Last week we published our first 3 evidence updates, focusing on aspects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself, its variants and natural immunity, with implications for border closures and futile attempts at achieving ‘zero covid’.
Posts
Masks do more harm than good
Whilst masks are a successful psychological tool to remind the public to remain alert, they are not effective in preventing the community spread of disease.
Living with Covid: What does this mean for those in adult social care?
In February 2022, the UK Government announced plans for ‘Living with Covid-19’ and the removal of remaining legal restrictions. Looking back to March 2021, when HART produced its booklet Covid-19: An overview of the evidence, it is clear that the adult social care sector still remains disproportionately affected by draconian restrictions, which prevent many residents from meaningful, regular contact with family and friends.
Ethical considerations of the COVID-19 response updated
There has been a stark lack of ethical reflection used in the COVID-19 response. There is an urgent need to restore balance in decision-making and to ensure this can never happen again.
Was the emotional health of future generations sacrificed on the Covid altar?
Ofsted published their latest briefing on the implications of the pandemic on children on April 4th 2022 with the focus on early-years providers. It makes sobering reading.
The unintended consequences of COVID-19 vaccine policy
A recent article published in prestigious scientific journal BMJ global health has questioned the effectiveness of vaccination mandates during the Covid-19 pandemic and pointed out their unintended consequences.
Why the NHS must drop remaining restrictions and covid policies
We are now well over two years into the Covid pandemic and heading into summer. At this point the Government has long-since dropped all the Covid mandates and told the public that we must “learn to live with Covid”; hospitality venues, bars and theatres are full of people socialising and enjoying themselves; face masks are now a far rarer sight in shops and on public transport; and there are more smiles and spontaneous hugs being seen in public.
A picture tells a thousand words: or does it?
This rather beautiful graph was tweeted by @EthicalSkeptic. Some key information from it has been obscured for now to assist with making a particular point.
Vaccination for 5-11s – inducements are rife
hen in February, the JCVI recommended covid vaccines for children aged 5-11, they described it as a ‘non-urgent offer’. Reading the whole briefing document reflects how luke-warm the committee were about the importance of the vaccine young children.
Data shenanigans as Sweden misleads its public over vaccination-related mortality data
In December 2021 Norman Fenton, Martin Neil, Clare Craig, Josh Geutzkow, Joel Smalley, Scott McLachlan and Jonathan Engler published an article casting doubt on the vaccine efficacy implied by the UK’s official mortality statistics as they related to vaccination status, raising miscategorisation of vaccinated deaths soon after injection as unvaccinated as a possible significant factor.
Hear me out
The Government’s decision to impose lockdown and introduce restrictions on movement led to the cessation of frontline and community services across health and social care within both adult and paediatric services.
Covid-19 : the Evidence Revisited – summer 2022
It is over two years since the first lockdown and now more than a year since HART published its paper COVID-19: an overview of the evidence. We asked all the original authors to go back and review their article and update with relevant publications, revising their conclusions as appropriate.
Variants of SARS-CoV-2 and the Futility of Border Closures
Early in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the UK along with many other countries around the world tried to minimise the spread of new variants of the virus by limiting travel across borders. The then health secretary.
Natural vs vaccine immunity: which is safer or more protective? Update
Evidence is now emerging that natural immunity to SARS Cov-2 from previous infection is as good if not better than any of the current genetic therapy vaccines. Indeed, previous infection by SARS Cov-2 creates a very robust immune response which is effective against many variants.
‘Zero Covid’ – an impossible dream – the update
It is always salutary to re-read one’s words of a year ago, and to see how they have stood the test of time. What’s more, Devi Sridhar, a proponent of Zero Covid, recently wrote in the Guardian that we should all admit our mistakes…
The WHO power grab, what’s it all about and what can I do about it?
Many readers of this bulletin may have heard a lot of concern being raised about “the new pandemic treaty” being proposed by the WHO. Fewer will have heard about a separate – but equally concerning – development: proposed changes to the “International Health Regulations” which, potentially, could “bite” very quickly.
Who is responsible for unethical behavioural ‘nudges’?
As described in a previous HART bulletin, there has been a pervasive reluctance for the powers-that-be to discuss the questionable ethics of the covert behavioural-science techniques used by the Government throughout the covid-19 messaging campaign.
Look Away Now: This Article Contains Dangerous Warning Signals
At the back end of February we wrote about the known problem of underreporting of adverse effects related to new and novel pharmaceutical products.
