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I've always been of view that public health & policymaking are 2 separate things, and there's always been a legitimate debate about how to manage this pandemic.
However, at this stage, there are sections of the "anti-lockdown" crowd who at this point are guilty of manslaughter.
However, at this stage, there are sections of the "anti-lockdown" crowd who at this point are guilty of manslaughter.
Before someone jumps in with some legalese. I mean ethically. I don't care about whatever stupid loophole you've spotted.
The point is that if you've been pushing discredited "facts" that have led people to make fatal mistakes, you've contributed to their deaths.
The point is that if you've been pushing discredited "facts" that have led people to make fatal mistakes, you've contributed to their deaths.
I'm struggling to write all of this in an articulate way, because I am consumed with rage. I look at people like Julia Hartley Brewer, Toby Young and Alistair Haimes and just think: You've been told OVER AND OVER AGAIN why such-and-such a point is wrong, and you just ignore it.
They're worse than the crackpots like Ethical Skeptic, Ivor Cummins, and his ilk, who are into their aliens and fad diets and whatnot. Those people need professional help in a secure institution.
It's the ostensibly normal, educated people who blow my mind with their arrogance.
It's the ostensibly normal, educated people who blow my mind with their arrogance.
All you have to do is spend a moment engaging sincerely with a few experts. They're here on Twitter. They will reply if you don't troll them. They'll point you in the right direction. They'll patiently explain the details. Stop being a twat!
You might still come away thinking that lockdowns are excessive, that this disease can't be controlled everywhere. That's fine.
But please underpin it all with an honest representation of the facts. Please don't just buy some Excel copy-and-paste that a random posted on Twitter.
But please underpin it all with an honest representation of the facts. Please don't just buy some Excel copy-and-paste that a random posted on Twitter.
And tbh, at this stage, if you're still using the word "lockdown" to describe all the different things that have happened this year, you're not a very observant person. There is no such thing as "lockdown". It's a collection of different measures. Some of them work! Some don't.
By all means, criticise those individual measures. If you're just saying "bla bla lockdowns, bla bla mental health, bla bla children" you really need to think more carefully.
It's been amazing to see people describe almost any kind of public health response as "lockdown".
It's been amazing to see people describe almost any kind of public health response as "lockdown".
Anyway, I have spent the last few months listening to my relatives parrot the various moron talking points promoted by the likes of Toby Young and Alistair Haimes, and now most of my family have Covid-19.
They're fine for the time being. But I'm angry. I told them not to listen.
They're fine for the time being. But I'm angry. I told them not to listen.
