MANY HAVE COVID IMMUNITY, BUT SUFFER FROM LOCKDOWNS
By MARTHA CARVER, RN
An open letter to Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson,
Do not shut down our city for the month of December. This will have devastating effects on our community, which has suffered enough. This is an irresponsible move and I am asking for your resignation as acting mayor. Step aside and let someone else be in charge of Anchorage.
The CDC, American Nurses Association, and individual nurses have been asking the public to stay home due to COVID.
They key word is ask. I am a nurse and as a profession, we respect an individual’s right to autonomy. It is so important a concept, that it is included in the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics because sometimes patients do not follow our recommendations. The healthcare provider informs them of the benefits, risks, and alternatives to treatments, and then needs to respect their decision. That is their right.
Years ago, I provided care for a patient who had a low hemoglobin and needed a blood transfusion. She refused since she was a Jehovah’s Witness adherent, and although we knew she needed the transfusion, we respected her decision. There are times when patients leave the hospital against medical advice. We may not agree with their choice, but we have to honor it.
Likewise, the government must respect the individual’s right to make his or her own decisions, even if the person makes the wrong decisions. And who is to say what is wrong for them? As many people in Anchorage have recovered from COVID-19, should you make laws to limit their rights when they can no longer get COVID or infect others?
People can wear masks without an ordinance commanding them to do so. People can stay home when they are experiencing symptoms or had contact with a COVID-19-positive individual, regardless of a municipal ordinance. You should not compound our economic disaster by placing any further restrictions on businesses. And yet, not only have you decided to restrict businesses, but you have chosen to extend the restrictions into our private homes. That is a mistake. You should have faith the residents of Anchorage. Trust the public to do what is right.
It is time to weigh the negative effects of mandates against the threat of Covid. The World Health Organization is now requesting leaders to end lockdowns.
According to MSN.com, “In the United States, lockdowns have been tied to increase thoughts of suicide from children, a surge in drug overdoses, an uptick in domestic violence, and a study conducted in May concluded that stress and anxiety from lockdowns could destroy seven times the years of life the lockdowns potentially save.” Seven times the years of life that the shutdown would potentially save! This is significant and demonstrates the negative effects of restrictions.
I have heard the argument that it is reckless to end the mandates when the number of cases is high, but I argue it is reckless to continue the mandates.
Leaders must balance the risk of COVID, which is minimal, as many people are asymptomatic, treatments are available, and has a low mortality rate, against the other public health problems of anxiety, substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, sex trafficking, and depression.
When you take the time to assess the full magnitude of the problem rather than just looking at one piece, then it is easy to see the solution is to allow the public their freedoms and end lockdowns.
My mother grew up in German-occupied Yugoslavia. She was told by the government that she could not do many things either. She had to make sure she carried her paperwork.
Yet as a 12-year-old girl, she would ride her bike to bring food to the local troops hiding from the German soldiers. She told me if the Germans found out what she was doing, they would have killed her. It would have been safer for her to stay home, yet she chose not to. If she was still alive, she would not like being told that she could not celebrate Christmas with her family.
Our Municipality’s actions are similar to the restrictions my mom experienced when growing up during the middle of World War II. Please change your mind on these restrictions. Open Anchorage.
Martha Carver started her nursing career in the Air Force. She has worked for many years in med/surg nursing in various states. She moved to Alaska ten years ago and taught at the University of Alaska Anchorage School of Nursing. She is not working as a nurse presently and writes in her personal capacity.
Bravo! The mayor is a tyrant and the assembly acts a politburo. I don’t know why citizens of Anchorage tolerate them.
We don’t support it and the mail in voting enacted by the Assembly is going to go before the voters and we repeal it. When this happens the Liberals will not be in control of the Government anymore
That’s only going to work if the people first wake up, and then bother to turn out to vote.
That’s a great analogy
Thanks Suzanne for providing space for this piece and thanks to Martha for writing it and I hope she keeps writing and it makes a difference…seems to me Martha was right on all counts.
Suzanne, she’s not writing in a “personal capacity” if she keeps referring to her position as a nurse! As for you Martha…you point to your mother having to ‘carry papers’ as a sign of an authoritarian government, and yet it’s quite illegal in the US to, as an adult, not carry ID. You probably didn’t know this because you are so conditioned to obey that you didn’t even know it was a rule. Your equating the mayors’ lockdown to the Nazis is ‘over the top’ especially in a State where if you criticize the Troopers, they’ll come for you (just ask Governor Palin or Schaeffer Cox). As regards the economy…I belong to a large extended family that always has somebody going to Anchorage for something. You always end up with a list of things family members want you to pick up. NOBODY has gone to Anchorage in two months! That’s hundreds of people now habituated to doing all their shopping on Amazon, etc. That’s just people I’m close to, multiply that times all of rural Alaska. Is it the Mayors rules keeping us away??? NO! It’s the failure of you city people to take the virus seriously. The Anchorage Native hospital has just sent out a notice that they’re full. Fairbanks hospitals (plural) have been full (regular beds!) for over two weeks (State dashboard). So the fact that you, as a health care professional, would dismiss the virus so easily is disturbing. The fact that you’re a health care teacher is appalling!
One comment about your dissertation. It is not “quite illegal..not to carry and ID”. Americans are not required to carry ID unless you are participating in an activity that would necessitate you having identification. While driving a car you are required to have your drivers license, taking a flight; you will need an ID. Waking down the street, riding your bike, being a passenger in a vehicle; you are not required to carry a physical identification. In fact there are multiple states that do not require you to identify yourself to law enforcement unless you suspected of having committed a crime. Even then unless you are involved in one of the activities specified previously identifying yourself is as simple as stating your name and in some case date of birth. Alaska has some of the most strict privacy laws in the USA, in fact the Alaska Constitution provides for more of an expectation of privacy than does the US Constitution. Article I, Section 22 of the Alaska Constitution states: “The right of the people to privacy is recognized and shall not be infringed.“
You know, there is a difference between “on paper” and reality. I’m one of those people who will contest any attempt to violate my rights. I’m particularly fond of my Fourth Amendment rights and Article I, Section 22 of the Alaska Constitution which was the centerpiece of my legal argument in front of the Alaska Supreme Court (Jordan vs Alaska), which I ‘won’. And though that case didn’t involve an ID, I am somewhat knowledgeable on this subject. This is the reality…July 3, 2015 I’m a passenger in a van that gets pulled over for a broken mirror. Highway Patrol Trooper, Sgt Johnson @ milepost 1320.1 Alaska Highway. When he asks me for ID, I let him see my recorder and ask; “Are you saying you have a right to demand my ID”. Truly, AST believes they have a right to demand ID. Are you going to argue with them? Because I just spent 11 years of my life and lots of money upholding YOUR right to privacy. In the 1990’s I refused to show a Cleveland cop my ID or explain what I was doing (picking up acorns off a tree lawn/sidewalk. wanted to try to grow them here.). Ten cops and a news crew later…they took the ID out of my wallet by force. They let me loose, but told the news crew my suspicious behavior initiated the contact. And in California I had a State cop claim he’d seen me litter and pointed to some random piece of trash as proof of my ‘criminal’ activity. So respectfully, because you listed actual points, your written rights are only as good as your ability to enforce them and you can NOT enforce them. There’s too many loopholes and you’re not going to find a lawyer, here in Alaska, who wants to sue the State. So I stand by my statement based on actual experience, not some non existent Utopian fantasy.
Your statement shows you to be a product of communist indoctrination. Show us the state or federal law that requires an adult to carry ID. Not while driving, just while existing as an adult. You can’t, because there is no such law.
“ and yet it’s quite illegal in the US to, as an adult, not carry ID.”
Antonio You do not have to carry identification everywhere in America. Give me a break. You should put your face diaper on and go stand in the corner.
Wow , Amen! Thank you Martha Carver for those words of wisdom …you said it perfect
The LEFT gains more power and the sheep go bah.
I understand and appreciate you wanting to get life back to as close to normal as it once was. With this most contagious kung flu still at Large and just as deadly if not more so than it ever has been, it isn’t wise to say I’m sick and tired of doing the mandates just for the sake of mental illness which is perceived. Yes times are hard for our young ones the hard on everybody. Your mom seems like a strong lady and was lucky to have gotten through the war . Yes I might be busy cuz but defiance isn’t the answer. For nothing more than wanting to spend a Christmas with your family, it seems like you’re willing to risk it all. A 12 year old girl back then has probably the same common sense as a 20 something year old woman today. People who grew up back then were strong-willed and not weak-minded. I would recommend you take a chapter out of her book and see if you can suck it up for another few weeks until we get the shots out and then maybe we can talk about easing up much-needed restrictions so that we don’t continue to get a bunch of people sick.
“With this most contagious kung flu still at Large and just as deadly if not more so than it ever has been.” The death rate is less than 1% and most of those have one or more underlying conditions. We are destroying a country by locking up the healthy instead of protecting the vulnerable. It’s time to stop being afraid and get on with life. You can live under freedom or cower under tyranny you can’t do both.
“… With this most contagious kung flu still at Large and just as deadly if not more so than it ever has been,…”
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Surely you are not that clueless.
Just as deadly? Tell me, what isn’t deadly? Are you alive? You are heading toward death. No one lives forever. Bummer, deal with it.
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No, seriously. This “pandemic” is proving to be significantly less dangerous than first thought. There is a significant amount of evidence that the 200+ thousand that died with the virus would have died anyway. In fact, if the trend continues, there will be less people dying this year than average, not more. The virus is a no show when it comes to overall death rates.
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“But all the cases? All the deaths attributed to COVID????” But, nothing. There is a HUGE difference between dying FROM the virus and dying with the virus. Just as there is a massive difference between testing positive for the virus, and being sick from the virus. If every single person who died was tested for common STDs, it would be wrong to assume that most of them died from fooling around. It is just as improper to assume everyone who tested positive for COVID-19 on their deathbed died from the disease.
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No, Greg, the virus is not deadly. Not any more deadly than any other human condition. Sorry to burst your bubble, but the data is clear.
Greg the face diapers don’t work. Social distance doesn’t work clearly and shutting everything down including your schools doesn’t work so what would you suggest??? How about you take the first shot of this virtualy untested vaccine. Bill gates says it works fine. Don’t mind the lumps it’s likely only microchips. Get that shoulder out Greg.
What are the alternatives to toleration? Outline the actual alternatives–ie, positive action which we can do? Join what, help with lawsuits where, citizen action where, etc. All I’m reading is a bunch of bitching!
Thank you Martha!!! Living in Tok has some advantages, like not being under the thumb of a tyrant. Others include being spaced out from one another and, with which we all know this CCP virus can be very contagious, residents here do not need to be told what to do. We’re smart enough to social distance when in our local Three Bears, the Post Office and our gas stations and even Fast Eddy’s. We all wear masks, (at least all of the ones I’ve seen) we also minimize our small talk with one another. We do the right thing! However, I’m afraid of those that wish to be power mongers are going to continue to pressure our Legislature and Governor to establish mandates that will infringe on our rights and freedoms. Everyone needs to speak up! Stay strong, Alaskans!
American people need to realize how much we been cradled into the passive fetal position we are living before waking up realizing you can’t travel within the U.S. without approval and papers from a government official. In the 1990s America would and actually did not lock down or hunker down businesses when it faced another crisis. Lock down and facial jock strap coverings were unheard and wouldnt been tolerated. But, then agian there was WWII generation around.
Anchorage Food and Beverage hospitality industry is going to have to collectively Lawyer-up!
Amen
Bravo!! Good to hear from a fellow nite and a professor at that!!
Thank you, Martha, for your insight, common sense and personal stories. The first lockdown didn’t stop covid and neither will a second one. It’s a virus and won’t be contained. It’s not the plague, we don’t need to flee before it nor secure ourselves in our castles for the duration. Those who are vulnerable can lock themselves inside if they so choose.
Common sense and a mature perspective. Thank you! This false mayor and these Leftist assembly members should ALL resign, for the good of the city.
Censoring me Suz?
An accurate assessment of the realities of these crazy attempts to control a topical retrovirus in a population. There is zero veracity in the argument that closing any type of business or school will, in any way, change this virus.
When the cure is worse than the sickness.
This just in from Japan: More Japanese people died by suicide in October ALONE than have died from COVID-19 throughout the ENTIRE pandemic. THIS fact alone should signal that our elected doctors, er, politicians, do not care about our health as a community.
Here are some numbers from Japan for those who like that kind of thing. And if our acting Mayor wants to look over our collective shoulder, please do.
In 2019, Japan saw its LOWEST suicide rate ever recorded during the 40 years it has kept track. This fact is FANTASTIC! Peaceful world. North Korea no longer posed an ever-present threat. Japan is “happy.”
Then suddenly, in July 2020, the suicide rate began to skyrocket again. Gee, I wonder why.
October 2020 saw a 39% spike in suicides compared to October 2019.
17,000 people have died by suicide this year in Japan, while fewer than 2,000 have died from COVID-19.
Do we dare look at our own numbers? Or do we just make sure Costco, Walmart, and Amazon have enjoyed watching their competition crushed while the fast-food chains enjoy the same privilege of watching the competition die? And don’t think about going to church. After all, it’s all about our health, and showing you care for others, right?
Great article. It shadows a point being made by the left right now: That personal freedom is selfish. That is what they are trying to drill into peoples’ heads right now, especially the young. That way when they start the Great Reset, to oppose it will not be on grounds of self determination but, on grounds that to oppose oligarchical collectivism it will be selfish.
The reference and potential comparison with German occupation is very important! America is doing absolutely nothing similar to how people in eastern Europe resisted the National German Socialist Worker Party. We would have a much better coordinated and a wide consensus across the United States in facing this disease had we not shrunk from confronting its source. We are scared to death of Red China! We dare not even speak of how and when to take full measure of the enemy that sent this pandemic to us. In the absence of resistance to Red China we are confused, poorly led and misled. At the same time, running from the enemy has never prevented a war, never in history, and I cannot see that Red China is even a little likely to be the exception. I am embarrassed that President Trump has not done this and I do not expect his replacement to do so. One day historians may write that failure to face Red China over this disease made war much less avoidable.
Because the hospitals are full we close down the bars and restaurants and other businesses are limited to 25% occupancy. I guess that makes sense to some people but not me.
Didn’t you know that you can’t get the Wuhan at Costco eating a hotdog but you can get it at Lucky Wishbone eating fried chicken. It’s true Comrade Quinn-Davidson said so, it has to be correct!
Zivy, it will make sense to you once you realize that radical leftist statism is in reality not a political movement so much as it is a death cult, and that any thing, law or measure that undermines society and the family, and our rights, is automatically embraced and applauded by those who worship Thanatos.
Well said Martha! Thank you for stepping in an adding your voice. Completely agree.
It is astounding the city would repeat what already hasn’t been working and again trample private businesses that are capable of setting their own parameters. Knee jerk short sighted reaction by a very ill equipped acting ‘mayor’ who should not be there as the good citizens should be electing the right person.
Anchorage seems to be on a small scale fast track to Portland, and our state will follow suit if we do not take action, now. Anchorage citizens should be demanding in mass an election for a new standing mayor, along with removal of damaging useless mandates. Those assembly meetings should be packed with thousands, not hundreds, and the call to action should be well advertised continually, not the day before, as the valley residents will join you with some advance notice.
What exactly is the proper perspective on this chinese pandemic and the careless lockdown instituted by so-called expert leaders in Alaska?
Based on the SOA-DHSS website, it appears that (as of this writing) there’s been a total of 30,776-cases of covid in Alaska, all of which, there’s been 119-deaths. For such a large number of infected cases, it certainly seems like a large number of people have ‘successfully’ recovered. AND, if proper math is accepted, that number is … 30,657!!! (BTW – Do survivors need to shut-down // lock-down with the general populace, do they get a Gold-Star for recovery, should they get a tax break, and/or other special recognition???).
Based on the CDC website, it appears that the cause of ‘yearly’ deaths in Alaska (latest info from 2017) was:
#1) Cancer @ 995-deaths
#2) Heart Disease @ 831-deaths
#3) Accidents @ 439-deaths
#4) Lung Disease @ 238-deaths
#5) Stroke @ 196-deaths
#6) Suicide @ 193-deaths
#7) Liver Disease @ 124-deaths
#8) Diabetes @ 124-deaths
I certainly don’t remember shutting-down // locking-down for any of these deaths. However, I do believe people recognized the dangers and, changed their lifestyle and made better life decisions. Martha is ‘spot-on’ in her assessment and asking that people have the ‘right’ to make their own choices.
Resident’s should be asking … when does logic, reason, and common sense prevail?
Haven’t you heard? In 2020 no one dies from anything but the Wuhan, all other cause of deaths have been eliminated.
QUESTION:
Why should we have to ‘ask’ for our freedom?
Why are you playing with politics over a medical issue. Just read the Anchorage Daily News about the hospital situation. When does a hospital refuse service because they have no more room?
People are not wearing masks and are not staying away from groups. Sorry, I have a brother in law who is fighting for his life because of the virus. Its mean and hurts and he is in the hospital for a long time. He was healthy and in shape.
If everyone had followed the medical guidelines and not listened to politicians last Spring we wouldn’t be in this situation.
ADN is not reliable news. And sadly, a good part of the medical community are politicians.
The Anchorage Daily Spews is particularly reprehensible when they repost the editorials-as-news articles that emanate from the intellectual and moral sewer that is the Washington (Com)Post.
“…When does a hospital refuse service because they have no more room?…”
The hospitals are not in danger of being overrun. Sorry, but the data is clear on that front. IF you want to, you can read the analysis the Assembly has posted on the Muni web page. Even I, with my limited knowledge of statistical analysis can point out the flaws in the conclusion.
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I am very sorry to hear about your brother in law. However, that is one case out of literally thousands. The overwhelming majority of positives either have no, or little symptoms. Plus there is an ever increasing number of studies demonstrating that the asymptomatic do not spread the disease.
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It is the epitome of irresponsibility to establish public policy that is known to have severe adverse impacts on tens of thousands because of scary headlines. You do not protect the vulnerable by creating thousands more vulnerable.
Seriously, Nurse Martha Carver?
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Your patient’s in iatrogenic extremis, every vital sign slipping away, all you can do is beg a fraudulent doctor, a known impostor, “…Please change your mind”?
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You know good and well the so-called doctor, the “boss” is a fake, no qualification, no legal right to be in the job, but all you can do is beg the Hyphenated Halfwit “…Please change your mind”?
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Apparently you measure vital signs, read charts to figure out the patient’s problem, but just as apparently you can’t read a City Charter to figure out the object of your begging -is- the problem?
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What you misdiagnosed as an “acting mayor” has no legal right to be in that position.
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Anchorage’s Charter has a clearly defined process for replacing a missing mayor.
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The Hyphenated Halfwit was installed its job in direct, deliberate violation of the Charter process.
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In other words, the present occupant of the mayor’s office is an imposter, practicing government without a license,
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…but you’re okay with that because you believe it has authority to suspend Constitutional guarantees, but give back small pieces if you ask nicely?
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What the hell happened to you, Nurse Carver? Is life today all about being a good sport, politely begging the neighborhood despot, “…Please change your mind”?
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Remember this, Nurse Carver: –No– American, especially a former military officer, begs an American government official, fake or not, to give back Americans’ constitutionally guaranteed way of life.
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We Americans will -take- our way of life back. It’s not an overnight thing, steep learning curve for sure, but it seems to be happening all around our country.
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Imagine the avalanche here, when productive Anchorage residents realize their hyphenated mayor’s taking up space in direct violation of the Charter, ordering people around like she was somebody.
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So, Nurse Carver, rewrite your “open letter”, put some muscle in it, like you just found out the hospital administrator’s a damned imposter, recklessly endangering your patients’ lives, and you’re here to read somebody from the book until that problem’s fixed and gone.
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Can’t wait to read it.
COVID has become a religion, replacing “climate change” as the crisis du jour to manipulate the people into doing the will of the “enlightened” few. If you do not take the declarations of the high priests (Fauci et al) as gospel, you are condemned as a heretic and demonized. Self-righteous politicians have discovered that scaring the average citizen with global doom and gloom in 50-100 years, is met with a big yawn. Now however telling these same citizens, that they will be a star performer in the reality version of “Outbreak” got everyone’s attention. Citizens follow mandates from a bunch of politician laywers and others, who act as if they graduated from medical school over night and know more than anyone else. As with climate change the mantra of “following the science” is true to form. They follow the science that fits their needs and ignore or demagogue what does not. This will not end until we all decide that family and friends are more important than a virus and loneliness and social isolation is no longer tolerated. This is an individual decision. Go and be with your family, reconnect with friends and tell all the virus worshipers that you have become an agnostic.
I agree with you, AFH, but the social and economic damage done to our country goes far beyond personal relationships and sociability. My (former) business is all but destroyed, this year and for the indefinite future, due mainly not to the lockdowns themselves, but to all the corporate-media-driven fearmongering and hysteria that has convinced the large majority of Americans that they risk imminent death if they dare step outside their door, much less travel anywhere. How do we remediate that kind of damage to our society?
I completely agree with you. This year friends and family have become your enemies. The media frenzy has turned your support system into walking petri dishes of doom. To change that and repair our economy, individuals have to realize that if they work in an office, party or meet for coffee, they incur no greater risk than before the “pandemic”. This is liberating as proof defeats hysteria and returns the power to the individual. I have always held that locking up healthy/asymptomatic people only serves one purpose – divide and conquer. To return to truth and trust you have to start with the people.
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