The last thing we need: a new and unaccountable global pandemic czar
The response to Covid was the greatest mistake in the history of the public-health profession, but the officials responsible for it are determined to do even worse. With the support of the Biden administration, the World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking unprecedented powers to impose its policies on the United States and the rest of the world during the next pandemic.
It was bad enough that America and other countries voluntarily followed WHO bureaucrats’ disastrous pandemic advice instead of heeding the scientists who had presciently warned, long before 2020, that lockdowns, school closures, and mandates for masks and vaccines would be futile, destructive, and unethical. It was bad enough that U.S. officials and the corporate media parroted the WHO’s false claims and ludicrous praise of China’s response. But now the WHO wants new authority to make its bureaucrats’ whims mandatory—and to censor those who disagree with their version of “the science.”
The WHO hopes to begin this power grab in May at its annual assembly in Geneva, where members will vote on proposed changes in international health regulations and a new treaty governing pandemics. Pamela Hamamoto, the State Department official representing the U.S. in negotiations, has already declared that America is committed to signing a pandemic treaty that will “build a stronger global health architecture,” which is precisely what we don’t need.
If we learned anything from the pandemic, it was the folly of entrusting narrow-minded public-health officials with wide-ranging powers. The countries that fared best, like Sweden, were the ones that ignored the advice of the WHO, and the U.S. states that fared best, like Florida, were the ones that defied the White House Coronavirus Task Force and the Centers for Disease Control. This wasn’t a new lesson. Previous research had shown that giving national leaders new powers to respond to a natural disaster typically leads to more fatalities and economic damage.
This lesson is anathema to politicians and bureaucrats. Instead of analyzing their many mistakes during the pandemic, WHO officials are pretending their performance entitles them to expand their empire. Under the proposed new regulations, which would be “legally binding,” nations would commit themselves during an emergency to “recognize WHO as the guidance and coordinating authority of international public health response.” The agency could issue directives on quarantines, contact tracing, travel restrictions, border closures, and vaccine passports. In the name of “equity,” nations and companies could be required to share intellectual property, to supply the WHO with vaccines and other products, and to provide various “resources”—including funds to pay for the WHO’s expanding bureaucracy. --->READ MORE HERE
As we stand four years from the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that swept across the globe, it’s imperative to reflect on the tumultuous journey, the lessons learned, and the indelible mark left on the healthcare community. I share this retrospective not just as a doctor but as a witness and participant in one of the most challenging periods of modern medicine.
In March 2020, the first wave hit, and like many hospitals in Pune and indeed, around the world we were overwhelmed. The virus was an unknown enemy, its transmission and effects unpredictable. Our hospital, became one of the first to dedicate an entire facility to COVID-19 patients, in response to the burgeoning crisis. This decision was made in the throes of fear and uncertainty, with our staff dwindling as many, especially those from rural areas, left their posts, unable or unwilling to face the unknown threat. Those of us who remained had to quickly adapt, establishing protocols for a disease we were still trying to understand.
The initial phase was marked by fear and improvisation. We had to form teams, not just within our hospital but across the city, to develop treatment protocols for intensive care and other critical services. We relied on fragmented information, stories from abroad that did more to terrify than guide. But necessity is the mother of invention, and we rapidly developed clinical protocols, learning on the fly how to protect ourselves and our patients.
The second wave was a stark reminder of the virus’s ruthlessness. Despite being better prepared clinically, the surge in cases pushed us to our limits, forcing us to convert even administrative areas into patient wards. Mortality rates soared, and the emotional toll was heavy. We struggled with shortages of essential medicines and oxygen, a challenge that required every ounce of our ingenuity and resourcefulness.
Throughout these trials, our approach to patient care had to evolve dramatically. We designated specific operation theatres for COVID-positive patients, developed systems for remote patient monitoring, and adapted our infrastructure to prevent virus spread within the hospital. We embraced teleconsultation, thanks in part to governmental support, which allowed us to continue providing care while minimizing exposure risk. --->READ MORE HEREFollow links below to relevant/related stories and resources:
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USA TODAY: Coronavirus Updates
WSJ: Coronavirus Live Updates
YAHOO NEWS: Coronavirus Live Updates
NEW YORK POST: Coronavirus The Latest
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