Overreaction to COVID-19: medical and political aspects

Abstract

<p> </p> <p>COVID-19 as a cause of death has been overestimated by some writers. Excessive anti-epidemic measures and lockdowns are harmful for the economy as well as for the public health. The irrational use of health resources interferes with the regular patient care. The socioeconomic damage in Western Europe and other welfare states is considerable. The question ‘cui bono?’ must be posed to clarify motives behind some COVID-related restrictive policies. In Russia, restrictions and suppression of individual tourism help to conceal voluntarism and corruption. Apparently, supervision and control measures are used to encroach upon civil liberties and to distract people from internal problems such as shortcomings of the healthcare. Apropos the military activities are even more efficient distractors from internal problems. Presumably, the increase in mortality from different causes will be ascribed to COVID-19, and subsequent mortality decrease - to “successful” anti-epidemic measures including vaccinations. The harm-benefit ratio of mass vaccinations is unclear. Both children and adults can mount immune response to SARS-CoV2 undergoing acceptably low risk. In future, the countries implementing strictest measures may find themselves with a weaker protection by natural immunity. Officially tested preparations are not necessarily always the same quality as those administered to the broad public. A winner of the “vaccine race” may end up in a mass vaccination of citizens with suboptimal vaccines. </p>