{"id":4619,"date":"2020-10-11T06:24:30","date_gmt":"2020-10-11T10:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/?p=4619"},"modified":"2020-10-11T06:26:35","modified_gmt":"2020-10-11T10:26:35","slug":"the-great-barrington-declaration-by-medical-professionals-end-the-lockdown-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/?p=4619","title":{"rendered":"The Great Barrington Declaration by Medical Professionals: END THE LOCKDOWN Now!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Great Barrington Declaration by Medical Professionals: END THE LOCKDOWN Now!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Signed by<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7192 Medical & Public  Health Scientists\n\n\n\n\n7,192\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16066 Medical Practitioners\n\n\n\n\n231838 General Public\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Great Barrington Declaration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Great \nBarrington Declaration \u2013 As infectious disease epidemiologists and \npublic health scientists we have grave concerns about the damaging \nphysical and mental health impacts of the prevailing COVID-19 policies, \nand recommend an approach we call Focused Protection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming from\n both the left and right, and around the world, we have devoted our \ncareers to protecting people. Current lockdown policies are producing \ndevastating effects on short and long-term public health. The results \n(to name a few) include lower childhood vaccination rates, worsening \ncardiovascular disease outcomes, fewer cancer screenings and \ndeteriorating mental health \u2013 leading to greater excess mortality in \nyears to come, with the working class and younger members of society \ncarrying the heaviest burden. Keeping students out of school is a grave \ninjustice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping these measures in place until a vaccine is \navailable will cause irreparable damage, with the underprivileged \ndisproportionately harmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, our understanding of the \nvirus is growing. We know that vulnerability to death from COVID-19 is \nmore than a thousand-fold higher in the old and infirm than the young. \nIndeed, for children, COVID-19 is less dangerous than many other harms, \nincluding influenza. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As immunity builds in the population, the \nrisk of infection to all \u2013 including the vulnerable \u2013 falls. We know \nthat all populations will eventually reach herd immunity \u2013 i.e.  the \npoint at which the rate of new infections is stable \u2013 and that this can \nbe assisted by (but is not dependent upon) a vaccine. Our goal should \ntherefore be to minimize mortality and social harm until we reach herd \nimmunity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most compassionate approach that balances the risks\n and benefits of reaching herd immunity, is to allow those who are at \nminimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity \nto the virus through natural infection, while better protecting those \nwho are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adopting\n measures to protect the vulnerable should be the central aim of public \nhealth responses to COVID-19. By way of example, nursing homes should \nuse staff with acquired immunity and perform frequent PCR testing of \nother staff and all visitors. Staff rotation should be minimized. \nRetired people living at home should have groceries and other essentials\n delivered to their home. When possible, they should meet family members\n outside rather than inside. A comprehensive and detailed list of \nmeasures, including approaches to multi-generational households, can be \nimplemented, and is well within the scope and capability of public \nhealth professionals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who are not vulnerable should \nimmediately be allowed to resume life as normal. Simple hygiene \nmeasures, such as hand washing and staying home when sick should be \npracticed by everyone to reduce the herd immunity threshold. Schools and\n universities should be open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular \nactivities, such as sports, should be resumed. Young low-risk adults \nshould work normally, rather than from home. Restaurants and other \nbusinesses should open. Arts, music, sport and other cultural activities\n should resume. People who are more at risk may participate if they \nwish, while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the \nvulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On October 4, 2020, this declaration was authored and signed in Great Barrington, United States, by:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Martin Kulldorff<\/strong>,\n professor of medicine at Harvard University, a biostatistician, and \nepidemiologist with expertise in detecting and monitoring of infectious \ndisease outbreaks and vaccine safety evaluations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Sunetra Gupta<\/strong>,\n professor at Oxford University, an epidemiologist with expertise in \nimmunology, vaccine development, and mathematical modeling of infectious\n diseases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya<\/strong>,\n professor at Stanford University Medical School, a physician, \nepidemiologist, health economist, and public health policy expert \nfocusing on infectious diseases and vulnerable populations.\n\nSign the Declaration\n\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Co-signers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Medical and Public Health Scientists and Medical Practitioners<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Rajiv Bhatia<\/strong>, physician, epidemiologist and public policy expert at the Veterans Administration, USA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Stephen Bremner<\/strong>,professor of medical statistics, University of Sussex, England<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Anthony J Brookes<\/strong>, professor of genetics, University of Leicester, England<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Helen Colhoun<\/strong>, ,professor of medical informatics and epidemiology, and public health physician, University of Edinburgh, Scotland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Angus Dalgleish<\/strong>, oncologist, infectious disease expert and professor, St. George\u2019s Hospital Medical School, University of London, EnglandDr. Sylvia Fogel<\/strong>, autism expert and psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and instructor at Harvard Medical School, USA\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Eitan Friedman<\/strong>, professor of medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Uri Gavish<\/strong>, biomedical consultant, Israel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Motti Gerlic<\/strong>, professor of clinical microbiology and immunology, Tel Aviv University, IsraelDr. Gabriela Gomes<\/strong>, mathematician studying infectious disease epidemiology, professor, University of Strathclyde, Scotland\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Mike Hulme<\/strong>, professor of human geography, University of Cambridge, EnglandDr. Michael Jackson<\/strong>, research fellow, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, New Zealand\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Annie Janvier<\/strong>, professor of pediatrics and clinical ethics, Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al and Sainte-Justine University Medical Centre, Canada\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. David Katz<\/strong>, physician and president, True Health Initiative, and founder of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, USADr. Andrius Kavaliunas<\/strong>, epidemiologist and assistant professor at Karolinska Institute, Sweden\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Laura Lazzeroni<\/strong>, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and of biomedical data science, Stanford University Medical School, USA \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Michael Levitt<\/strong>, biophysicist and professor of structural biology, Stanford University, USA.
Recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. David Livermore<\/strong>, microbiologist, infectious disease epidemiologist and professor, University of East Anglia, EnglandDr. Jonas Ludvigsson<\/strong>, pediatrician, epidemiologist and professor at Karolinska Institute and senior physician at \u00d6rebro University Hospital, Sweden\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Paul McKeigue<\/strong>, physician, disease modeler and professor of epidemiology and public health, University of Edinburgh, Scotland\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Cody Meissner<\/strong>, professor of pediatrics, expert on vaccine development, efficacy, and safety. Tufts University School of Medicine, USA\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Ariel Munitz<\/strong>, professor of clinical microbiology and immunology, Tel Aviv University, Israel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Yaz Gulnur Muradoglu<\/strong>, professor of finance, director of the Behavioural Finance Working Group, Queen Mary University of London, England<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Partha P. Majumder<\/strong>, professor and founder of the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, India<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Udi Qimron<\/strong>, professor of clinical microbiology and immunology, Tel Aviv University, Israel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Matthew Ratcliffe<\/strong>, professor of philosophy, specializing in philosophy of mental health, University of York, EnglandDr. Mario Recker<\/strong>, malaria researcher and associate professor, University of Exeter, England\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Eyal Shahar<\/strong>, physician, epidemiologist and professor (emeritus) of public health, University of Arizona, USA\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Karol Sikora MA<\/strong>, physician, oncologist, and professor of medicine at the University of Buckingham, EnglandDr. Matthew Strauss<\/strong>, critical care physician and assistant professor of medicine, Queen\u2019s University, Canada\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Rodney Sturdivant<\/strong>, infectious disease scientist and associate professor of biostatistics, Baylor University, USA\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Simon Thornley<\/strong>, epidemiologist and biostatistician, University of Auckland, New Zealand \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Ellen Townsend<\/strong>, professor of psychology, head of the Self-Harm Research Group, University of Nottingham, England<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Lisa White<\/strong>, professor of modelling and epidemiology, Oxford University, England<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Simon Wood<\/strong>, biostatistician and professor, University of Edinburgh, Scotland<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Great Barrington Declaration by Medical Professionals: END THE LOCKDOWN Now! Signed by 7192 Medical & Public  Health Scientists 7,192 16066 Medical Practitioners 231838 General Public The Great Barrington Declaration The Great Barrington Declaration \u2013 As infectious disease epidemiologists and … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2457,2456],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4619"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4619"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4619\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4623,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4619\/revisions\/4623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}