China – the highest on record .
That figure is up 19 percentage points from just three years ago , when Americans were evenly split on whether they felt positively or negatively about China .
Just 22 per cent of Americans said they had faith in President Xi to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , down 15 percentage points from last year .

By Matthew Knott
Washington: US President Donald Trump and his presumptive Democratic opponent Joe Biden are both ramping up accusations that their rival is soft on Beijing, signalling that the tense US-China relationship will be central to the November election battle.
Both campaigns are trying to tap into the increasingly negative views Americans hold of China, a sentiment that has intensified during the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump’s re-election campaign is referring to the former vice president as “Beijing Biden” in emails to supporters and has painted him as “China’s puppet” in a series of three advertisements released this week.
The Trump campaign’s negative ads have aired in battleground states such as Florida, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania as well as running online.
In one advertisement, the Trump campaign attacks Biden for favouring the normalisation of trade relations with China and questioning Trump’s restrictions on Chinese arrivals during the early days of the coronavirus outbreak.
It also also accuses Biden’s son Hunter of receiving over US$1 billion for working for a Chinese state-owned bank.
The second advertisement ties together what Republicans see as Biden’s two major weaknesses: his track record on China and the perception that, at age 77, he lacks the mental acuity to be president.
The ad included footage of Biden standing next to Chinese President Xi Jinping saying: “The growth of China is overwhelmingly in our interest”.
The third advertisement attacks Biden while seeking to deflect criticism of Trump’s handling of the virus by blaming China.
“Joe Biden won’t stand up to China,” the advertisement says. “He never has. He never will.”
Meanwhile, the Biden camp has attacked Trump for his remarks praising China’s handling of the virus in the early days of the pandemic.


australiannationalreview--2020-05-16--How COVID-19 exposed the fault lines in Australian education

There were balloons , banners and beaming smiles when students began returning to classrooms this week .
In its 170-year history , the NSW school system has rarely seen such excitement ; some kids declared it was better than their birthday , and others were in tears when it was time to go home .
Sandy Keyser , 11 , was up and dressed by daybreak for his first day at St Mary ’ s Primary , Rydalmere .
“ He was bouncing off the walls ’ , ” says his mother , Samantha .
Sandy arrived at school in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his teachers wearing red , too .
“ It was so special , ” she says .
Across the city , for the first time ever , Owen Patient , 11 , laid his uniform out the night before school , while his six-year-old sister Annika barely slept due to the excitement .
“ She doesn ’ t go back until next Monday now , and she ’ s devastated , ” says mum Sharne Patient .
“ I ’ m so pleased they feel they belong and are valued in that community.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast to the messy , sometimes ugly politics their parents have seen unfold during the COVID-19 crisis .
As the virus exploits weaknesses in the body , so too has the fight to contain it exposed the deepening fault lines in Australia ’ s education system .
In the past month , Australian parents have watched Commonwealth and state leaders brawling over whether schools should remain open .
They have seen those same leaders struggle to control the three school sectors , which have different masters and divergent interests .
And they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has created , all while having an unprecedented insight into their child ’ s learning over the kitchen table .
They have been left anxious , confused , and wondering how all this high-level division and bureaucracy actually helps their kids .
If there is a silver lining to the COVID-19 school dramas , some hope it will be a new resolve to tackle problems that have been festering , and to change the habits of decades .
“ Just because it ’ s hard , doesn ’ t mean we shouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But others fear the issues are so deeply entrenched in the structure of government , not even the pandemic will be a catalyst for change .
“ In the end it seems like a close call , ” says another .
“ It has highlighted the frailties of the system , but has not been bad enough to make it collapse in on itself.
” The coronavirus crisis has reminded Australians of the vital role schools play in society .
They are essential to the economy , not just because they allow parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the workers of the future .
They are a safe place for our most vulnerable kids , and they bring the community together .
When schools shut , everything shuts , which is why Prime Minister Scott Morrison has fought so hard to keep them open .
But he came up against an insurmountable hurdle ; the Australian Constitution .
That powerlessness has been a frustration for federal politicians over decades ; they spend so much money on schools but have such little influence over them .
“ There is perennial dysfunction in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observer , who does not want to be named .
“ The best case scenario is almost always that the states go through the accountability motions , which is itself distracting and sucks up resources , and do what they were going to do anyway.
” Adrian Piccoli , a former NSW Education Minister , says the Commonwealth has one , blunt tool at its disposal to influence schools .
“ It ’ s called money , ” he says .
The federal government makes funding conditional on reforms , then the states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out how to get the money without doing it , ” Piccoli says .
Failed Commonwealth initiatives include the independent public schools push , and repeated attempts to introduce performance pay for teachers .
Tehan has so far only had two takers in his attempt to introduce phonics checks around the country .
Co-operation has improved recently ; there are now national teaching standards , and a national curriculum ( although NSW and Victoria kept their own ) .
But debate continues over whether they have been useful , or just create another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know at what point we will stop pretending that the federal government can significantly improve schools , ” says Ben Jensen , chief executive of education consultancy Learning First .
In the past few years , the Commonwealth has also formalised its role as the main funder of non-government schools , which has made it “ much more directly involved in funding some sectors of schooling than almost anywhere else in the economy , ” says Peter Goss , School Education Program Director at the Grattan Institute .
Federal politicians – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth of the private school sector because they encourage parental choice .
Some also believe they want to use the private systems – which are regulated but not run by states – to extend their influence over schooling .
“ [ Private schools ] are in between [ the two governments ] – not really accountable to anyone , ” says one insider .
But that hasn ’ t worked either .
Private schools might doff their cap to governments , and co-operate on policy issues , but they will ultimately make decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – as highlighted in the COVID-19 crisis when Victorian private schools rebuffed federal Education Minister Dan Tehan ’ s attempt to use money to get them to defy the premier , and again when their NSW counterparts ignored the NSW government ’ s plan to return students to school in favour of their own .
“ We now see some of the consequences of that support for independent schools , ” says Goss .
“ They are harder [ for governments ] to control.
” That has ramifications for public schools , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to match the approach of private schools , lest it be seen to have lower standards .
Private schools have influenced government policy a few times during the pandemic ; back in January , the NSW Department of Education backflipped on its plan to allow students returning from China – where the virus had taken hold in Wuhan – to go straight back to school after private schools asked them to stay home for two weeks .
Earlier this month , NSW public schools scrambled to bring back year 12 because private schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government sector , many argue that the COVID-19 crisis has shown how little influence state education chiefs have over their own schools .
When NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian asked parents to keep their children home on March 23 , teachers in NSW public schools rushed their lessons online .
While the department developed a website featuring guidelines , templates and training material for teachers and parents , each school had to develop their own strategy .
“ We need to ask really big questions about why we haven ’ t had any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during remote learning ] , ” says Rachel Wilson , an associate professor of education at Sydney University .
“ The teachers are killing themselves doing lesson planning , while they should be given material that ’ s quality-assured , and spending their time working on their relationships with students.
” Critics say this was the result of years of cutting back central education departments , and shifting most responsibilities to schools .
There are many benefits to school flexibility , but it also means that in a time of crisis the department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 100 years – can no longer swiftly intervene at school level .
“ What we ’ ve seen in COVID-19 is weak central systems , which have often not had the ability to provide a high-quality starting point for how to move online – or how to bring kids back in [ to the classroom ] , ” says Goss .
“ They ’ ve had to figure it out by themselves .
I fear we are about to see this play out again , as schools reopen.
” NSW Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department ’ s response was inadequate .
“ The feedback we ’ ve had overwhelmingly has been gratitude for the creation of that learning from home website – the traffic around that has been absolutely enormous , ” he says .
“ There ’ s been more traffic to that … than there was to the NSW Health website in the heat of the pandemic , because of the quality of support that was provided.
” Within all this , the deeply entrenched inequities in Australia ’ s school system have become more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online learning systems ready to launch , others have had to scramble to not only furnish their students with laptops and internet access , but give them tables and chairs .
In some more disadvantaged areas , schools – both public and private – also delivered food to their students , knowing that the only decent meals they received where the ones they were fed at school .
“ Some schools were able to pivot rapidly and extensively , ” says Paul Kidson , an education academic at the University of Wollongong and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They were well prepared , they could roll stuff out , flick switches .
Other schools were struggling to provide that support at school , let alone deliver it remotely .
That ’ s a funding issue , but it does go to the core of how structural inequities were just reinforced at a moment like this.
” The problems frustrating the education sector for years they have been thrust into the spotlight by COVID-19 , not only via headlines about the high-level battles between governments and sectors , but by the unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own children ’ s education , as they helped them with lessons .
“ If you can take any positive out of this whole experience , is that schools are front of mind for a lot of people now , ” says Piccoli .
Dr Jensen argues the parental insight into their child ’ s everyday classroom activities could be the most significant by-product of the COVID-19 crisis .
“ It ’ s shone a light on the weeds of teaching and learning – that is where teachers live , and where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he says .
“ Education policy has not gone into the weeds for a decade-and-a-half .
We have been hopping out of providing support at that level , and instead all this money is going into the high-level stuff.
” While observing the government ’ s handling of the coronavirus crisis in Canberra , Kidson has spied an opportunity for reform .
If the national cabinet has carefully considered the advice of medical experts during this time of crisis , without ideology or agenda , could it not do the same for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There has been this profound respect and honouring of the professional knowledge , ” he says .
“ Put aside partisan politics , put that aside for the national good .
This serves as a blueprint of what can be the case .
Just because it ’ s hard , doesn ’ t mean we shouldn ’ t try.
” For Piccoli , COVID-19 has provided yet another argument for Australia following the lead of Canada , and dumping the federal education ministry altogether – a proposal also outlined by former Coalition opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Canada , the provinces run their own systems , and to me that kind of competitive federalism is most effective , ” says Piccoli .
“ Each jurisdiction learns off the other ones , from their successes and failures .
“ When you try to standardise things , in education or anywhere else , I don ’ t think it works as well .
NSW had a basic skills test , and the other states wanted to do the same thing , so they made it national [ in the form of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s national , you can ’ t change it .
National bodies should set a strategy , and state regulators should be responsible for the implementation of that strategy.
” Eleven-year-old Sandy Keyser and six-year-old Annika Patient were oblivious to all this as they skipped off to school this week .
If COVID-19 has taught us anything , it ’ s that schools mean the world to their most important stakeholders – the students themselves .
“ What we have learned – powerfully -is about the social value of schools as communities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast that with some of the divisive and exclusionary debates , I think it ’ s saying something to us .
”

By Jordan Baker
There were balloons, banners and beaming smiles when students began returning to classrooms this week. In its 170-year history, the NSW school system has rarely seen such excitement; some kids declared it was better than their birthday, and others were in tears when it was time to go home.
Sandy Keyser, 11, was up and dressed by daybreak for his first day at St Mary’s Primary, Rydalmere. “He was bouncing off the walls’,” says his mother, Samantha. Sandy arrived at school in his red sports uniform to find all his teachers wearing red, too. “It was so special,” she says.
Across the city, for the first time ever, Owen Patient, 11, laid his uniform out the night before school, while his six-year-old sister Annika barely slept due to the excitement. “She doesn’t go back until next Monday now, and she’s devastated,” says mum Sharne Patient. “I’m so pleased they feel they belong and are valued in that community.”
Their childish joy is a stark contrast to the messy, sometimes ugly politics their parents have seen unfold during the COVID-19 crisis. As the virus exploits weaknesses in the body, so too has the fight to contain it exposed the deepening fault lines in Australia’s education system.
In the past month, Australian parents have watched Commonwealth and state leaders brawling over whether schools should remain open. They have seen those same leaders struggle to control the three school sectors, which have different masters and divergent interests. And they have witnessed the stark inequity all this division has created, all while having an unprecedented insight into their child’s learning over the kitchen table. They have been left anxious, confused, and wondering how all this high-level division and bureaucracy actually helps their kids.
If there is a silver lining to the COVID-19 school dramas, some hope it will be a new resolve to tackle problems that have been festering, and to change the habits of decades. “Just because it’s hard, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try,” says one. But others fear the issues are so deeply entrenched in the structure of government, not even the pandemic will be a catalyst for change. “In the end it seems like a close call,” says another. “It has highlighted the frailties of the system, but has not been bad enough to make it collapse in on itself.”
The coronavirus crisis has reminded Australians of the vital role schools play in society. They are essential to the economy, not just because they allow parents to work, but because they educate the workers of the future. They are a safe place for our most vulnerable kids, and they bring the community together. When schools shut, everything shuts, which is why Prime Minister Scott Morrison has fought so hard to keep them open. But he came up against an insurmountable hurdle; the Australian Constitution.
States run schools, not the Commonwealth. That’s why each attempt by Morrison and education minister Dan Tehan to get their way – by directly urging parents to send their children to class despite the premier’s instructions, or accusing Victorian Premier Dan Andrews of taking a sledgehammer to his state’s education (an accusation Tehan later withdrew) – has ended with them backing down. It is the issue that has most threatened the unity of national cabinet.


australiannationalreview--2020-05-18--My Book ‘Australia’s Loss of Health Freedom’ is now Available

My Book “ ” is now available for posting .
This book documents the false information provided by the Australian government that ultimately led to the mandating of vaccines for social services and education ( early childhood and university ) in Australia in 2016 .
It also led to forced vaccination being included in the Public Health Act in the event of a ‘ severe public health incident ’ and also in the Biosecurity Act 2015 .
This ‘ severe public health event ’ is not defined in the 2016 Act and no public consultation was sought regarding the removal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This book is my PhD that describes the historical control of infectious diseases in Australia .
It also documents the Global Health Regulations that were used to manipulate a ‘ Swine Flu ’ Pandemic in 2009 instigated by the WHO : an organisation that has conflicts of interest with Big Pharma , Bill Gates , the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund .
I have also provided an in-depth case study of the unproven HPV vaccine that is being promoted as a ‘ prevention for cervical cancer ’ but is causing serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men .
If you have pre-ordered this book at a discount price prior to 6 March 2020 I will be contacting you soon for payment and delivery .
If you would like to order my book for $ 39.95 please use this link on my website : In 1975 , Henry Gadsden , the head of the vaccine manufacturer Merck & Co and developer of an HPV vaccine , told Fortune Magazine , that “ it had long been his dream to make drugs for healthy people , so that Merck could sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dream now drives the marketing machinery of the most profitable industry on earth ( Moynihan and Cassels 2005 ) .
This dream became possible when western countries adopted the capitalist economic model of health where profit shapes the ‘ science ’ for medications and not the public interest .
The western system of medicine allows funding provided by the medical-industry complex to influence the education and beliefs of medical and health practitioners .
Profit is the underlying principle and hence ‘ health ’ is now a very profitable industry .

By Judy Wilyman | PhD
Buy “Australia’s Loss of Health Freedom”.
My Book “ Australia’s Loss of Health Freedom ” is now available for posting. This book documents the false information provided by the Australian government that ultimately led to the mandating of vaccines for social services and education (early childhood and university) in Australia in 2016. It also led to forced vaccination being included in the Public Health Act in the event of a ‘severe public health incident’ and also in the Biosecurity Act 2015. This ‘severe public health event’ is not defined in the 2016 Act and no public consultation was sought regarding the removal of Australians bodily autonomy in 2015.
This book is my PhD that describes the historical control of infectious diseases in Australia. It also documents the Global Health Regulations that were used to manipulate a ‘Swine Flu’ Pandemic in 2009 instigated by the WHO: an organisation that has conflicts of interest with Big Pharma, Bill Gates,the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. I have also provided an in-depth case study of the unproven HPV vaccine that is being promoted as a ‘prevention for cervical cancer’ but is causing serious damage and infertility in young women and men.
If you have pre-ordered this book at a discount price prior to 6 March 2020 I will be contacting you soon for payment and delivery. If you would like to order my book for $39.95 please use this link on my website:
Buy “Australia’s Loss of Health Freedom”.
In 1975, Henry Gadsden, the head of the vaccine manufacturer Merck & Co and developer of an HPV vaccine, told Fortune Magazine, that “it had long been his dream to make drugs for healthy people, so that Merck could sell to everyone”. Gadsden’s dream now drives the marketing machinery of the most profitable industry on earth (Moynihan and Cassels 2005).
This dream became possible when western countries adopted the capitalist economic model of health where profit shapes the ‘science’ for medications and not the public interest. The western system of medicine allows funding provided by the medical-industry complex to influence the education and beliefs of medical and health practitioners. Profit is the underlying principle and hence ‘health’ is now a very profitable industry.


australiannationalreview--2020-05-18--The President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina has called on all African Nations to quit the World Hea

The President of Madagascar , Andry Rajoelina has called on all African Nations to quit the World Health Organization ( WHO ) because of the bad faith of Europe towards Africa .
The Malagasy president says , Europe created organizations with the desire for Africans to remain dependent on them .
Africa has found a medicine against Coronavirus but Europe thinks they have a monopoly of intelligence as such they are refusing to acknowledge it .
It is against this backdrop that I invite all African Nations to quit the international organizations in order for us to build ours .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the line touting the medicine as a cure .
He said it cures COVID-19 in 10 days .
“ No one will stop us from moving forward – not a country , not an organisation , ” Rajoelina said in response to the WHO ’ s concerns .
He said the proof of the tonic ’ s efficacy was in the “ healing ” of “ our patients ” .
He called the medicine a “ preventive and curative remedy ” .
Rajoelina said Madagascar till date , has reported 212 coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has one critical case , but no death .
“ The patients who have healed have taken no other product than Covid-Organics , ” the president said , adding that his country has a history of traditional medicine .
“ What if this remedy had been discovered by a European country , instead of Madagascar ?
” , Rajoelina queried WHO and other skeptics .
“ Would people doubt it so much ?
I don ’ t think so , ” Rajoelina told FRANCE 24 and RFI .
The drink is derived from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ properties – and other indigenous herbs .
“ What is the problem with Covid-Organics , really ?
, he said .
“ Could it be that this product comes from Africa ?
“ Could it be that it ’ s not OK for a country like Madagascar , which is the 63rd poorest country in the world… to have come up with ( this formula ) that can help save the world ?
” asked Rajoelina .

By CeleSylv Updates
The President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina has called on all African Nations to quit the World Health Organization (WHO) because of the bad faith of Europe towards Africa.
The Malagasy president says, Europe created organizations with the desire for Africans to remain dependent on them. Africa has found a medicine against Coronavirus but Europe thinks they have a monopoly of intelligence as such they are refusing to acknowledge it. It is against this backdrop that I invite all African Nations to quit the international organizations in order for us to build ours.
Rajoelina has put his reputation and credibility on the line touting the medicine as a cure. He said it cures COVID-19 in 10 days.
“No one will stop us from moving forward – not a country, not an organisation,” Rajoelina said in response to the WHO’s concerns.
He said the proof of the tonic’s efficacy was in the “healing” of “our patients”.
He called the medicine a “preventive and curative remedy”.
Rajoelina said Madagascar till date, has reported 212 coronavirus infections and 107 recoveries.
The country has one critical case, but no death.
“The patients who have healed have taken no other product than Covid-Organics,” the president said, adding that his country has a history of traditional medicine.
“What if this remedy had been discovered by a European country, instead of Madagascar?”, Rajoelina queried WHO and other skeptics.
“Would people doubt it so much? I don’t think so,” Rajoelina told FRANCE 24 and RFI .
The drink is derived from artemisia – a plant with proven anti-malarial properties – and other indigenous herbs.
“What is the problem with Covid-Organics, really?, he said.
“Could it be that this product comes from Africa?
“Could it be that it’s not OK for a country like Madagascar, which is the 63rd poorest country in the world… to have come up with (this formula) that can help save the world?” asked Rajoelina.


australiannationalreview--2020-05-18--PETITION: No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus

People of goodwill can disagree about the safety , efficacy and religious implications of a new vaccine for the coronavirus .
But , everyone should agree on this point : No government can force anyone who has reached legal adulthood to be vaccinated for the coronavirus .
Equally , no government can vaccinate minors for the coronavirus against the will of their parents or guardians .
Please SIGN this urgent petition which urges policymakers at every level of government to reject calls for mandatory coronavirus vaccination .
Fear of a disease – which we know very little about , relative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead to knee-jerk reactions regarding public health , nor can it justify supporting the hidden agenda of governmental as well as non-governmental bodies that have apparent conflicts of interest in plans to restrict personal freedoms .
The so-called “ public health experts ” have gotten it wrong many times during the current crisis .
We should not , therefore , allow their opinions to rush decision-makers into policies regarding vaccination .
And , while some people , like Bill Gates , may have a lot of money , his opinion and that of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gates Foundation ) – namely , that life will not return to normal till people are widely vaccinated – should not be permitted to influence policy decisions on a coronavirus vaccination program .
Finally , we must also not allow the rush by pharmaceutical companies to produce a new coronavirus vaccine to , itself , become an imperative for vaccination .
Unwitting citizens must not be used as guinea pigs for New World Order ideologues , or Big Pharma , in pursuit of a vaccine ( and , profits ) which may not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
And it goes without saying that the production of vaccines using aborted babies for cell replication is a total non-starter , as the technique is gravely immoral .
However , if after sufficient study of the issue , a person who has reached the age of majority wishes to be vaccinated with a morally produced vaccine , along with his children , that is his business .
But we can not and will not permit the government to make that decision for us .
Thank you for SIGNING and SHARING @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels of government to reject mandatory coronavirus vaccination .

By LifeSiteNews
People of goodwill can disagree about the safety, efficacy and religious implications of a new vaccine for the coronavirus.
But, everyone should agree on this point:
No government can force anyone who has reached legal adulthood to be vaccinated for the coronavirus. Equally, no government can vaccinate minors for the coronavirus against the will of their parents or guardians.
Please SIGN this urgent petition which urges policymakers at every level of government to reject calls for mandatory coronavirus vaccination.
Fear of a disease – which we know very little about, relative to other similar diseases – must not lead to knee-jerk reactions regarding public health, nor can it justify supporting the hidden agenda of governmental as well as non-governmental bodies that have apparent conflicts of interest in plans to restrict personal freedoms.
The so-called “public health experts” have gotten it wrong many times during the current crisis. We should not, therefore, allow their opinions to rush decision-makers into policies regarding vaccination.
And, while some people, like Bill Gates, may have a lot of money, his opinion and that of his NGO (the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) – namely, that life will not return to normal till people are widely vaccinated – should not be permitted to influence policy decisions on a coronavirus vaccination program.
Finally, we must also not allow the rush by pharmaceutical companies to produce a new coronavirus vaccine to, itself, become an imperative for vaccination.
Unwitting citizens must not be used as guinea pigs for New World Order ideologues, or Big Pharma, in pursuit of a vaccine (and, profits) which may not even protect against future mutated strains of the coronavirus.
And it goes without saying that the production of vaccines using aborted babies for cell replication is a total non-starter, as the technique is gravely immoral.
However, if after sufficient study of the issue, a person who has reached the age of majority wishes to be vaccinated with a morally produced vaccine, along with his children, that is his business.
But we cannot and will not permit the government to make that decision for us.
Thank you for SIGNING and SHARING this petition, urging policymakers at all levels of government to reject mandatory coronavirus vaccination.


australiannationalreview--2020-05-18--Reporter Asks Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany To Explain ‘Obamagate.’ She Gives A First-Class Educa

Reporter Asks Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany To Explain ‘Obamagate.’ She Gives A First-Class Education

On Friday , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany laid out basic parts of the so-called “ Obamagate ” scandal that has gained traction in recent days on the alleged actions of Obama administration officials against members of the Trump campaign and against people who were then-incoming members of his administration .
“ Look , there were a number of questions raised by the actions of the Obama Administration .
The Steele dossier funded by the Democratic National Committee , ” McEnany said .
“ An opposition political party to the President was used to attain FISA warrants to listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign .
There was the unmasking the identity of Michael Flynn .
And we know that in a January 5th meeting in the oval office with President Obama , Sally Yates from the Department of Justice learned about the unmasking .
Not from the Department of Justice or from the FBI , she learned about it from President Obama and was stunned and can barely process what she was hearing at the time , because she was stunned of his knowledge of that.
” McEnany continued , “ We know that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case of Michael Flynn .
The FBI notes , for instance , that said , should we ‘ get him to lie ?
’ as they pontificated their strategy .
We know that the identity of this three decade general was leaked to the press , a criminal leak to the press of his identity and violation of his Fourth Amendment rights .
These are very serious questions .
They ’ ve been ignored by the media for far too long .
And I ’ m very glad that I think that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Lieutenant General Michael Flynn , because justice does matter .
Those questions , they matter.
” Later , when asked for specific instances of alleged criminal misconduct , McEnany responded , “ The leaking of his name and the very real questions that have been raised .
But if you want to start talking about wrongdoing in the administration , happy to go through .
Andy McCabe , leaking to the Wall Street Journal and then lying about it .
Happy to talk about James Clapper lying before Congress saying the NSA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an inaccuracy to say the least , if not a lie .
John Brennan telling Congress that the ‘ Bogus Steele dossier played no role in the Russia probe , ’ when in fact we know it did and was the basis of attaining FISA warrants .
So , there is a lot of mistruths there that were said , many of them under oath .
I would point you to those and the many other real questions that I hope you all will pursue .
”

By Daily Wire News
On Friday, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany laid out basic parts of the so-called “Obamagate” scandal that has gained traction in recent days on the alleged actions of Obama administration officials against members of the Trump campaign and against people who were then-incoming members of his administration.
McEnany made the remarks during a press briefing when asked by a reporter if she could elaborate on the scandal, and on what crimes she believes were committed.
“Look, there were a number of questions raised by the actions of the Obama Administration. The Steele dossier funded by the Democratic National Committee,” McEnany said. “An opposition political party to the President was used to attain FISA warrants to listen in on conversations of people within the Trump campaign. There was the unmasking the identity of Michael Flynn. And we know that in a January 5th meeting in the oval office with President Obama, Sally Yates from the Department of Justice learned about the unmasking. Not from the Department of Justice or from the FBI, she learned about it from President Obama and was stunned and can barely process what she was hearing at the time, because she was stunned of his knowledge of that.”
McEnany continued, “We know that there was a lot of wrongdoing in the case of Michael Flynn. The FBI notes, for instance, that said, should we ‘get him to lie?’ as they pontificated their strategy. We know that the identity of this three decade general was leaked to the press, a criminal leak to the press of his identity and violation of his Fourth Amendment rights. These are very serious questions. They’ve been ignored by the media for far too long. And I’m very glad that I think that is the second question that I have fielded on Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, because justice does matter. Those questions, they matter.”
Later, when asked for specific instances of alleged criminal misconduct, McEnany responded, “The leaking of his name and the very real questions that have been raised. But if you want to start talking about wrongdoing in the administration, happy to go through. Andy McCabe, leaking to the Wall Street Journal and then lying about it. Happy to talk about James Clapper lying before Congress saying the NSA does not monitor phone calls. That was an inaccuracy to say the least, if not a lie. John Brennan telling Congress that the ‘Bogus Steele dossier played no role in the Russia probe,’ when in fact we know it did and was the basis of attaining FISA warrants. So, there is a lot of mistruths there that were said, many of them under oath. I would point you to those and the many other real questions that I hope you all will pursue.”


australiannationalreview--2020-05-17--Ignoring Expert Opinion, Trump Again Promotes Use of Hydroxychloroquine

“ You know how many times he ’ s answered that question ?
Maybe 15 times , ” the president said , stepping toward the lectern where Dr. Fauci was standing .
Even as Mr. Trump has promoted the drug , which is also often prescribed for patients with lupus , it has created rifts within his own coronavirus task force .
And while many hospitals have chosen to use hydroxychloroquine in a desperate attempt to treat dying patients who have few other options , others have noted that it carries serious risks .
In particular , the drug can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cardiac arrest .
Dr. Megan L. Ranney , an emergency physician at Brown University in Rhode Island , said in an interview on Sunday night that she had never seen an elected official advertise a miracle cure the way Mr. Trump has .
Dr. Ranney said that the drug could be effective for some patients , but that there was not nearly enough scientific evidence to support Mr. Trump ’ s claims .
“ There may be a role for it for some people , ” she said , “ but to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have anything to lose , ’ that ’ s not true .
People certainly have something to lose by taking it indiscriminately.
” Hydroxychloroquine has not been proved to work against Covid-19 in any significant clinical trials .
A small trial by Chinese researchers made public last week found that it helped speed the recovery in moderately ill patients , but the study was not peer-reviewed and had significant limitations .
Earlier reports from France and China have drawn criticism because they did not include control groups to compare treated patients with untreated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports anecdotal .
Without controls , they said , it is impossible to determine whether the drugs worked .
But Mr. Trump on Sunday dismissed the notion that doctors should wait for further study .
“ We don ’ t have time to go and say , ‘ Gee , let ’ s take a couple of years and test it out , ’ and let ’ s go out and test with the test tubes and the laboratories , ” Mr. Trump said .
“ I ’ d love to do that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Trump is typically joined at his briefings by top medical advisers , including Dr. Fauci and Dr. Deborah L. Birx , his coronavirus coordinator .
But the president does most of the talking , and has told several advisers that the briefings give him free airtime and good ratings .
A day earlier , Dr. Fauci had privately challenged rising optimism about the drug ’ s efficacy during a meeting of the coronavirus task force in the White House ’ s Situation Room , according to two people familiar with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anonymity to describe a conversation in a sensitive setting .
The argument was first reported by the website Axios .
The meeting ’ s agenda included the question of how the administration would discuss chloroquines .
Dr. Stephen Hahn , the Food and Drug Administration commissioner , gave an update on chloroquines , and what various tests and anecdotal evidence had shown .
Peter Navarro , the president ’ s trade adviser who is overseeing supply chain issues related to the coronavirus , asked to join the meeting , said the people briefed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has been pushing to secure chloroquines at the president ’ s request to provide to caregivers , walked in with a sheaf of folders he had placed on a chair next to him , plopped them on the table and said he had seen studies from various countries , as well as information culled from officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , showing the “ clear ” efficacy of the drug in treating the coronavirus .
Mr. Navarro also argued that the medicine was being used by doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus fight .
Dr. Fauci pushed back , echoing remarks he has made in interviews in the past week that rigorous study is still necessary .
Mr. Navarro , an economist by training , shot back that the information he had collected was “ science , ” according to the people familiar with the episode .
Vice President Mike Pence tried to tamp down the debate , and as emotions calmed , Mr. Trump ’ s son-in-law and senior adviser , Jared Kushner , advised Mr. Navarro to “ take yes for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the briefing room lectern a short while later and glowed about chloroquine use , suggesting he might even take it himself despite not having symptoms or evidence of the virus .
Katie Miller , a spokeswoman for Mr. Pence , declined to comment , saying the administration does not discuss events in the Situation Room .
Last month , an Arizona man died and his wife was hospitalized after officials said they treated themselves with a deadly home remedy for the coronavirus — a popular fish tank additive that has the same active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professionals are also concerned that a run on hydroxychloroquine for potential coronavirus treatment could create shortages for people who need it for its traditional uses .
In a March 25 joint statement , the American Medical Association and two pharmacists ’ associations noted that doctors and pharmacists have been prescribing the drug for their families and colleagues and that some pharmacies and hospitals had purchased “ excessive amounts of these medications in anticipation of potentially using them for Covid-19 prevention and treatment.
” “ The organizations strongly oppose these actions , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consequences for patients with conditions such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis if the drugs are not available in the community.
” Since patients with heart troubles and other underlying conditions are more likely to be severely affected by the coronavirus , they may also be at higher risk of dangerous side effects from hydroxychloroquine , said Dr. Kenneth B. Klein , a consultant who works for drug companies to design and evaluate their clinical trials .
“ What have we got to lose ?
” Dr. Klein said , echoing Mr. Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got patients to lose from dangerous side effects.
” Mr. Trump did mention the potential risks to patients with heart troubles , but Dr. Klein said that even people with normal hearts are at risk for developing a fatal arrhythmia .
And he said other medications could interact with hydroxychloroquine and cause serious medical complications .
“ Then the doctor would have to spend time thinking , could this drug be playing a role , either directly or indirectly ?
” Dr. Klein said .
Other researchers have noted that while future trials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappointed in the past , even though it has been tested as a treatment for other viruses , including influenza .
“ Hydroxychloroquine has been studied as a possible antiviral therapy for many decades , ” said Dr. Luciana Borio , who oversaw public health preparedness for the National Security Council in Mr. Trump ’ s White House and was the acting chief scientist at the F.D.A .
under President Barack Obama .
“ Despite showing evidence of activity against several viruses in the laboratory , it never showed success in randomized clinical @ @ @

“You know how many times he’s answered that question? Maybe 15 times,” the president said, stepping toward the lectern where Dr. Fauci was standing.
Even as Mr. Trump has promoted the drug, which is also often prescribed for patients with lupus, it has created rifts within his own coronavirus task force. And while many hospitals have chosen to use hydroxychloroquine in a desperate attempt to treat dying patients who have few other options, others have noted that it carries serious risks. In particular, the drug can cause a heart arrhythmia that can lead to cardiac arrest.
Dr. Megan L. Ranney, an emergency physician at Brown University in Rhode Island, said in an interview on Sunday night that she had never seen an elected official advertise a miracle cure the way Mr. Trump has.
“There are side effects to hydroxychloroquine,” Dr. Ranney said. “It causes psychiatric symptoms, cardiac problems and a host of other bad side effects.”
Dr. Ranney said that the drug could be effective for some patients, but that there was not nearly enough scientific evidence to support Mr. Trump’s claims.
“There may be a role for it for some people,” she said, “but to tell Americans ‘you don’t have anything to lose,’ that’s not true. People certainly have something to lose by taking it indiscriminately.”
Hydroxychloroquine has not been proved to work against Covid-19 in any significant clinical trials. A small trial by Chinese researchers made public last week found that it helped speed the recovery in moderately ill patients, but the study was not peer-reviewed and had significant limitations. Earlier reports from France and China have drawn criticism because they did not include control groups to compare treated patients with untreated ones, and researchers have called the reports anecdotal. Without controls, they said, it is impossible to determine whether the drugs worked.
But Mr. Trump on Sunday dismissed the notion that doctors should wait for further study.


australiannationalreview--2020-05-17--The FDA has shut down a Bill Gates-backed coronavirus testing program

The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) halted , at least temporarily , a Seattle-based at-home coronavirus testing program backed by Bill Gates .
“ Please discontinue patient testing and return of diagnostic results to patients until proper authorization is obtained , ” the FDA told the Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network ( SCAN ) in a memo , according to The New York Times .
“ The FDA has not raised any concerns regarding the safety and accuracy of SCAN ’ s test , but we have been asked to pause testing until we receive that additional authorization , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SCAN website .
There are currently only a couple of at-home coronavirus tests with FDA authorization .
SCAN , which involved a number of institutions , including the University of Washington Medicine and backed by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , was sending free test kits to participants .
The goal was to test people both with and without symptoms to get a sense of how widespread COVID-19 is in the Seattle area .
The FDA requires any coronavirus tests to receive an emergency use authorization ( EUA ) before being used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , May 13 , and the FDA sent the memo asking SCAN to pause on Wednesday .
“ As SCAN gathers more test results in the weeks ahead , researchers expect the new data to provide a better sense of the number of infections and serve as one source to help answer other questions , like when physical distancing measures can be relaxed , ” Gates wrote on his blog .
The test kits included a nasal swab that participants would then return to one of the institutions involved in the program .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ results of their test in a couple of days .
SCAN would track results and demographic data — including age , gender , race , and ZIP code — to learn more about which members of the population are most at risk and to assess how social distancing measures are working .
The program said it had the capacity to analyze 1,000 tests a day .
Testing for COVID-19 has been slow to get up and running in the United States for a number of reasons .
It ’ s not clear how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EUA and get back to testing .

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) halted, at least temporarily, a Seattle-based at-home coronavirus testing program backed by Bill Gates.
“Please discontinue patient testing and return of diagnostic results to patients until proper authorization is obtained,” the FDA told the Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network (SCAN) in a memo, according to The New York Times.
“The FDA has not raised any concerns regarding the safety and accuracy of SCAN’s test, but we have been asked to pause testing until we receive that additional authorization,” according to an update on the SCAN website. There are currently only a couple of at-home coronavirus tests with FDA authorization.
SCAN, which involved a number of institutions, including the University of Washington Medicine and backed by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was sending free test kits to participants.
The goal was to test people both with and without symptoms to get a sense of how widespread COVID-19 is in the Seattle area. The FDA requires any coronavirus tests to receive an emergency use authorization (EUA) before being used. Gates announced the program on Tuesday, May 13, and the FDA sent the memo asking SCAN to pause on Wednesday.
“As SCAN gathers more test results in the weeks ahead, researchers expect the new data to provide a better sense of the number of infections and serve as one source to help answer other questions, like when physical distancing measures can be relaxed,” Gates wrote on his blog.
The test kits included a nasal swab that participants would then return to one of the institutions involved in the program. They would be able to see the results of their test in a couple of days. SCAN would track results and demographic data — including age, gender, race, and ZIP code — to learn more about which members of the population are most at risk and to assess how social distancing measures are working. The program said it had the capacity to analyze 1,000 tests a day.
Testing for COVID-19 has been slow to get up and running in the United States for a number of reasons. It’s not clear how quickly the SCAN program could receive an EUA and get back to testing.


australiannationalreview--2020-05-17--VCC Announces Legal Action

VCC Announces Legal Action

Vaccine Choice Canada is launching legal action against the Government of Canada and others for violating our rights and freedoms during the COVID-19 outbreak .
Further details will follow .
It is Time to End This Epidemic of Fear We are living in unprecedented times .
The mass and indiscriminate containment of citizens and the restriction of access to our economy , courts , parliament , and livelihoods are extraordinary measures that have never before been considered , much less implemented .
The impact of these measures on our physical , emotional , psychological , and economic well-being is profoundly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustainable .
During this time of extraordinary measures , it is critical that governmental response be measured , reasonable , and supported by demonstrable evidence .
The severe curtailment of civil liberties without projected timelines for their rescission , the shutdown of economic activity and resulting job losses , the increase of human suffering through confinement and restriction of liberty , and the closure of courts of justice denying citizens a ready recourse , are all factors which must be weighed in the balance of a Constitution that protects the fundamental rights and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments may enact laws and pursue policies that limit Constitutional rights and freedoms , but the onus is on the government to prove that the limit is minimal , necessary , finite , and demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society .
During times of emergency , constitutional rights do not stop being important .
They become even more important .
Vaccine Choice Canada has made numerous formal requests of the Government of Canada and the provincial governments to provide evidence that justifies the violations of our Constitutional rights , to no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our governments accountable .
It is time that our governments release publicly , and honestly , the data , evidence and advice that proves that these violations are minimal , necessary and demonstrably justifiable .
Canadians have lost confidence that the Canadian government is acting responsibly .
It is apparent that the imposed interventions and government overstep are far worse than the virus itself , that decisions are being made based on a political or ideological agenda rather than on scientifically supported , evidence-based practices , and that the real epidemic we face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sponsored tyranny on a global basis .
Today , Vaccine Choice Canada formally announces its intention to hold the Government of Canada , and other parties yet to be named , accountable in a court of law .
Vaccine Choice Canada has a long history and enviable reputation of advocating for and defending the rights and freedoms of Canadians when it comes to public and individual health .
While this matter seems to stretch the intended mandate of Vaccine Choice Canada , it is nonetheless inseparable given the centrality of mandatory vaccinations that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or scientific basis .
Thus , we recognize the urgent need to defend the rights and freedoms of all Canadians .
Vaccine Choice Canada has secured the services of Mr. Rocco Galati , a highly regarded Canadian Constitutional lawyer .
Galati has been described as “ the lawyer who lives to take on the government.
” We are confident that Galati will passionately and expertly defend our Constitutional rights and firmly establish that the rights and freedoms as defined in the Canadian Constitution are rightfully the domain of every citizen of Canada .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ both financial and in expertise .
Vaccine Choice Canada is inviting all Canadians who feel aggrieved by the actions of government in their response to SARS-CoV-2 to support us in this effort .
Financial contributions can be received at : The Government of Canada must dutifully and lawfully honour the sacred trust and integrity required of elected officials to represent their constituents and protect our democratic and free country , our livelihoods and communities , and ensure that the rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution are first and foremost .
Anything less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unconscionable .

BY VACCINE CHOICE CANADA
Vaccine Choice Canada is launching legal action against the Government of Canada and others for violating our rights and freedoms during the COVID-19 outbreak. Further details will follow.
It is Time to End This Epidemic of Fear
We are living in unprecedented times.
The mass and indiscriminate containment of citizens and the restriction of access to our economy, courts, parliament, and livelihoods are extraordinary measures that have never before been considered, much less implemented. The impact of these measures on our physical, emotional, psychological, and economic well-being is profoundly destructive, unwarranted, and clearly not sustainable.
During this time of extraordinary measures, it is critical that governmental response be measured, reasonable, and supported by demonstrable evidence. The severe curtailment of civil liberties without projected timelines for their rescission, the shutdown of economic activity and resulting job losses, the increase of human suffering through confinement and restriction of liberty, and the closure of courts of justice denying citizens a ready recourse, are all factors which must be weighed in the balance of a Constitution that protects the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens.
We recognize that governments may enact laws and pursue policies that limit Constitutional rights and freedoms, but the onus is on the government to prove that the limit is minimal, necessary, finite, and demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society. During times of emergency, constitutional rights do not stop being important. They become even more important.
Vaccine Choice Canada has made numerous formal requests of the Government of Canada and the provincial governments to provide evidence that justifies the violations of our Constitutional rights, to no avail. It is time to hold our governments accountable. It is time that our governments release publicly, and honestly, the data, evidence and advice that proves that these violations are minimal, necessary and demonstrably justifiable.
Canadians have lost confidence that the Canadian government is acting responsibly. It is apparent that the imposed interventions and government overstep are far worse than the virus itself, that decisions are being made based on a political or ideological agenda rather than on scientifically supported, evidence-based practices, and that the real epidemic we face is an epidemic of fear and state sponsored tyranny on a global basis.
Today, Vaccine Choice Canada formally announces its intention to hold the Government of Canada, and other parties yet to be named, accountable in a court of law. Vaccine Choice Canada has a long history and enviable reputation of advocating for and defending the rights and freedoms of Canadians when it comes to public and individual health. While this matter seems to stretch the intended mandate of Vaccine Choice Canada, it is nonetheless inseparable given the centrality of mandatory vaccinations that are publicly proposed by governments without medical or scientific basis. Thus, we recognize the urgent need to defend the rights and freedoms of all Canadians.
Vaccine Choice Canada has secured the services of Mr. Rocco Galati, a highly regarded Canadian Constitutional lawyer. Galati has been described as “the lawyer who lives to take on the government.” We are confident that Galati will passionately and expertly defend our Constitutional rights and firmly establish that the rights and freedoms as defined in the Canadian Constitution are rightfully the domain of every citizen of Canada.
Help Support this Action
A constitutional challenge requires tremendous resources, both financial and in expertise. Vaccine Choice Canada is inviting all Canadians who feel aggrieved by the actions of government in their response to SARS-CoV-2 to support us in this effort. Financial contributions can be received at:
https://vaccinechoicecanada.com/donate/
The Government of Canada must dutifully and lawfully honour the sacred trust and integrity required of elected officials to represent their constituents and protect our democratic and free country, our livelihoods and communities, and ensure that the rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution are first and foremost. Anything less is not just irresponsible, it is unconscionable.
Sincerely,
Ted Kuntz, President
Vaccine Choice Canada


australiannationalreview--2020-05-19--Trump says he’s taking hydroxychloroquine to prevent COVID-19

President Donald Trump said Monday that he has been taking hydroxychloroquine , an unproven treatment for COVID-19 that he has vigorously promoted .
“ A lot of good things have come out about the hydroxy .
A lot of good things have come out .
You ’ d be surprised at how many people are taking it , especially the front-line workers — before you catch it , ” Trump said at the White House .
“ I happen to be taking it .
I happen to be taking it .
… I ’ m taking it — hydroxychloroquine — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t believe he was exposed to the virus but that he decided to take the drug after having consulted with the White House physician .
He also claimed that essential workers , including doctors and nurses , were taking the drug to prevent contracting the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Sean P. Conley , the White House physician , said in a statement later Monday that he discussed the drug with the president .
“ After numerous discussions he and I had for and against the use of hydroxychloroquine we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the relative risks , ” Conley wrote .
Asked if Trump was prescribed the medication by Conley , White House Director of Strategic Communications Alyssa Farrah told NBC News , “ Yes — he was prescribed it and took it.
” Conley said the president receives regular COVID-19 testing and continues to test negative .
A White House official familiar with the president ’ s decision told NBC News that Trump started taking the drug after his valet tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month .
The president said at the time that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the valet , but the White House official said Trump discussed taking hydroxychloroquine with his doctor and weighed the risks before deciding to take it .
White House aides were caught off guard by Trump ’ s decision to publicly disclose he was taking the drug .
The White House official said only a small group of aides knew the president was taking it .
Vice President Mike Pence ’ s office did not respond to questions if he ’ s also taking hydroxychloroquine .
His press secretary , Katie Miller , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Food and Drug Administration has warned against using the drug for COVID-19 outside of hospital settings because of a risk of serious heart problems .
Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug that is often used to treat lupus and rheumatoid disease .
There are no approved treatments for COVID-19 .
Pressed on why he was using an unproven therapeutic , Trump said : “ Because I think it ’ s good .
I ’ ve heard a lot of good stories .
“ I ’ m not going to get hurt by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 40 years , ” he added .
Dr. Vin Gupta , a pulmonologist and global health policy expert who is an NBC News and MSNBC contributor , said hydroxychloroquine can cause fatal heart arrhythmia .
“ It ’ s definitely not totally safe , ” Gupta said .
“ He ’ s putting himself at risk.
” He said it was unwise to take a medicine unless there was a real medical need .
“ If I was his physician , I ’ d be pushing back strongly , ” Gupta said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that found that the drug wasn ’ t an effective treatment for COVID-19 , touting a “ well-crafted ” letter he said he had received from a doctor in Westchester , New York , who claimed to have treated patients with hydroxychloroquine , zinc and the antibiotic azithromycin , a combination known commonly as a Z-Pack .
Trump said he was taking zinc , as well , and he seemed to suggest that he had also previously taken the antibiotic .
After some early studies suggested that the drug could help treat patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoted it publicly as a “ game changer.
” But subsequent studies found little evidence that hydroxychloroquine was a helpful treatment and said , instead , that it was increasingly linked to deaths .
“ I ’ ve taken it for a week and a half now , and I ’ m still here , ” Trump said Monday .
Minutes earlier , he had said he ’ d been taking it for “ a couple weeks.
” Download the NBC News app for full coverage and alerts about the coronavirus outbreak Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medicine , something medical authorities have acknowledged even as they warn against the practice .
The American Medical Association , the American Pharmacists Association and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists released a joint statement in April acknowledging “ that some physicians and others are prophylactically prescribing medications currently identified as potential treatments for COVID-19.
” “ We strongly oppose these actions , ” the statement said .
“ We caution hospitals , health systems , and individual practitioners that no medication has been FDA-approved for use in COVID-19 patients.
” Pressed again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 , the president said : “ Here ’ s my evidence .
I get a lot of positive calls about it.
” Expert have said there is no evidence .
“ We do not know if this is an effective intervention .
There ’ s no evidence whatsoever that this works , ” Dr. Carlos del Rio , a professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and a professor of global health and epidemiology at Emory University , said , adding that it concerns him that President Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I have is that people will say , well , the president is using it , it must mean that it works , right ?
”

President Donald Trump said Monday that he has been taking hydroxychloroquine, an unproven treatment for COVID-19 that he has vigorously promoted.
“A lot of good things have come out about the hydroxy. A lot of good things have come out. You’d be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the front-line workers — before you catch it,” Trump said at the White House. “I happen to be taking it. I happen to be taking it. … I’m taking it — hydroxychloroquine — right now.”
Trump said that he doesn’t believe he was exposed to the virus but that he decided to take the drug after having consulted with the White House physician. He also claimed that essential workers, including doctors and nurses, were taking the drug to prevent contracting the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Sean P. Conley, the White House physician, said in a statement later Monday that he discussed the drug with the president.
“After numerous discussions he and I had for and against the use of hydroxychloroquine we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks,” Conley wrote.
Asked if Trump was prescribed the medication by Conley, White House Director of Strategic Communications Alyssa Farrah told NBC News, “Yes — he was prescribed it and took it.”
Conley said the president receives regular COVID-19 testing and continues to test negative.
A White House official familiar with the president’s decision told NBC News that Trump started taking the drug after his valet tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month. The president said at the time that he had “very little contact” with the valet, but the White House official said Trump discussed taking hydroxychloroquine with his doctor and weighed the risks before deciding to take it.
White House aides were caught off guard by Trump’s decision to publicly disclose he was taking the drug. The White House official said only a small group of aides knew the president was taking it.
Vice President Mike Pence’s office did not respond to questions if he’s also taking hydroxychloroquine. His press secretary, Katie Miller, tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month.
The Food and Drug Administration has warned against using the drug for COVID-19 outside of hospital settings because of a risk of serious heart problems. Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug that is often used to treat lupus and rheumatoid disease. There are no approved treatments for COVID-19.
Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
Pressed on why he was using an unproven therapeutic, Trump said: “Because I think it’s good. I’ve heard a lot of good stories.
“I’m not going to get hurt by it. It’s been around for 40 years,” he added.
Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and global health policy expert who is an NBC News and MSNBC contributor, said hydroxychloroquine can cause fatal heart arrhythmia.
“It’s definitely not totally safe,” Gupta said. “He’s putting himself at risk.”
He said it was unwise to take a medicine unless there was a real medical need.
“If I was his physician, I’d be pushing back strongly,” Gupta said.
The president dismissed questions about studies that found that the drug wasn’t an effective treatment for COVID-19, touting a “well-crafted” letter he said he had received from a doctor in Westchester, New York, who claimed to have treated patients with hydroxychloroquine, zinc and the antibiotic azithromycin, a combination known commonly as a Z-Pack.
Trump said he was taking zinc, as well, and he seemed to suggest that he had also previously taken the antibiotic. After some early studies suggested that the drug could help treat patients sickened by the coronavirus, the president promoted it publicly as a “game changer.” But subsequent studies found little evidence that hydroxychloroquine was a helpful treatment and said, instead, that it was increasingly linked to deaths.
“I’ve taken it for a week and a half now, and I’m still here,” Trump said Monday. Minutes earlier, he had said he’d been taking it for “a couple weeks.”
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Trump repeatedly said front-line workers were taking the medicine, something medical authorities have acknowledged even as they warn against the practice.
The American Medical Association, the American Pharmacists Association and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists released a joint statement in April acknowledging “that some physicians and others are prophylactically prescribing medications currently identified as potential treatments for COVID-19.”
“We strongly oppose these actions,” the statement said. “We caution hospitals, health systems, and individual practitioners that no medication has been FDA-approved for use in COVID-19 patients.”
Pressed again for evidence of hydroxychloroquine’s efficacy for COVID-19, the president said: “Here’s my evidence. I get a lot of positive calls about it.”
Expert have said there is no evidence.
“We do not know if this is an effective intervention. There’s no evidence whatsoever that this works,” Dr. Carlos del Rio, a professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and a professor of global health and epidemiology at Emory University, said, adding that it concerns him that President Trump is taking the medication.
“The concern that I have is that people will say, well, the president is using it, it must mean that it works, right?”


australiannationalreview--2020-05-19--Sweden’s Coronavirus Strategy Will Soon Be the World’s

China placed 50 million people under quarantine in Hubei Province in January .
Since then , many liberal democracies have taken aggressive authoritarian measures of their own to fight the novel coronavirus .
By mid-March , almost all Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD ) countries had implemented some combination of school , university , workplace , and public transportation closures ; restrictions on public events ; and limits on domestic and international travel .
One country , however , stands out as an exception in the West .
Rather than declare a lockdown or a state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice social distancing on a mostly voluntary basis .
Swedish authorities imposed some restrictions designed to flatten the curve : no public gatherings of more than 50 people , no bar service , distance learning in high schools and universities , and so on .
But they eschewed harsh controls , fines , and policing .
Swedes have changed their behavior , but not as profoundly as the citizens of other Western democracies .
Many restaurants remain open , although they are lightly trafficked ; young children are still in school .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some Asian countries ) , Sweden has not introduced location-tracing technologies or apps , thus avoiding threats to privacy and personal autonomy .
Swedish authorities have not officially declared a goal of reaching herd immunity , which most scientists believe is achieved when more than 60 percent of the population has had the virus .
But augmenting immunity is no doubt part of the government ’ s broader strategy—or at least a likely consequence of keeping schools , restaurants , and most businesses open .
Anders Tegnell , the chief epidemiologist at Sweden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projected that the city of Stockholm could reach herd immunity as early as this month .
Based on updated behavioral assumptions ( social-distancing norms are changing how Swedes behave ) , the Stockholm University mathematician Tom Britton has calculated that 40 percent immunity in the capital could be enough to stop the virus ’ s spread there and that this could happen by mid-June .
Sweden has won praise in some quarters for preserving at least some semblance of economic normalcy and keeping its per capita death rate lower than those of Belgium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Spain , and the United Kingdom .
But it has come in for criticism in other quarters for exceeding the per capita death rates of other Nordic countries and in particular , for failing to protect its elderly and immigrant populations .
People receiving nursing and elder-care services account for upward of 50 percent of COVID-19 deaths in Sweden , according to Tegnell , in part because many facilities were grievously slow to implement basic protective measures such as mask wearing .
Immigrants have also suffered disproportionately , mainly because they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the service sector , where working remotely is usually impossible .
But Swedish authorities have argued that the country ’ s higher death rate will appear comparatively lower in hindsight .
Efforts to contain the virus are doomed to fail in many countries , and a large percentage of people will be infected in the end .
When much of the world experiences a deadly second wave , Sweden will have the worst of the pandemic behind it .
Sweden ’ s response has not been perfect , but it has succeeded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the healthy—those at the lowest risk of serious complications from COVID-19—while also flattening the curve .
The country ’ s intensive care units have not been overrun , and hospital staffs , although under strain , have at least not had to juggle additional childcare responsibilities because daycares and lower schools continue to operate .
Whether or not they have openly embraced the Swedish approach , many other countries are now trying to emulate aspects of it .
Both Denmark and Finland have reopened schools for young children .
Germany is allowing small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen parks , and France has a plan to allow some nonessential businesses to reopen , including farmers ’ markets and small museums , as well as schools and daycare centers .
In the United States , which has by far the highest absolute number of reported COVID-19 deaths , several states are easing restrictions at the urging of President Donald Trump , who despite bashing the Swedish model , is pushing the country toward something very similar .
There are good reasons for countries to begin easing their restrictions .
It will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of deaths , bankruptcies , layoffs , suicides , mental health problems , losses to GDP and investments , and other costs attributable not just to the virus but to the measures used to fight it .
It should already be obvious , however , that the economic and social costs of lockdowns are enormous : estimates from the OECD suggest that every month of pandemic-related restrictions will shrink the economies of advanced countries by two percent .
France , Germany , Italy , Spain , the United Kingdom , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will see their economies shrink by more than 25 percent within a year .
Unemployment is rising to levels unheard of since the 1930s—fueling political backlash and deepening social divisions .
Lockdowns are simply not sustainable for the amount of time that it will likely take to develop a vaccine .
Letting up will reduce economic , social , and political pressures .
It may also allow populations to build an immunity that will end up being the least bad way of fighting COVID-19 in the long run .
Much about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are locked down now could very well face new and even more severe outbreaks down the road .
If these countries follow the Swedish path to herd immunity , the total cost of the pandemic will decrease , and it will likely end sooner .
Sweden ’ s approach to COVID-19 reflects the country ’ s distinctive culture , and aspects of it may not be easy to replicate elsewhere .
In particular , reliance on official recommendations and individual responsibility may not travel well beyond Scandinavia .
Sweden is a special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just between people but between people and government institutions .
Swedes were primed to take voluntary recommendations seriously in a way that citizens of other nations may not be .
Swedes are also generally healthier than citizens of many other countries , so additional precautions may be necessary to protect the infirm in other parts of the world .
Countries lifting restrictions should also learn from Sweden ’ s missteps when it comes to the elderly and immigrants : masks and other protective equipment should be made immediately available in nursing homes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting service-sector workers who are at higher risk because of age or infirmity .
But the emphasis must be on helping at-risk people stay safe and out of harm ’ s way , not locking entire societies down .
As scientists learn more about the virus and authorities develop new and better ways to work around the contagion—altering the parameters for calculating herd immunity to account for behavioral changes , for instance—the justification for general lockdowns grows weaker and weaker .
Even in places like the United States and the United Kingdom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much larger , the cost of protecting these people is much lower than forcing everyone to stay home .
Managing the path to herd immunity means , above all , protecting the vulnerable .
Sweden learned that the hard way , but the situation there is now under control .
As the pain of national lockdowns grows intolerable and countries realize that managing—rather than defeating—the pandemic is the only realistic option , more and more of them will begin to open up .
Smart social distancing to keep health-care systems from being overwhelmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and better protections for at-risk groups can help reduce the human toll .
But at the end of the day , increased—and ultimately , herd—immunity may be the only viable defense against the disease , so long as vulnerable groups are protected along the way .
Whatever marks Sweden deserves for managing the pandemic , other nations are beginning to see that it is ahead of the curve .

By
China placed 50 million people under quarantine in Hubei Province in January. Since then, many liberal democracies have taken aggressive authoritarian measures of their own to fight the novel coronavirus. By mid-March, almost all Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries had implemented some combination of school, university, workplace, and public transportation closures; restrictions on public events; and limits on domestic and international travel. One country, however, stands out as an exception in the West.
Rather than declare a lockdown or a state of emergency, Sweden asked its citizens to practice social distancing on a mostly voluntary basis. Swedish authorities imposed some restrictions designed to flatten the curve: no public gatherings of more than 50 people, no bar service, distance learning in high schools and universities, and so on. But they eschewed harsh controls, fines, and policing. Swedes have changed their behavior, but not as profoundly as the citizens of other Western democracies. Many restaurants remain open, although they are lightly trafficked; young children are still in school. And in contrast to neighboring Norway (and some Asian countries), Sweden has not introduced location-tracing technologies or apps, thus avoiding threats to privacy and personal autonomy.
Swedish authorities have not officially declared a goal of reaching herd immunity, which most scientists believe is achieved when more than 60 percent of the population has had the virus. But augmenting immunity is no doubt part of the government’s broader strategy—or at least a likely consequence of keeping schools, restaurants, and most businesses open. Anders Tegnell, the chief epidemiologist at Sweden’s Public Health Agency, has projected that the city of Stockholm could reach herd immunity as early as this month. Based on updated behavioral assumptions (social-distancing norms are changing how Swedes behave), the Stockholm University mathematician Tom Britton has calculated that 40 percent immunity in the capital could be enough to stop the virus’s spread there and that this could happen by mid-June.
Sweden has won praise in some quarters for preserving at least some semblance of economic normalcy and keeping its per capita death rate lower than those of Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. But it has come in for criticism in other quarters for exceeding the per capita death rates of other Nordic countries and in particular, for failing to protect its elderly and immigrant populations. People receiving nursing and elder-care services account for upward of 50 percent of COVID-19 deaths in Sweden, according to Tegnell, in part because many facilities were grievously slow to implement basic protective measures such as mask wearing. Immigrants have also suffered disproportionately, mainly because they are poorer on average and tend to work in the service sector, where working remotely is usually impossible. But Swedish authorities have argued that the country’s higher death rate will appear comparatively lower in hindsight. Efforts to contain the virus are doomed to fail in many countries, and a large percentage of people will be infected in the end. When much of the world experiences a deadly second wave, Sweden will have the worst of the pandemic behind it.
Sweden’s response has not been perfect, but it has succeeded in bolstering immunity among the young and the healthy—those at the lowest risk of serious complications from COVID-19—while also flattening the curve. The country’s intensive care units have not been overrun, and hospital staffs, although under strain, have at least not had to juggle additional childcare responsibilities because daycares and lower schools continue to operate.
Whether or not they have openly embraced the Swedish approach, many other countries are now trying to emulate aspects of it. Both Denmark and Finland have reopened schools for young children. Germany is allowing small shops to reopen. Italy will soon reopen parks, and France has a plan to allow some nonessential businesses to reopen, including farmers’ markets and small museums, as well as schools and daycare centers. In the United States, which has by far the highest absolute number of reported COVID-19 deaths, several states are easing restrictions at the urging of President Donald Trump, who despite bashing the Swedish model, is pushing the country toward something very similar.
There are good reasons for countries to begin easing their restrictions. It will take several years to tally the total number of deaths, bankruptcies, layoffs, suicides, mental health problems, losses to GDP and investments, and other costs attributable not just to the virus but to the measures used to fight it. It should already be obvious, however, that the economic and social costs of lockdowns are enormous: estimates from the OECD suggest that every month of pandemic-related restrictions will shrink the economies of advanced countries by two percent. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, according to the OECD, will see their economies shrink by more than 25 percent within a year. Unemployment is rising to levels unheard of since the 1930s—fueling political backlash and deepening social divisions.
Lockdowns are simply not sustainable for the amount of time that it will likely take to develop a vaccine. Letting up will reduce economic, social, and political pressures. It may also allow populations to build an immunity that will end up being the least bad way of fighting COVID-19 in the long run. Much about the disease remains poorly understood, but countries that are locked down now could very well face new and even more severe outbreaks down the road. If these countries follow the Swedish path to herd immunity, the total cost of the pandemic will decrease, and it will likely end sooner.
Sweden’s approach to COVID-19 reflects the country’s distinctive culture, and aspects of it may not be easy to replicate elsewhere. In particular, reliance on official recommendations and individual responsibility may not travel well beyond Scandinavia. Sweden is a special country characterized by high levels of trust—not just between people but between people and government institutions. Swedes were primed to take voluntary recommendations seriously in a way that citizens of other nations may not be.
Swedes are also generally healthier than citizens of many other countries, so additional precautions may be necessary to protect the infirm in other parts of the world. Countries lifting restrictions should also learn from Sweden’s missteps when it comes to the elderly and immigrants: masks and other protective equipment should be made immediately available in nursing homes, and greater emphasis should be placed on protecting service-sector workers who are at higher risk because of age or infirmity. But the emphasis must be on helping at-risk people stay safe and out of harm’s way, not locking entire societies down.
As scientists learn more about the virus and authorities develop new and better ways to work around the contagion—altering the parameters for calculating herd immunity to account for behavioral changes, for instance—the justification for general lockdowns grows weaker and weaker. Even in places like the United States and the United Kingdom, where the pool of at-risk people is much larger, the cost of protecting these people is much lower than forcing everyone to stay home. Managing the path to herd immunity means, above all, protecting the vulnerable. Sweden learned that the hard way, but the situation there is now under control.
As the pain of national lockdowns grows intolerable and countries realize that managing—rather than defeating—the pandemic is the only realistic option, more and more of them will begin to open up. Smart social distancing to keep health-care systems from being overwhelmed, improved therapies for the afflicted, and better protections for at-risk groups can help reduce the human toll. But at the end of the day, increased—and ultimately, herd—immunity may be the only viable defense against the disease, so long as vulnerable groups are protected along the way. Whatever marks Sweden deserves for managing the pandemic, other nations are beginning to see that it is ahead of the curve.


australiannationalreview--2020-05-19--My Book ‘Australia’s Loss of Health Freedom’ is now Available