TUSCON, Ariz., Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Historically, the apocalyptic chaos that accompanied plagues provided evildoers with opportunities for exploitation, but unlike with COVID-19, the impact of those abuses did not exceed the damage caused by the disease itself, writes Jane Orient, M.D. in the winter issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Orient practices internal medicine in Tucson, Ariz., and serves as executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS).
Tyrannical non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) were imposed—mask-wearing, social distancing, and lockdowns. The public view of these measures is severely polarized, reflecting the irreconcilable differences between Left and Right value systems, divergent economic circumstances, and partisan information system, Dr. Orient writes.
Their implementation was hurried and forceful, and there is a remarkable scarcity of scientific studies examining their proper use, she states. Despite their enormous impact, NPIs have been the subject of few comprehensive studies: 26 indexed by the National Library of Medicine in 2001, 28 in 2021, 14 in 2022, and only four in 2023–2024. Rather than relying on objective science, strategy has been based on scientism, which only uses the language and authority of science to promote dogmas and stifle critical thinking, according to Dr. Orient.
“The biggest act of malice perpetrated by NPI promoters was a willful and wanton disregard of the enormous economical, psychological, and social costs of those tyrannical measures. Even if their NPI policies had been technically sound (and they were not), the enormously important economic, social, and psychological implications should have been considered,” the article states.
The article examines the impacts of facial masks in adults and children, social distancing, body temperature screening, testing, and contact tracing. It notes that some reasonable NPIs were underutilized, and others were “deliberately and intentionally ignored or even rejected by officialdom for clear ideological reasons.”
“Numerous NPIs have been imposed arbitrarily, capriciously, and without the proper rationale, likely to serve hidden agendas instead of their officially stated goals,” Dr. Orient concludes. Yet there has been virtually no accountability for responsible officials.
“It is critical to balance the emotional urgency to control disease spread with the realistic assessment of the benefits and harms of NPIs.”
The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons is published by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), a national organization representing physicians in all specialties since 1943.
Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, janeorientmd@gmail.com
