The removal of the suspected cases in Africa is interesting. My interpretation of this change is that it provides cover for certain demographic groups to keep all of the vaccine doses in Western countries. If the risk profiles look the same everywhere then there is no longer the pressure to send limited vaccine supplies there. Stability of reporting practices is so important when assessing time series. It becomes very difficult to properly assess risk in the absence of it. National and world agencies have done their best job during the past couple years to obscure data.
"Note that the virus does not appear to be discriminating against any one minority or demographic."
Well thank heavens for that!
I still would feel better if we had at least some clue about what modifications were done to the smallpox virus to "weaponize" it by not just former Soviet scientists but western ones as well.
Literally any of the classified research, development, testing would/could be invaluable to researchers today, and although it should be more than clear enough we as a species need to get beyond this biowarfare fascination, it looks less likely now than at any other time.
The removal of the suspected cases in Africa is interesting. My interpretation of this change is that it provides cover for certain demographic groups to keep all of the vaccine doses in Western countries. If the risk profiles look the same everywhere then there is no longer the pressure to send limited vaccine supplies there. Stability of reporting practices is so important when assessing time series. It becomes very difficult to properly assess risk in the absence of it. National and world agencies have done their best job during the past couple years to obscure data.
"Note that the virus does not appear to be discriminating against any one minority or demographic."
Well thank heavens for that!
I still would feel better if we had at least some clue about what modifications were done to the smallpox virus to "weaponize" it by not just former Soviet scientists but western ones as well.
Literally any of the classified research, development, testing would/could be invaluable to researchers today, and although it should be more than clear enough we as a species need to get beyond this biowarfare fascination, it looks less likely now than at any other time.
Fantastically well done article, PNK!