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Allow me to make the obvious comments. 1. The vaccine passport or proof of vaccination has nothing to do with sound public health practices. The vaccine neither prevents an individual from being infected with a Covid variant, and nor does it prevent an infected individual from spreading the variant. We have considerable data now showing this is a pandemic of vaccinated. 2. The rapid test will result in a number of false positives and false negatives. One rapid test by itself proves nothing. 3. We have no way of stopping the Covid variants from spreading. The lockdowns, vax and mask mandates have failed. Period. 4. But all the data so far on Omicron suggests the following three points. (a) Omicron is about as dangerous as a cold to the vast majority of the population. Yes, the frail and the extensively co-morbid are at risk. But -- so far as the data suggests -- no more so than from any other respiratory infection. (b) Omicron is likely a free vaccination for the unvaxxed; and a booster shot for those who are. Good news. (c) Testing for and reporting on cases of Omicron makes about much sense as testing for and reporting on cases of the common cold. You will find cases everywhere -- and it almost never matters. Just assume that the Omicron variant will spread everywhere, and that anyone who has not been exposed to Covid will be in short order.

So right now we are in engaged in an expensive and destructive political farce in the name of public health. Ideally, like many Americans, I'd prefer to deal with health professionals who are informed, considerate, have the time and resources to do their jobs, and who understand that the first rule always is do no harm. Our administration prefers nurses that dance on command and in harmony while wearing the appropriate ritual masks. Like puppets. Like what we would expect from North Korea. Call this what is is: an outright confession that our current American version of public health is political pageantry, theatre by dictate. We seem to have learned well all the wrong lessons from the authoritarian regimes we once opposed.

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Nothing makes sense …. I don’t understand how people don’t see it. Today I had to walk into a restaurant with my mask on so that I could take it off when I got to the table . 🤦🏻‍♀️

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Thank you for speaking out and your incredible commitment to integrity. I am grateful for the voices of reason. Someday it will be well understood how poorly the world handled this challenge. Is there a way to prevent this? or more specifically to guard ourselves against the psychology that caused "society" to abandon reason in our collective response to crisis?

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