Coronavirus Could Be ‘Exterminated’ If Lockdowns Were Lifted

‘Going outdoors is what stops every respiratory disease’

A veteran scholar of epidemiology has warned that the ongoing lockdowns throughout the United States and the rest of the world are almost certainly just prolonging the coronavirus outbreak rather than doing anything to truly mitigate it.

Knut Wittkowski, previously the longtime head of the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design at the Rockefeller University in New York City, said in an interview with the Press and the Public Project that the coronavirus could be “exterminated” if we permitted most people to lead normal lives and sheltered the most vulnerable parts of society until the danger had passed.

“[W]hat people are trying to do is flatten the curve. I don’t really know why. But, what happens is if you flatten the curve, you also prolong, to widen it, and it takes more time. And I don’t see a good reason for a respiratory disease to stay in the population longer than necessary,” he said.

Gavin Newsom’s Former Chief of Staff Pleads Guilty to 3 Federal Charges, Faces 38 Years in Prison

McMaster revives Trump-backed push to oust Biden kingmaker from Congress

Fox News Crew Snared by China’s Massive Surveillance System While Covering Trump Visit: ‘They See Everything’

China cozies up as Trump touts delegation of richest business heavyweights at Xi summit

Cuba says CIA chief Ratcliffe met with officials in Havana amid US tensions

Video: ‘CBS Evening News’ Broadcast Ends in Disarray as Crew Member Suffers ‘Medical Emergency’

Supreme Court keeps broader access to abortion pill mifepristone in place while legal fight continues

Britney Spears Reportedly Seen Barking and Screaming During Knife-Wielding Spectacle at Restaurant

Former Kansas mayor who pleaded guilty to illegal voting turns himself in to ICE

DHS rails against illegal aliens hit with capital murder charges for allegedly killing unborn baby: ‘monsters’

Watch: Obama Left Embarrassed as Video Shows Pitiful Welcome He Got in China vs Majestic Welcome Trump Just Got

Bill Cassidy bets on anti-abortion policy to save reelection bid

Insanity: Ex-BLMer and Special Ed Teacher on Leave Over Abuse Allegations Just Elected President of Teachers Union

Jordan grills Soros-backed DA Descano in heated spat over soft-on-crime policy: ‘This is almost laughable’

Wisconsin official cries foul alleging FBI showed up at front door of county election director’s home

“With all respiratory diseases, the only thing that stops the disease is herd immunity. About 80% of the people need to have had contact with the virus, and the majority of them won’t even have recognized that they were infected, or they had very, very mild symptoms, especially if they are children. So, it’s very important to keep the schools open and kids mingling to spread the virus to get herd immunity as fast as possible, and then the elderly people, who should be separated, and the nursing homes should be closed during that time, can come back and meet their children and grandchildren after about 4 weeks when the virus has been exterminated,” he added.

Wittkowski argued that the standard cycle of respiratory diseases is a two-week outbreak, including a peak, after which “it’s gone.” He pointed out that even in a regime of “social distancing,” the virus will still find ways to spread, just more slowly: