Thread by @DavidNorthWSWS

Leading epidemiologists insist that elimination of Covid-19 is not only possible. It is the only policy that can end the pandemic and save the lives of hundreds of thousands, and potentially millions, of people. 1/

https://twitter.com/jenkinshelen/status/1449786053221625861

In this recent study, five New Zealand scientists determined that the global eradication of Covid-19 is achievable. 2/
gh.bmj.com/content/6/8/e0…

.@jenkinshelen has denounced the WSWS October 24th Webinar -- "How to End the Pandemic: The Case for Eradication" -- as "immensely irresponsible." What is, in fact, irresponsible is the policy, which she advocates, of reopening schools and exposing children to the virus. 3/

On August 31, she wrote in the NY Times that her goal, "Kids need to be in school, period" was "reasonable and defensible." But this policy meant "we accept that there will be more cases in children, recognizing that disease severity for a vast majority of kids is low." 4/

In September, the "Kids need to be in school, period" policy resulted in the infection of 1.1 million children in the US. In the last two months, 164 children have died -- almost three young lives cut short every day. 5/

Dr. Jenkins justifies her callousness by claiming that she is asking "hard questions." Well, we have a hard question for her: What level of Covid related fatalities does she consider acceptable in children? In the total population? She should provide her readers with a number. 6/

Dr. Jenkins states: "Leading the general public to believe that covid eradication is possible at this point is spreading misinformation." What is the basis of this claim? The elimination and eventual eradication of the virus is, from a scientific standpoint, clearly possible. 7/

China's zero-Covid policy has been spectacularly successful, with its total deaths a small fraction of the rate of mortality in the United States and Europe. When vaccinations are part of a science-based public health policy, Covid-19 can be eliminated. 8/

Jenkins' claim that eradication is not possible "at this point" legitimizes the disastrous herd-immunity policies of the last 18 months and, even worse, endorses their continuation. 9/

"We shouldn't let ourselves off the hook with 'easy' decisions today," declares Dr. Jenkins. She prefers "hard decisions" -- driven by considerations of corporate profits -- that have resulted in a social catastrophe that has so far cost 5 million lives world wide. 10/

The WSWS webinar, which will feature distinguished scientists and anti-Covid activists, will make the case for the elimination and eventual eradication of the virus, which is the only policy that can end the pandemic. Register today at wsws.org/eradicatecovid 11/11