Over 6,000 scientists signed their names to a petition calling for an end to coronavirus lockdowns, citing the “irreparable damage” they have caused.
“As infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists we have grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing COVID-19 policies, and recommend an approach we call Focused Protection,” states the petition, which was signed by over 2,800 medical and public health scientists, over 3,700 medical practitioners, and over 60,000 private citizens, according to Newsweek. “Current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and long-term public health.”
The petition continues: “Keeping these measures in place until a vaccine is available will cause irreparable damage, with the underprivileged disproportionately harmed.”
The document, known as the Great Barrington Declaration, was co-authored by Harvard professor of medicine Dr. Martin Kulldorff, Oxford professor Dr. Sunetra Gupta, and Stanford Medical School professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.
The doctors insist on an approach more focused on protecting vulnerable populations and achieving the goal of “herd immunity,” which they refer to as “Focused Protection.”
“The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection, while better protecting those who are at highest risk,” the petition reads. “We call this Focused Protection.”
“Those who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal,” the petition says.
Coronavirus lockdowns were implemented across the globe in places such as China, Italy, England, and the United States, with many medical experts making the case that lockdowns save lives.
Others have cited data showing the lockdowns had little effect on the spread of the coronavirus and expressed concern about the negative effects of keeping individuals in their homes, including a sharp increase in drug overdoses, suicide attempts, and domestic violence cases.
A study conducted by Just Facts in May concluded that stress and anxiety from coronavirus lockdowns could end up destroy seven times more years of life than lockdowns save.
White House Coronavirus Task Force member Dr. Anthony Fauci said in September that Americans should prepare to “hunker down” until 2021 in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus in the fall and winter.
