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New Report Details Horrifying Cost Of Fauci’s Failures

New Report Details Horrifying Cost Of Fauci’s Failures

Authored by Ian Miller via The Brownstone Institute,

In the post-pandemic period of…

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New Report Details Horrifying Cost Of Fauci's Failures

Authored by Ian Miller via The Brownstone Institute,

In the post-pandemic period of Covid, there’s now a concerted effort to comprehend and explain the damage that was caused by our capitulating to the hysterical overreaction and overreach of the ‘experts.’ There’s a long list of policy failures to examine; mask mandates were a disaster that accomplished absolute nothing of value, but instead led to tremendous harms, many of which continue today.

Children were forced into masks for years on end, millions of people still wear masks when traveling or inside stores and restaurants, permanently convinced of the deliberate falsehood that masks are effective prevention tools. Perhaps most disturbing is that healthcare workers in blue cities are often still required to mask. Some hospitals have required masking continuously since 2020, while others are now enforcing rolling mandates based on the delusions of administrators and expert authorities.

Research into the economic cost of many of our Covid policies and mandates is still ongoing, but a new, extremely detailed report on school closures has created a horrifying context for just how damaging Anthony Fauci’s advocacy was during the pandemic.

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 17: Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci testifies during the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee. (Photo by Shawn Thew-Pool/Getty Images)

All of Our Covid Policies Failed

The research begins with an obvious acknowledgment of the failures which occurred due to Covid mandates. Despite wildly different policies, there was virtually no difference in outcomes between countries.

“From the available evidence, it is difficult to identify the specific responses to the pandemic that led to better outcomes,” they write. “Countries clearly responded to the challenges in very different ways, from essentially no school closures (Sweden) to multiple years of closures (Uganda and Indonesia). Yet, simple statistics such as the length of school closures or overall health policies cannot explain much of the variance in outcomes.”

Lockdowns, mask mandates, vaccine passports…none of it mattered, nor does it explain the variance in outcomes between countries. Why? The obvious answer is that none of these policies had the slightest chance of preventing transmission of a highly infectious respiratory virus.

Instead, the likely explanation for variance in outcomes comes down to differences in accounting for Covid cases and deaths, underlying health and age demographics, or pre-existing immunity from exposure to similar coronaviruses, which was almost certainly the reason why countries in Asia performed much better than Western countries during the early part of the pandemic, but was conveniently ignored in favor of “experts” maintaining the wishful thinking that “mask culture” was responsible. 

Regardless of the explanation, the fact that there is no consistent factor to attribute better outcomes to is in itself an indictment of our Covid policies and mandates. If it’s impossible to define why a country did better or worse than another country, there should be no justification for continued restrictions. If only someone had told Fauci or his allies in the public health establishment in 2020-2021, but instead they forcefully criticized any opposition who understood the reality, such as Florida governor Ron DeSantis.

School Closures Caused Unimaginable Harms

The researchers spent most of their time attempting to assess the many harms caused by one of the pandemic’s most inexcusable policies: school closures. And the results of their estimates are jaw-dropping.

“Based on the available research on lifetime earnings associated with more skills, the average student in school during the pandemic will lose 5 to 6 percent of lifetime earnings,” they found. “Because a lower-skilled workforce leads to lower economic growth, the nation will lose some $31 trillion (in present value terms) during the twenty-first century. This aggregate economic loss is higher than the US GDP for one year and dwarfs the total economic losses from either the slowdown of the economy during the pandemic or from the 2008 recession.”

That’s not a misprint: $31 trillion. 

Teachers unions, Fauci, the CDC, and politicians have all ensured that the American economy will be decimated in the next century because they refused to admit they were wrong about all of it. As cost of living skyrockets thanks to rampant inflation, also caused by our incompetence and malicious, purposeful ignorance, children forced to learn under school closures will be irreparably set back, which will cost them hundreds of thousands if not millions of earned income throughout their lives.

It’s easy to suggest that maybe these harms may be erased or mitigated over time. The researchers addressed that too, yet they failed to provide much hope for the future.

“Finally, we provide a few observations about recovery from the learning losses. History suggests that these losses are likely to be permanent unless the schools become better than they were before the pandemic,” they conclude.

With wholly incompetent political activists like Randi Weingarten controlling schools, disgraceful DEI policies infiltrating every aspect of public education, the lack of acknowledgment from Fauci and other organizations that Covid mandates were a failure, and the complete ideological capture of the education system, it’s impossible to reasonably expect that schools will ever “become better than they were.”

The damage they caused is locked in – forever.

Once Again, Florida Provides the Alternative

Importantly, the results of school closures varied per region. In far-left states such as California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois, school closures persisted well into 2021. 

But Florida was one of the few states, and perhaps the only large one, to make reopening schools a priority, despite the objections of teachers unions and media outlets that attempted to label the governor as “DeathSantis.” 

And it’s going to pay off, relatively speaking. A figure presented in the research shows that Florida’s economic state loss in GDP is nearly equal to Pennsylvania, despite a population that’s nearly 75% bigger than Pennsylvania. And California’s estimated losses, roughly $1.3 trillion, are more than 116% higher than Florida, much larger than the population difference. Similarly, New York’s economic losses far exceed Florida’s, despite a smaller population.

DeSantis followed the actual science, listened to competent outside expert advisors, and as a result, when compared to other major states, Florida is set to massively benefit in the future. It is yet again another clear indictment of the blue states that chose to follow the Fauci blueprint into economic disaster.

And make no mistake, this is a disaster.

No Accountability for Failure

The researchers compared the learning loss train wreck to the 2008 recession, showing that the Covid response is responsible for substantially more damage than even that economic cycle. 

“The lopsided attention to the business-cycle losses from the 2008 recession and from the pandemic is startling once we see the comparable pandemic learning loss figures,” they wrote. “The economic losses from the loss of human capital are fully six times the total losses from the 2008 recession, which was labeled the largest recession since the Great Depression.”

This is staggering. Six times the total losses from the 2008 recession, already considered one of the worst in modern economic history. All because Fauci and his band of “experts” seized an opportunity to enforce their agenda of control onto a compliant society. And also because they refused to admit failure when many were desperately trying to expose them.

It’s an inexcusable, historic set of decisions with lasting consequences both in soft cultural terms and harder economic ones. A $31 trillion loss is the loss of GDP exclusively from school closures. That doesn’t even account for the loss of business income, the years-long setback in terms of new business, or the loss of GDP from adults who gave up on career plans or other pursuits out of despair or lack of opportunity.

The damage the “experts” caused is incalculable. But the attempts to calculate it has resulted in absolutely horrifying estimates. 

And not one of those responsible is willing to acknowledge it.

*  *  *

Republished from the author’s Substack

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/03/2024 - 17:40

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Experiencing extreme weather predicts support for policies to mitigate effects of climate change

Most Americans report having personally experienced the effects of extreme weather, according to new survey data from the Annenberg Public Policy Center…

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April 3, 2024

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Most Americans report having personally experienced the effects of extreme weather, according to new survey data from the Annenberg Public Policy Center that finds support for pro-environmental government policies meant to lessen the effects of climate change.

Credit: Annenberg Public Policy Center

Most Americans report having personally experienced the effects of extreme weather, according to new survey data from the Annenberg Public Policy Center that finds support for pro-environmental government policies meant to lessen the effects of climate change.

More than 6 in 10 people favor increased investment in energy-efficient public transit and an equal number support providing tax credits to families who install rooftop solar or battery storage, according to the nationally representative panel survey, fielded in November 2023 with over 1,500 U.S. adults.

Two-thirds of U.S. adults say that in the past year their typical daily activities were affected either sometimes, often, or frequently by extreme outdoor heat, and half say that their typical daily activities were affected sometimes, often, or frequently by poor air quality resulting from wildfire smoke.

Importantly, an analysis finds a connection between these reported experiences and policy support: exposure to extreme weather is associated with support for a half-dozen policies intended to mitigate the effects of climate change, policies that are contained in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Annenberg opens new Climate Communication division

The findings were released at an opening session of the Society of Environmental Journalists’ (SEJ) 33rd annual conference, #SEJ2024, which was held at the University of Pennsylvania. Penn’s Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) hosted the group in celebration of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media. APPC director Kathleen Hall Jamieson released the findings at the SEJ conference on April 3, 2024.

“We’ve traditionally assumed that experiencing a threat will affect policy preferences,” Jamieson said. “In this polarized time, on this polarized topic, that assumption holds true. People who report exposure to extreme weather are more supportive of measures to help address climate change.”

Jamieson also announced that APPC, now celebrating its 30th anniversary, is marking the occasion with the creation of a Climate Communication division, led by Annenberg School for Communication vice dean and professor Emily Falk, who heads a communication neuroscience lab at Penn. The new climate division joins APPC’s Communication Science and Institutions of Democracy divisions, which are headed, respectively, by Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor Dolores Albarracín and political science Professor Matt Levendusky.

“This moves the policy center into an important new area in which communication plays a crucial role,” Jamieson said.

Experiencing extreme weather

APPC’s survey, the 17th wave of a nationally representative panel of 1,538 U.S. adults, finds that millions of Americans report that extreme weather has affected their daily lives over the past year (subtotals may not add due to rounding):

  • Temperature: Over 4 in 10 (45%) say temperatures in their local area were warmer than usual last summer.
  • Heat: Two-thirds (68%) say extreme outdoor heat either sometimes (34%), often (19%), or frequently (16%) affected their typical daily activities.
  • Smoke: Half (50%) say poor air quality resulting from wildfire smoke either sometimes (31%), often (12%), or frequently (7%) affected their typical daily activities.
  • Flooding: 29% say flooding produced by unusual levels of rain either sometimes (20%), often (6%), or frequently (3%) affected their typical daily activities.
  • Tornado/hurricane: 19% said a tornado or hurricane either sometimes (13%), often (4%), or frequently (1%), affected their typical daily activities.

Support for pro-environment measures

More than half of Americans strongly or somewhat favor a series of government steps designed to mitigate the effects of climate change. Although these steps were not identified as such in the survey, these measures are contained in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which was passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Aug. 16, 2022.

Support for these government initiatives varied widely by party affiliation and was driven by Democrats, who expressed strong support for all. Support by Republicans was much weaker.

In these findings, “favor” includes strongly favor and somewhat favor. The survey found that:

  • 62% favor increased investment in energy-efficient public transit.
    • 86% Democrats, 44% independents, 42% Republicans
  • 62% favor tax credits for rooftop solar or battery storage.
    • 80% Democrats, 52% independents, 46% Republicans
  • 60% favor community grants to protect against impacts of climate change.
    • 85% Democrats, 50% independents, 36% Republicans
  • 57% favor forgivable loans for rural communities improving energy efficiency.
    • 78% Democrats, 43% independents, 38% Republicans
  • 56% favor taxing corporations based on carbon emissions to reduce climate change.
    • 81% Democrats, 41% independents, 33% Republicans
  • 46% favor tax credits for electric cars.
    • 71% Democrats, 29% independents, 26% Republicans

The initiative that garnered the most support (“strongly favor”) was community grants to protect against impacts of climate change (27%). The initiative that had the greatest opposition (“strongly oppose”) was tax credits for electric cars (18%). The policy with the strongest Democratic support was energy-efficient public transit (86%), while the one with the strongest Republican support was tax credits for rooftop solar or battery storage (46%).

Extreme weather exposure associated with policy support

A regression analysis of the survey data by APPC research analyst Shawn Patterson Jr. finds that reported exposure to extreme weather is associated with greater support for policies that address the effects of climate change. This support extends to both parties – Republicans who report experiencing extreme weather are more supportive of these policies than those who do not, and the same holds true for Democrats.

APPC’s ASAPH survey

The survey data come from the 17th wave of a nationally representative panel of 1,538 U.S. adults, first empaneled in April 2021, conducted for the Annenberg Public Policy Center by SSRS, an independent market research company. This wave of the Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge (ASAPH) survey was fielded November 14-20, 2023, and has a margin of sampling error (MOE) of ± 3.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All figures are rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add to 100%. Combined subcategories may not add to totals in the topline and text due to rounding.

Download the topline and the methodology statement.

The policy center has been tracking the American public’s knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors regarding vaccination, Covid-19, flu, maternal health, climate change, and other consequential health issues through this survey panel for nearly three years. In addition to Jamieson and Patterson, the APPC team behind this survey includes Patrick E. Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute, who developed the questions, and Ken Winneg, managing director of survey research, who supervised the fielding of the survey.

The Annenberg Public Policy Center was established in 1993 to educate the public and policy makers about communication’s role in advancing public understanding of political, science, and health issues at the local, state, and federal levels.

 

Method of Research

Survey

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Japanese yen flirting with 152

The Japanese yen  is steady on Wednesday. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 151.60 up 0.02%. Earlier today, the yen came within a whisker…

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April 3, 2024

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The Japanese yen  is steady on Wednesday. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 151.60 up 0.02%. Earlier today, the yen came within a whisker of the 152 line, climbing as high as 151.95.

Japanese services PMI expands

Japan’s services PMI improved to 54.1 in March, revised lower from 54.9 in the preliminary estimate. Still, this beat the February reading of 52.9 and marked a seven-month high. The services sector has now expanded for 19 straight months and has been the driver of an improving Japanese economy, as manufacturing has been struggling. With the Covid-19 pandemic finally in the rear mirror, inbound tourism has risen and stronger domestic demand has boosted business activity. The solid PMI report comes on the heels of the Bank of Japan’s Tankan survey, which indicated that confidence in the services sector surged to a 33-year high in the first quarter.

The Japanese yen continues to trade around 34-year lows against the US dollar, raising concerns that Japan’s Ministry of Finance (MOF) could intervene in the currency markets in order to prop up the Japanese currency. The MOF has so far limited its response to verbal intervention, warning that it will take “decisive steps” to stop the yen’s slide and BoJ Governor Ueda said last week that the central bank is closely watching the yen’s movement.

The Bank of Japan made a major policy shift at the March meeting when it lifted rates out of negative territory, but the markets aren’t expecting any further tightening before the fall. The BoJ stressed at the meeting that monetary policy would remain accommodative for the time being, a signal that it is no rush to raise rates.

In the US, today’s ADP employment report was stronger than expected, with a gain of 184,000 in March. This beat February’s upwardly revised reading of 155,000 and was higher than the market estimate of 148,000. The ADP report isn’t considered a reliable precursor to NFP, but investors nonetheless attach importance to the release, which comes out only two days prior to nonfarm payrolls. The markets are expecting nonfarm payrolls to drop to 200,000 in March, compared to 275,000 in February.

USD/JPY Technical

  • USD/JPY tested resistance at 151.87 earlier. Above, there is resistance at 152.39
  • There is support at 151.45 and 150.93

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International

Racism, harassment and discrimination takes a terrible toll on ethnic minority NHS staff

Our research reveals why discrimination in the NHS should be seen as a public health issue

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7 hours ago

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April 3, 2024

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Zeynep Demir Aslim/Shutterstock

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a time filled with uncertainty and fear, ethnically minoritised NHS staff have not only had to contend with the virus but also a workplace fraught with inequalities.

Recent reports highlight concerning – and ongoing – issues for these NHS staff. For example, ethnically minoritised nurses face significant obstacles in securing promotions or new positions, and ethnically minoritised ambulance staff are twice as likely to suffer discrimination. These revelations confirm the persistent racial inequalities within the NHS, underscoring the urgent need for systemic change.

Such challenges harm not only their health and wellbeing but also the quality of care they provide at work. Moreover, these challenges have implications for their career progression and intentions to remain in the NHS – underfunded and overstretched as it is. Ultimately, the health of the NHS workforce has a big impact on the health of the nation.

As part of a team of researchers, I conducted a survey during the pandemic to identify inequalities in workplace experiences and to assess the health and wellbeing of staff. Participants included 4,622 NHS staff from across 18 NHS Trusts in England, between February and October 2021.

Our survey was developed with the Tackling Inequalities and Discrimination Experiences in Health Services (Tides) project, a national stakeholder group, as well as NHS peer researchers. It was part of the broader NHS Check study, which aimed to assess NHS staff wellbeing during the pandemic.

Consistently bleak picture

We found that staff from black, mixed and other ethnically minoritised groups were more likely to face difficulties accessing personal protective equipment (PPE) than their white British colleagues, and also more likely to experience harassment and discrimination from fellow staff members during the pandemic.

These findings align with similar studies such as the UK-Reach study of ethnicity and COVID-19 outcomes in healthcare workers, and the NHS’s own staff survey. All paint a consistently bleak picture of the challenges faced by ethnically minoritised groups within the NHS.

This situation was compounded by a consistent increase in harassment and discrimination that was identified in the years preceding the pandemic.

It echoes findings from my past research, conducted in London Trusts. This study found that ethnic minority staff were more likely to experience and witness bullying and discrimination. Such experiences were associated with poor health outcomes, low job satisfaction, and increased sick leave.

The toll on NHS staff health from negative workplace experiences is significant. Our latest findings indicate a link between adverse working conditions and poorer levels of physical and mental health. The unavailability of PPE was associated with an approximately twofold increase in depression and anxiety. Harassment and discrimination were associated with a threefold increase.

Overall, 23% of our survey participants reported symptoms suggesting probable depression, while 18% appeared to have probable anxiety. And 23% experienced medium-to-severe somatic symptoms – chronic physical symptoms that coincide with emotional problems.

How to address these issues

Our study also identified that awareness of employment rights is essential to the mental health of ethnic minority staff. For example, the survey showed an association between involvement in redeployment decisions and better mental health outcomes. One recommendation is that all NHS staff should be educated on their employment rights and provided with knowledge of, and access to, available support systems.

This would ensure they are able to advocate for themselves and their colleagues. It would offer more opportunities to engage in discussions, provide feedback, and question decisions concerning their working conditions without fear of negative consequences.

Our team’s previous research found that ethnically minoritised NHS staff often feel disempowered and fear the repercussions of speaking out against their working conditions. These concerns can be grave enough that affected staff transfer to different teams or quit the NHS altogether to escape these organisational inequities.

Innovative approaches to training, such as those developed through our Tides project, highlight a forward path. We have pioneered the use of virtual reality (VR) training scenarios to simulate the experiences of ethnically minoritised staff. This approach is designed to promote empathy and deeper understanding of their challenges and perspectives.

By immersing NHS managers and senior leaders in these realistic scenarios, VR training can offer a powerful means to combat racism and discrimination.

Initial piloting of this approach indicates that it can alleviate the emotional burden on ethnic minority staff by removing the need for them to recount traumatic experiences. It also paves the way for meaningful, experiential learning.

Public health imperative

Our research underscores the importance of addressing racism and racial discrimination in the NHS not merely as a matter of ethics, but as a public health imperative.

Now is the time for structural change that addresses the systemic roots of racism within the NHS. We need clear rules that hold all levels of management accountable. Leadership within NHS trusts also needs to start taking responsibility for actively combating racism. This should involve more detailed annual reports, specific targets for improvement, and the sharing of data, strategies and outcomes with regulatory bodies such as the Care Quality Commission to ensure transparency.

We also need clear and open ways for staff to report racism without fear of backlash. Providing training for all NHS staff on how to recognise, challenge and report racism and harassment is essential. Anti-racism resources, such as those developed by the NHS’s chief nursing and chief midwifery officers, can support staff and drive meaningful change.

Reflecting on the lessons learned from the pandemic, the path to recovery for the NHS lies in embracing practices that ensure equity for all its staff. This is not just about rectifying past oversights but about building a stronger, more inclusive health service that values and protects its workforce, regardless of their ethnic background.

Rebecca Rhead receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council and the Wellcome Trust. She has also previously received funding from the Medical Research Council.

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