Congratulations, President Trump! You have finally discovered someone with a medical degree who agrees with your warped philosophy concerning the pandemic. Dr. Scott Atlas, who readily admits to no training or experience in infectious diseases or immunology, claims to have the answer for the COVID-19 problem. His theory is “Herd Immunity.”
If President Trump were to adopt Dr. Atlas’ plan, that would amount to taking another page from Hitler’s playbook. Hitler had his associate, Dr. Josef Mengele, and now Trump has Dr. Atlas to establish his “final solutions.”
Dr. Atlas’ plan is far less extreme and drastic than Nazis gassing and murdering Jews, Blacks, Gypsies, the handicapped, and the elderly. Yet his proposed plan is still a dark application of the philosophy of Social Darwinism (Hebert Spencer’s 1860s theory, applying “survival of the fittest” to progress in human society).
Dr. Atlas suggested a subtler means by which to conquer COVID-19, and establish a society that is healthy, strong, and fit. Herd immunity involves doing nothing nor observing any precautions, such as masking or social distancing. Bars, restaurants, theaters, schools, stores, and large gatherings would all be open to the public. This would certainly result in thousands more deaths and illnesses, but it would be the ultimate test of “survival of the fittest.”
Although this proposal and the assumption that the pandemic would eventually exhaust itself is appealing to Mr. Trump, he’s had second thoughts. What if this plan backfired and the fittest were Blacks, Latinos, Protesters, Immigrants, and anti-Trump folks? What a horrible consequence that would be! Yet even though Trump may question the use of Dr. Atlas’ plan, he is backing it.
As a senior (and probably one of the first to die under “herd immunity,” I hope that the President abandons this deadly quack-inspired plan. At the present, I am following scientifically-recommended precautions, knowing that I am doing my part to lessen the spread of this relentless, severe virus.
Let us all look forward to days ahead when scientists and medical researchers find true answers to end this pandemic, under leadership of a new president who actually cares about us humans!
Harriet Hausman
