On Dec. 1, many Anchorage businesses will either be forcibly closed or severely limited for the duration of 2020. This decision rests squarely with the city’s unelected Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson and the Anchorage Assembly.

Before heading down this route, they would do well to read the Great Barrington Declaration. This is not some fringe group of conspiracy theorists or COVID deniers. These are respected epidemiologists and public health professionals. They represent all political persuasions and their number has reached nearly 50,000. They come from Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Stanford, Mayo Clinic and many other renown institutions.

These medical professionals are not advocating that we do nothing in response to the virus. They have a real, workable plan.

These men and women fundamentally disagree with the approach Quinn-Davidson has adopted – not for political reasons, but because it is does not make medical sense. In fact, they argue that lockdowns (or “hunker downs”) actually inflict much greater harm than good on the health of the general population.

Quinn-Davidson and the Anchorage Assembly – none of whom are medical doctors – should at the very least read the Great Barrington Declaration. It may take a bit of humility to admit that these respected medical minds have a compelling point, but this is no time to let one’s pride get in the way of doing right by struggling Anchorage residents.

Better yet, call one or more of these epidemiologists and public health scientists and have them answer tough questions from the Assembly. Grill them if you like. What harm could it do?

To be clear, these medical professionals are not advocating that we do nothing in response to the virus. They have a real, workable plan – rooted in science and directed towards the health of the entire population.

Here’s the link. Share it with your assembly members. Ask that they seek the advice of these men and women. We cannot afford the blunt and devastating blow of an ill-conceived lockdown.

TAKING ACTION

• Click here to read the Great Barrington Declaration.

• Click here to read “A Sensible and Compassionate Anti-COVID Strategy,” written by one of the co-authors of the Great Barrington Declaration.

• Click here to email all of the Anchorage Assembly members.

• Click here to contact Anchorage Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson.