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Beliefs Don’t Matter Right Now. Only Science Does.
In a pandemic, belief is not our guiding light — science is
With the recent surge in conversation about making the right decisions in a time of such unprecedented uncertainty, it appears headlines are feeding anti-science movements like they have been known to feed the anti-vax crusade. Recently, the White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told journalists that “Science will not stand in the way of reopening the schools.” This affirmation throws prejudice in the direction of the scientific community at a time when researchers are working tirelessly to develop medical strategies to eradicate SARS-CoV-2. I’m not out to understand what McEnany meant exactly. Only she would know. Instead, I’d like to elaborate on this disturbing denial of the crucial role of science in making rational decisions.
As an experienced researcher in nuclear medicine and independent scientist, I don’t believe anybody has the perfect solution when it comes to Covid-19 crisis management. SARS-CoV-2 took the world by surprise — pushing countries to react as quickly as possible with whatever capability they had at the moment. The issue of reopening schools is sensitive and complicated. Data about SARS-CoV-2 contagion and how the virus affects people differently based on gender, age, and geography are just emerging. And…
