It’s such a shame Jade that you felt so threatened by me that you had to block me after our little scientific debate. How can we learn, progress, and improve public health policy if the 2 sides don’t communicate and debate? 1/n

Jade, I agree with you 100%. COVID19 is a serious threat which materializes into deaths, but so does the flu!!! Unfortunately, diseases lead to deaths. This is the human condition. We must keep sound perspective in our response, lest we cause more harm than good. 2/n

You didn’t even allow me to reply to you.
#Lebanon and any other country cannot follow the Chinese model. I m not sure if the Chinese model actually worked for China or if it was just CCP propaganda. 3/n
@MichaelPSenger @mophleb

Are you sure you want Lebanon to follow the NZ model of lockdown, resurgence, lockdown, resurgence, eternally until herd immunity develops in the most painful way? 4/n
@mophleb

There is a simpler, more reasonable way to do this:
5/n
@mophleb https://twitter.com/abirballan/status/1310593917499453440

Jad, my dear, I am not against you as a person. I don’t wish to attack you. I just want to reduce the agony of the #Lebanese people.
Lebanon doesn’t need more fear, more restrictions, and more deleterious effects on its economy. 6/n
@mophleb

People are barely making ends meet. The Lebanese pound has been devalued ridiculously. People’s life savings are digital numbers on a computer screen at the bank. Businesses are closing. No one has confidence in the country, externally or internally. 7/n
@mophleb

Economic disruption kills people too. The healthcare system will not be able to handle operating and serving the public for all sort of diseases if there is no economic growth able to sustain it. 8/n
@mophleb

How many more men are we willing to see lying down on the ground in Hamra street because they shot themselves because they can no longer feed their Kids? 9/n

@mophleb

How many more children are we willing to keep under trauma and fear following the attack on #BeirutPort ? At least if they go back to school, they will start to heal. They will be able to socialize and be kids again. 10/n
@mophleb

From the revolution to corona to the explosion, the kids have been at home for the entire school year. How long are we willing to jeopardize their futures before we see them emigrate to a far away land? 11/n
@mophleb https://twitter.com/abirballan/status/1304339952566665217

At some point, we must put things into perspective. We must assess costs and benefits. We must look at the whole picture. We must do what is right for the people. We must communicate to reach a compromise. 12/12
@mophleb