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1. Is there a middle ground between lockdowns – with school, business and office
closures, curfews, and isolation – and a laissez-faire "let it rip" approach? https://gbdeclaration.org/
closures, curfews, and isolation – and a laissez-faire "let it rip" approach? https://gbdeclaration.org/
2. In the Great Barrington Declaration, co-signed now by many thousand medical scientists and
practitioners, we laid out such a middle-ground alternative, with greatly improved focused
protection of older people and other high-risk groups.
practitioners, we laid out such a middle-ground alternative, with greatly improved focused
protection of older people and other high-risk groups.
3.The aim of focused protection is to
minimize overall mortality from both COVID-19 and other diseases by balancing the need to
protect high-risk individuals from COVID-19
minimize overall mortality from both COVID-19 and other diseases by balancing the need to
protect high-risk individuals from COVID-19
4.while reducing the harm that lockdowns have had
on other aspects of medical care and public health. It recognizes that public health is concerned
with the health and well-being of populations in a broader way than just infection control. https://www.apha.org/-/media/files/pdf/membergroups/ethics/ethics_brochure.ashx
on other aspects of medical care and public health. It recognizes that public health is concerned
with the health and well-being of populations in a broader way than just infection control. https://www.apha.org/-/media/files/pdf/membergroups/ethics/ethics_brochure.ashx
5. This may surprise some readers given the unfortunate caricature of the Declaration, where some
media outlets and scientists have falsely characterized it as a "herd immunity strategy"
media outlets and scientists have falsely characterized it as a "herd immunity strategy"
6. that aims
to maximize infections among the young or as a laissez-faire approach to let the virus rip through
society.
to maximize infections among the young or as a laissez-faire approach to let the virus rip through
society.
7. On the contrary, we believe that everyone should take basic precautions to avoid
spreading the disease and that no one should intentionally expose themselves to COVID-19
infection.
spreading the disease and that no one should intentionally expose themselves to COVID-19
infection.
8. Since zero COVID is impossible, herd immunity is the endpoint of this epidemic
regardless of whether we choose lockdowns or focused protection to address it.
regardless of whether we choose lockdowns or focused protection to address it.
9.Lockdown proponents assert without evidence that the only way to protect the older vulnerable
population is to limit general community transmission, in effect arguing that focused protection
is impossible.
population is to limit general community transmission, in effect arguing that focused protection
is impossible.
10. We disagree. Standard public health practice regularly seeks creative ways to
protect vulnerable people from a host of diseases and conditions that threaten them, and COVID19 should not be an exception.
protect vulnerable people from a host of diseases and conditions that threaten them, and COVID19 should not be an exception.
11.
e.g., frequent on-site testing and limiting staff rotations in nursing homes, free home delivery of
groceries for the home-bound vulnerable, providing disability job accom. for older
vulnerable workers, and temporary accom for older people living in multi-generational
homes.
e.g., frequent on-site testing and limiting staff rotations in nursing homes, free home delivery of
groceries for the home-bound vulnerable, providing disability job accom. for older
vulnerable workers, and temporary accom for older people living in multi-generational
homes.
12. Inconsistent with the standard pandemic preparedness plans that existed before the COVID-19
epidemic, lockdowns are, and have always been, a radical approach to infection control. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/seasonal-influenza/preparedness/influenza-pandemic-preparedness-plans
epidemic, lockdowns are, and have always been, a radical approach to infection control. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/seasonal-influenza/preparedness/influenza-pandemic-preparedness-plans
13. Focused protection is the middle ground that will end the pandemic with the least harm to the
vulnerable and non-vulnerable alike. Read in full - https://gbdeclaration.org/focused-protection/
vulnerable and non-vulnerable alike. Read in full - https://gbdeclaration.org/focused-protection/
