The reason COVID-19 matters in our discussion of issues at UD News is that it may be the first time many people begin to understand one of the things we have been trying to talk about here for years: The way “science” can just become a club of people who front (and maybe even believe) certain things and suppress others irrespective of evidence, misusing their authority. The story:
The world’s most famous medical journal, The Lancet, sat on vital information being suppressed by China proving that the Covid virus could jump from human to human and was spreading outside of Wuhan in the early days of the pandemic.
Its editors also failed to share critical evidence – given to them by brave Chinese scientists trying to alert the world to the danger of the new disease – that showed the new coronavirus could be spread by people who were not displaying symptoms.
The revelation has emerged in a new book by Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust.
He was shocked by the behaviour of the journal, since speedy action is vital to deal with any emerging virus outbreak.
It adds to concern over The Lancet, which is at the centre of a controversy over the role of influential scientific media in appeasing the Chinese authorities and stifling debate about suggestions that Covid could have leaked from a Wuhan lab.
Ian Birell, “Now the world’s most famous medical journal the Lancet is accused of costing lives by sitting on a study showing human transmission of Covid-19 that was suppressed by China” at Daily Mail (July 24, 2021)
About the brave Chinese scientists,
“China’s disappeared: At least one is dead and the rest haven’t been heard from in months, so why isn’t the world asking what happened to the brave souls who dared to speak up about the coronavirus outbreak after Beijing lied to the world?
George Knowles,” at Daily Mail (April 18, 2020)
Welcome to the New World of “Trust the Science!”
Hat tip: Ken Francis, co-author with Theodore Dalrymple of The Terror of Existence: From Ecclesiastes to Theatre of the Absurd