<\/p>\n
Steve Watson
\nSUMMIT News<\/p>\n
Over six thousand scientists and doctors have signed a petition against coronavirus lockdown measures, urging that those not in the at risk category should be able to get on with their lives as normal, and that lockdown rules in both the US and UK are causing \u2018irreparable damage\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n Those who have signed include professors from the world\u2019s leading universities. Oxford University professor Dr Sunetra Gupta was one of the authors of the open letter that was sent with the petition, along with Harvard University\u2019s Dr Martin Kulldorff and Stanford\u2019s Dr Jay Bhattacharya.<\/p>\n It declares that social distancing and mask mandates are causing \u2018damaging physical and mental health impacts.\u2019<\/p>\n The petition, dubbed the Great Barrington Declaration after the town in Massachusetts where it was written, has been signed by close to 54,000 members of the public at time of writing, as well as over 2600 medical and public health scientists and around 3500 medical practitioners.<\/p>\n \u201cThose who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal,\u201d it notes, adding \u201cKeeping these [lockdown] measures in place until a vaccine is available will cause irreparable damage, with the underprivileged disproportionately harmed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCurrent lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and long-term public health,\u201d the declaration also declares.<\/p>\n It continues, \u201cThe results (to name a few) include lower childhood vaccination rates, worsening cardiovascular [heart] disease outcomes, fewer cancer screenings and deteriorating mental health \u2013 leading to greater excess mortality in years to come, with the working class and younger members of society carrying the heaviest burden.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKeeping students out of school is a grave injustice,\u201d the declaration adds.<\/p>\n \u201cThose who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal, it concludes, explaining that \u201cSimple hygiene measures, such as hand washing and staying home when sick should be practiced by everyone to reduce the herd immunity threshold.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSchools and universities should be open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular activities, such as sports, should be resumed. Young low-risk adults should work normally, rather than from home,\u201d it emphasises.<\/p>\n Finally, the declaration demands that normal life should resume, stating that \u201cRestaurants and other businesses should open. Arts, music, sport and other cultural activities should resume. People who are more at risk may participate if they wish, while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity.\u201d<\/p>\n The declaration echoes President Trump\u2019s words earlier this week when he returned to the White House and asked Americans not to live in fear or let let the virus dominate their everyday lives:<\/p>\n