Spanish flu battered our planet in 1918. How did we overcome that? (Did we really do anything ?) About fifty million lives were lost. At that time, we didn’t even know, cells had a fully functional nucleus, forget about the DNA & RNAs. Spanish flu was tackled only with our primitive understanding of microbes, cells, and immunity. Masks and common sense were the weapons.
Now, one century later the next pandemic is In. It is an advanced medical world out there.100 Noble prizes have been won for medicine since then. We do the whole-genome map of not only human cellular DNA but also for the viral particles.
A recent paper on this topic.
How effective is modern science in controlling the current pandemic ?
We did wonders saving thousand of life with the help of critical care units. Some precious (elite)lives were saved by ECMO, Even lung transplants saved a few lives. We mastered the art of creating RNA interrupting biologicals. Even as we reap the benefits of stunning discoveries of science, we have equally misbehaved with it and largely undid whatever we should have achieved. We lost more lives due to a lack of simple measures. excess of futile measures, manic dependence on diagnostics.
Where did we collectively lose our sense and decide to chase multiple variants with a full genome mapping on a global scale? Who decided to call the viral variants attractive names and give larger-than-life images to amplify the panic? Even after getting a final vaccine solution, why the World is denied sharing the benefits in an equitable manner.
There is no meaningful evidence that extensive RTPCR, antigen, or antibody testing has impacted this pandemic in a significant way. Testing is meant before the onset of community spread or if there is a specific treatment for the disease. How do we explain countries with maximum testing, maximum vaccine coverage, maximum booster dose had a maximum recurrence and damage?
Final message
Science is sacred & Godly if only, its creator’s Intentions are pure. The risk-benefit ratio of modern science, (Rather, the way we understand and assimilate it ) in tackling this pandemic is threatening to tilt in an adverse fashion. Definitely, WHO must realize this. Let us go back and read the foundational lessons of clinical epidemiology and pandemic handling. I felt awkward to write this post but truths are rarely sweet.
This article by Dr. Anand Krishnan, Professor of community medicine, AIIMS New Delhi, has some enlightening content
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/whys-pandemic-policymaking-still-short-of-science/articleshow/88650912.cms
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Dr.S.Venkatesan MD 