So the Swedish approach was influenced by "viral coronavirus conspiracy videos" created by a dude referred to as a "virus truther" by the Bulwark and defended by Laura Ingraham when Youtube took his videos down? https://twitter.com/killedbyproxy/status/1294399972721516544

Interestingly, Wittkowski's ideas, presumably via Sweden, were echoed by Finnish state epidemiologists, influencing the government's approach at least until March 16, when the government, apparently against the epidemiologists' advice, began to implement containment measures. 2/

Wittkowski's idea of protecting the elderly as the key measure while the rest of the society lives as usual & the idea of "prolonging" the epidemic as something to be avoided, were echoed almost word-by-word by the Finnish @THLorg & then the government! https://bit.ly/2CyLfSg  3/

Also, Wittkowski's idea of keeping the schools open so that the children would help spread the virus (!) and hence presumably help the society achieve herd immunity faster was well received by some Finnish medical professionals and government advisors. https://bit.ly/3g0lyaE  4/

What about Wittkowski's idea that COVID-19 can only be stopped by herd immunity? This became to be the Finnish state epidemiologists' position in March as well. 5/

It appears that Finnish state epidemiologists' key positions regarding the country's covid-19 strategy have resembled closely those of Knut Wittkowski, a U.S. based figure who even many American conservatives consider a fringe alt-right figure & conspiracy theorist & a moron. 6/

It also appears that Wittkowski's ideas have entered Finland through Sweden, a country next door whose state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell and his mentor (?) Johan Giesecke appear to have had an oversize influence on @THLorg and its head epidemiologist @mika_salminen 7/

While Finland has its own alt-right movement(s), as well as "health fringe movements" (anti-vaxxers etc.), I am not aware of any of these groups having links to Wittkowski. The most plausible conduit of Wittkowski's ideas appears to be via Sweden. 8/

How the Swedish epidemiologists became to be influenced by Wittkowski (who has no credibility among epidemiologists or scientists in the U.S., and probably very little name recognition among them anyway) is a story that the Swedes should investigate. 9/

But the Finnish government must also investigate how the ideas of an American fringe alt-right conspiracy theorist have been seemingly able to enter the highest levels of government, almost unfiltered, at a time of national and global health emergency. 10/

The evidence appears damning, but it isn't conclusive. Hence, a thorough investigation, ideally by an external party, must be conducted. The government must get to the bottom of this. For the duration of the investigation @mika_salminen must be put on administrative leave 11/

The charge for the investigators: Discover the sources and scientific bases of the epidemiological advice given by @THLorg to the government about covid-19 & recommend improvements to the mechanisms by which the government can assess advice given to it regarding covid-19. 12/12