A crowd of protesters walk from the Capitol building to the White House during a peaceful protest against police brutality and racism in Washington, D.C., June 6.
Photo:
roberto schmidt/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Regarding your editorial “Doctors for Lockdown Discrimination” (June 8): I never, ever thought that after practicing medicine for 40 years I would come across such a dangerous and irresponsible insanity as this.
Not one scientist or real medical doctor would ever justify, let alone encourage, the close gathering of thousands of people in the midst of a pandemic, as we have seen over the past few weeks—the same people who have lectured the country about social distancing. This virus kills.
The political overtones were hard to miss. It is astonishing that 1,300 so-called health professionals would sign a letter like the one you describe. The risk this is bringing to multiple people, including African-Americans, who are apparently more susceptible to the virus, cannot be justified ever. This is a complete violation of the civil rights of a multitude of people. More people will die. It does nothing to enhance the rage triggered by the senseless murder in Minneapolis.
“First do no harm” has been the guiding light in our profession. Not anymore.
Philippe Reyns, M.D.
Chandler, Ariz.
We’ve heard so often during the Covid-19 pandemic to “listen to the scientists” as a rallying point to justify lockdowns. As many have suspected all along, what we learn from the scientists’ new advice to not lockdown in response to the demonstrations, is that many of the scientists we’ve been hearing from aren’t giving us science in their field of expertise but their political sentiments.
Bob Forbes
West Chester, Pa.
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