Clarity needed in US’ virus fight
In the age of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), there is no nation that is not cruelly affected by this most virulent of viruses, which is ruining lives and destroying economies.
Wherever we are on the planet, whatever our status, we are all in the same directionless boat with no sight of dry land.
I sympathize with US President Donald Trump because of the heavy weight on his shoulders. But, given that every decision he takes is a trade-off between the economy and public health, I would ask him to explore some uncomfortable truths.
Trump has placed his trust in Dr. Anthony Fauci to lead his Coronavirus Task Force, even though many of his messages contradict the president’s. His resume is impressive. He has served six US presidents, beginning with Ronald Reagan, and he is widely respected by leading lights in his field. However, he is not without his critics; one of them being the medical director of the Center for Advanced Medicine, Dr. Rashid A. Buttar. He accuses Fauci, Bill Gates and sections of the media of fixating on the number of coronavirus cases to increase the fear factor. Meanwhile, former chief of neuroradiology at Stanford University Medical Centre, Dr. Scott Atlas, recently wrote a column in The Hill titled, “The data is in — stop the panic and end the total isolation,” which points a finger at the World Health Organization (WHO) for overestimating the COVID-19 fatality rate.
And Drs. Dan Erickson and Artin Massihi, who own care centers in Bakersfield, California, held a press conference to assert that their personal experiences brought them to conclude that COVID-19 is no worse than influenza. They are advocates for the opening-up of the economy — a course that many US states are now taking.
Another critic, Dr. Judy Mikovits, is a former employee of Fauci. Mikovits shares Buttar’s skepticism concerning Fauci’s dismissal of hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for the coronavirus. She points to the results of a survey by global health care polling company Sermo, which reported that as many as 2,300 doctors worldwide said hydroxychloroquine was the most effective treatment for COVID-19.
I might have been tempted to ignore the messages contained in videos challenging orthodoxy, but for the speed at which they are removed from YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Many around the world are outraged and want to know in which way such videos violate standards and who exactly is behind their removal.
I have no idea what is true and what is not but, with so much at stake, I would appeal to the Trump administration to take the claims that are spreading around the world like wildfire with the seriousness they deserve. They should either be upheld or debunked and, if anyone is attempting to manipulate people with lies, then they should be vilified and discredited by the court of public opinion.
Lastly, I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt wish that Republicans and Democrats join hands to find solutions, and it is my hope that the US emerges from these hard days stronger than ever to resume its inspirational role within the international community.
Khalaf Ahmad Al-Habtoor is a prominent UAE businessman and public figure. Twitter: @KhalafAlHabtoor
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