James M. Spillers COVID-19

Because it Pleased Them – Considering Governments’ Responses to COVID-19

Photo by James M. Spillers

In the Christian tradition there is a story of a king who killed a disciple of Jesus, and because he saw that it pleased a ruling establishment of the day he began to seize other disciples. The king had no cause to kill or arrest these people other than it pleased someone else – surprisingly, we have seen a similar reaction during COVID-19 from our leaders here in the U.S.A.

The world has watched and waited for a better understanding of COVID-19’s effect on societies, only to come closer and closer to the realization that world economies were shut down only to reach a similar death rate if they would have kept economies largely opened.

Sweden has entered the world’s spotlight because they did very little by way of forced shutdowns during COVID-19. A recently circulated study by Kamerlin & Kasson projected that Sweden’s stay-open policy would result in over 80,000 deaths by July 1, 2020, or 40,000 deaths by that time if the Swedes were 30% compliant with voluntary self-isolation and social distancing. However, the Swedes are reporting approx. 5,545 deaths resulting from COVID-19 as of July 14, 2020, a number 7-14 times less than the Kamerlin & Kasson study projected.

The study did find a surprising outcome in their modeling. Figure 2 of the report shows that Sweden has reached a similar death rate by keeping its society largely open as it would have if it closed all schools and non-essential businesses and the people socially distanced themselves at a 90% compliance rate. The model further indicates that only a 100% social distance compliance rate would have lowered their current death toll.

Though not the apparent goal of the authors, the findings of Kamerlin & Kasson serve to highlight the absurdities of the shutdowns. Consider influenza (the flu). Every year with an open economy and no forced shut-downs we battle influenza:

  • The 2018-2019 CDC data reports that the death toll rose up to 52,664 people
  • People > 65 years account for over 80% of deaths involving COVID-19 and account for 75% of all flu related deaths

These statistics make COVID-19 very similar to the Influenza A, H3N2 virus which caused the deaths of approx. 100,000 people in the U.S. in 1968-69. Furthermore, COVID-19 might recur during the annual flu seasons, joining the lineup of A,H3N2 and the once novel A, H1N1pdm09 (swine flu) which all target people > 65 years.

Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels

Compounding the problem, COVID-19 has the possibility of mutating as A,H3N2 and A,H1N1 often do, which keep the vaccine makers guessing each season as to which vaccines will be effective.

The CDC grants that vaccines in 2018-2019 for A,H3N2 could have been wholly ineffective for all age groups over 9 years, and that vaccines for A,H1N1pdm09 could have been wholly ineffective for the 65 and older group.

Though COVID-19 has been more aggressive than the seasonal flu with which we have grown accustomed to living, its similarities to the then aggressive 1968-69 flu pandemic should not be ignored. The mandated shutdowns created a new set of health and economic problems, but did little to alleviate the problem we already face – and that is in understanding how to better protect those most vulnerable. Over 72,000 deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. were from patients >75 years, and approximately 32,000 deaths occurred in nursing homes or hospice facilities. Because of their fundamental need for care and companionship, this group’s exposure will always be present – as the annual flu data reveals.

Sweden’s results and the flu’s yearly presence reveal that the closures are not to be attributed to the novelty of COVID-19 (as A,H3N2 & A,H1N1pdm09 and other viruses show), nor to societies’ lack of exposure to such viruses. The analogous historical cases were available from the onset, but instead of looking at this data, some leaders saw fit to chase down a surfer on the waves in California, prosecute a hair stylist in Texas, release violent criminals, and yet permit mass, socially un-distanced protests and riots. The curfews, forced business closures, and resulting economic bailouts by tax payers at ridiculously wasteful levels occurred because they pleased a breed of leaders hungry for power and void of sound reason.

General Note to the Reader: It is not the author’s viewpoint that all vaccines are ineffective, nor is it the author’s opinion that people should not receive vaccines. It is purely an observation that based on available Vaccine Effectiveness (VE) data, a vaccine is not the panacea to rid us of the dangers of COVID-19 moving forward.

Perspective: Liberty cannot be taken for granted; and the unchecked actions of elected officials in times such as these will result in a loss of your liberty in days to come. American Citizens should diligently perform the job they were given by the founders of this country: to monitor closely those whom you elect to public office and promptly remove them by the vote when they abuse their power, as they will otherwise serve to be your jailer in the days to come.

James M. Spillers