Corona, False Alarm?
Facts and Figures
By Karina Reiss, Ph.D. & Sucharit Bhakdi, M.D.
The first months of the year 2020 were characterized worldwide by a single nightmare: Corona. Dreadful images took wing from China, then from Italy, followed by other countries. Projections on how many countless deaths would occur were coupled with pictures of panic buying and empty supermarket shelves.
The media in everyday life was driven by Corona, morning, noon and night for weeks on end. Draconian quarantine measures were established all over the world. When you stepped outside, you found yourself in a surreal world – not a soul to be seen, but instead empty streets, empty cities, empty beaches. Civil rights were restricted as never before since the end of the Second World War.
The collapse of social life and the economy were generally accepted as being inevitable. Was the country under threat of such a dreadful danger to justify these measures? Had the benefits that could possibly be gained by these measures been adequately weighed against the subsequent collateral damage that might also be expected?
Is the current plan to develop a global vaccination program realistic and scientifically sound? Our original book was written for the public in our country and this translated version is tilted toward the German narrative. However, global developments have advanced along similar lines, so that the basic arguments hold. We have replaced a number of local events in favor of pressing new issues regarding the question of immunity and the postulated need for development of vaccines against the virus.
The intent of this book is to provide readers with facts and background information, so that they will be able to arrive at their own conclusions. Statements in the book should be regarded as the authors’ opinions that we submit for your scrutiny. Criticism and dissent are welcome. In scientific discussions, postulation of any thesis should also invite antitheses, so that finally the synthesis may resolve potential disagreement and enable us to advance in the interest of mankind. We do not expect all readers to share our points of view. But we do hope to ignite an open and much needed discussion, to the benefit of all citizens of this deeply troubled world.
How everything started
In December of 2019, a large number of respiratory ill- nesses were recorded in Wuhan, a city with about 10 million inhabitants. The patients were found to be in- fected with a novel coronavirus, which was later given the name SARS-CoV-2. The respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 was designated COVID-19. In China, the outbreak evolved into an epidemic in January 2020, rapidly spreading around the globe (1, 2, 3).
Preface from the book. With permission of Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction,
Vermont London, UK
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