Latest Lockdown from Whitmer Ignores What We've Learned

As our governor and her unelected cadre of bureaucrats march out another three week revisiting of a lockdown just in time for the purely American gathering and feasting holiday known as Thanksgiving (not to mention the business' holiday on Black Friday), everybody needs to reconsider what we have learned since last winter about Covid-19.  Rather than regurgitate the scary stats and 'facts' our governor and her token doctor (with no training in epidemiology or virology) portray as reasons to shut down schools and economies, I will present a well-researched and well-written overview of the actual dangers of the novel coronavirus by Jay Bhattacharyam, a Professor of Medicine at Stanford University. 

You can read the full essay here, or if you would rather see a summary of his work, I offer the following abstracts of the four points he makes.   

1.  The COVID-19 Fatality Rate:  In March, leading medical bodies (the WHO and the CDC) estimated that about 3% of people who were exposed to Covid-19 died.  The author was part of the Santa Clara antibody tests which found Covid-19 antibodies were much more widespread than then thought, fifty times more prevalent, making the fatality rate at most 0.2%.  This was not an anomaly, 82 similar studies from around the world had that 0.2% rate as its median.  This makes Covid-19 about twice as deadly as your average influenza season, and practically comparable to a year with a strong strain of influenza.

2)  Who Is at Risk?:  The author notes that Covid-19's victims are not all the same.  A child is 1000 times less likely to die than a 70 year old who contracts it.  For the young, Covid-19 is much less dangerous than the seasonal flu.  Policy makers rarely take this into account and treat everybody as if they had the same risk

3.  Deadliness of the Lockdowns:  Lockdowns had never been tried for control of viruses in the past and were put in place so as to not have patients overwhelm hospitals.  Hospitals never have come close to being overwhelmed, however, the U.N. has estimated that 130 million additional people will starve this year as a result of the economic damage resulting from the lockdowns.

Immunizations have been put off, leading to the possibility that those diseases and viruses may have a resurgence in communities, cancer screenings and therapies have been put off increasing the fatality rate with that health issue.  Young adults have contemplated suicidal thoughts at levels unheard of before due to the isolation and loss of control over their lives-- despite they have little to fear from the virus.

4.  Where to Go from Here:   The author and two other epidemiologists with different backgrounds came together and concluded that the widespread lockdown policy has been a devastating public health mistake.  They issued a declaration expressing a logical alternative that incorporates all of what scientists and stats have discovered about Covid-19.  Simply expressed, they ask to protect the vulnerable and allow the rest of society to carry on with the common sense precautions of staying home when sick and exercising better hygiene.  This will allow the vulnerable to eventually be safe once herd immunity is attained in a community.

Herd immunity is not a strategy—it is a biological fact that applies to most infectious diseases and comes into play even if a vaccine is perfected.  Many governors operating on a host of unknowns in March of 2020 chose lockdowns and nonsensical, draconian rules.  Now that we have a lot of information and data to work from, adopting a new batch of lockdowns and nonsensical, draconian rules as if the knowledge gained was all for naught is pure folly and detrimental to public health.  Exactly as it was before.

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Since April, the Michigan legislature has been spineless and ineffective.  Where are the bills that disallow the governor and government agencies from having the authority to suspend basic human rights during a health pseudo-crisis by making their own quasi-legislation?  These should have been written in April and passed easily, forcing Whitmer to veto it-- showing her corrupt lust for power and disgust for the Constitution.

I think she is on the Biden -harris agenda to destroy the nation

   Are the Indian run Casinos in Michigan covered under this latest Witless Governors  latest shut down? I know they have their own Police to handle law enforcement issues and do not use local state resources. 

The Little River Band of Indians Casino in Manistee is run as a Sovereign Nation, so I think their tribal council must decide this, not the police. They now do require masks for everyone, closed their buffet restaurant, and have social distancing in force, no smoking allowed either except in designated areas and outside. They also take your digital temperature on your forehead upon entry. The Sports Bar also only serves appetizers and sandwiches now, but the Sports Restaurant serves dinners, with wait lines, and distancing. You can also sign a petition for Whitmer's recall at the Nova Motel 7 days a week, and Wed.-Sat. at the Country Bakery by Caesars Pizza. Our Mich. Gov. has been, and continues to be, Stark Raving Mad imho. This latest executive order yesterday proves that more than ever. It will only lead to many more business bankruptcies, suicides, drug abuse, spousal abuse, alcohol abuse, and many more negative effects, sad, and ridiculous actions and attitude just continues.

I was in Manistee today and heard that the casino was going to shut down. I also heard that Whitmer threatened to cancel their liquor License if they didn’t obey her orders. I thought they were exempt from State control. 

Yes Willy, the casino and it's Tribal membership is supposed to be a Sovereign Nation, and not answer to civil orders, I think Whitmer over-stepped her bounds this time again. They fully cooperate on criminal matters most of the time, but if it's concerning a fellow member, it can require council mtgs. for action too. What the Gov. did in this case, imho, could be a high cost and high court battle to settle, and it's also a form extreme of Narcissism, not to mention extortion, not good, nor legal either imo.

Very good information x, especially from the Stanford professor. I will be passing it along.

Thanks, so please allow me a moment of spreading misinformation.  Here's some related satire from The Onion, which doesn't sound so crazy in today's crazy state of Michigan:

Governors Call On Gretchen Whitmer To Shut Down Their States So Residents Won’t Get Mad At Them

LANSING, MI—In an effort to take decisive action against the rapid spread of the coronavirus, governors across the country called on Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer this week to shut down their states this week so their residents won’t get mad at them. “It is long overdue that we buckle down and urge Gretchen to really do us a solid and tell our constituents that she would be instituting an across-the-board shutdown because, frankly, we’re scared of what they might do to us,” said Arizona governor Doug Ducey, echoing the statements from dozens of public officials across the political spectrum who urged Whitmer to stop tiptoeing around the issue and simply face the wrath of residents of Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, and many more states after she advised them to avoid large gatherings and shelter in place for the foreseeable future. “We need to see real leadership from Governor Whitmer: She must tell our constituents in no uncertain terms that she will be restricting their liberties in order to fight this deadly virus and that we, their governors, had no part in making these decisions, so they should direct any of their hatred or violence toward the Michigan governor’s mansion. It’s just common sense. Besides, most of these people already hate her, so what’s there to worry about?” The governors also stressed that it would also really help them out if she told their state’s protesters and police departments to chill out, too.

Thanks for that information Aquaman. 
X, that is a funny article. I also like the one about the lonely Thanksgiving mom. 

Following the science and saving lives.....I get it

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