Yes, first, let my people go!
Lift the lockdown to get all the science in!
As you will note on the introductory number in my title, yes I am writing a series on the coronavirus lockdown, the economy as well as society. Because nobody is pointing out scientific choices, I am now. (choice image from secondlineblog.org[1])
Yes, I believe the lockdown is a medical disease itself that should be cured first! And immediately!
Reading now, on 27 March 2020 Shaira Panela says the National Academy of Science & Technology, NAST, came up with an official position and was “pushing for a research-based approach to combat the COVID-19 pandemic[2].” The NAST was talking about (my list):
(1) Conducting new/improved mathematical modeling studies in epidemiology.
The NAST says the results "may help us better understand how the epidemic will evolve." Note: “will evolve” – if the researchers can predict how the coronavirus will develop given its invasion of society, with their mathematical modeling, they can more intelligently guess what needs to be done to stop the progress of the disease. That’s the theory.
(2) Use of antibody-based assays to help diagnose people for Covid-19 infection.
Aside from those, the NAST also proposed a number of studies in therapy, vaccine development, and genetics – not individually explained, so I will just note them.
As a science writer, editor of countless BS, MS and PhD theses and dissertations of UP Los Baños students, not to mention science books, and Editor In Chief of 2 technical journals in the last 45 years, I recommend that the NAST as the national science council advise a number of research agencies and/or a number of the Schools, Colleges & Universities, SCUs, to request for funds and pursue comparative studies on how to fight the coronavirus, these ones:
Research Program 01 – 17 regional projects conducting & comparing therapeutic approaches to Covid-19, from Aparri to Jolo.
Research Program 02 – 17 regional projects conducting & comparing “cures” from local and international hospitals.
Research Program 03 – 17 regional projects comparing results on the common use of several herbal supplements to build the immune system.
I am “singling out” the SCUs because they are in place; we have to conduct location-specific studies.
The NAST was complaining that the “Philippines, like other countries, has proposed novel and sometimes radical measures as possible solutions to the pandemic crisis.” The thing is, NAST said:
Almost all of them, however, are not based on scientific studies but largely on expert opinion and what we think worked and did not work during the SARS problem in 2003 and the influenza global pandemic in 2009.
I agree, Sir, Mr NAST, but I must reiterate to the government:
Let my people go!
First!
Too much restriction and damage to the economic and social lives of the Filipinos! Lockdown is not for curing the disease – it is only for “controlling” the spread. That’s an archipelagic bad prioritizing. Because it means those areas that have already been infected, goodbye! Because we cannot yet get rid of the coronavirus!@517
First!
Too much restriction and damage to the economic and social lives of the Filipinos! Lockdown is not for curing the disease – it is only for “controlling” the spread. That’s an archipelagic bad prioritizing. Because it means those areas that have already been infected, goodbye! Because we cannot yet get rid of the coronavirus!@517
[1] https://secondlineblog.org/2016/11/i-choose-choice-and-its-not-up-for-discussion/
[2] https://www.rappler.com/science-nature/life-health/256123-national-academy-science-technology-research-based-approach-fight-coronavirus?fbclid=IwAR2Gt67Gfn0Nzqp3fNswsG5jYH-n8mrKbYbvVDDgv3HsT1DPg_ExrUBHSx4
No comments:
Post a Comment