1/I look at COVID data every single day and usually spend a couple hours at it
What I& #39;ve been seeing recently is that vaccination is kicking in in a huge way
And this is a great thing for the World...
@cjsnowdon @s8mb @dr_barrett @DrDomPimenta @AtomsksSanakan @thereal_truther
What I& #39;ve been seeing recently is that vaccination is kicking in in a huge way
And this is a great thing for the World...
@cjsnowdon @s8mb @dr_barrett @DrDomPimenta @AtomsksSanakan @thereal_truther
2/There is one group for whom this is a terrible thing
The COVID deniers/Anti-Vaxxers/Flat-Earthers
For them, effective vaccination is an existential threat
Why?
The COVID deniers/Anti-Vaxxers/Flat-Earthers
For them, effective vaccination is an existential threat
Why?
3/Their entire narrative is built around the virtue of inaction. That mitigation simply leads to more, not less, harm
The fundamental theory behind the concept of lockdowns (by which I mean NPIs, such as social distancing, masks, etc.) is the Germ Theory
The fundamental theory behind the concept of lockdowns (by which I mean NPIs, such as social distancing, masks, etc.) is the Germ Theory
4/Germ Theory holds that disease is transmitted from one person to other persons
The theory behind NPIs is that if you block that chain of transmission, you slow or stop disease progression
Most anti-NPI people are not dumb enough to challenge Germ Theory (although some do)...
The theory behind NPIs is that if you block that chain of transmission, you slow or stop disease progression
Most anti-NPI people are not dumb enough to challenge Germ Theory (although some do)...
5/Rather their argument is that eventually the disease spreads and everyone gets infected
And, frankly, they& #39;re right
But the key is the word "eventually"
NPIs themselves are not the end-game
They simply buy time...
And, frankly, they& #39;re right
But the key is the word "eventually"
NPIs themselves are not the end-game
They simply buy time...
6/The anti-lockdowners argument has been that it& #39;s pointless to buy time because "virus gonna virus."
But virus can& #39;t virus if people are immune
And vaccination makes people immune
But virus can& #39;t virus if people are immune
And vaccination makes people immune
7/So in the face of the eventual development of effective vaccinations, buying time with NPIs makes a shitload of rational sense
For the anti-lockdowners it destroys any justification for a "let it rip" strategy, such as implemented in the US, the UK and (wait for it), Sweden
For the anti-lockdowners it destroys any justification for a "let it rip" strategy, such as implemented in the US, the UK and (wait for it), Sweden
8/Perhaps even more important, it pours blood directly on the hands of those who argued for let it rip, focused protection, herd immunity or any of the manifold and odious alternatives to sane deployment of NPIs