COVID-19: Exceso de mortalidad y vacunación masiva en Europa... y algunos hechos desagradables
COVID-19: Übersterblichkeit und Massenimpfung in Europa … und einige unangenehme Tatsachen
코로나19: 초과사망률과 대량 백신접종, 그리고 몇 가지 불유쾌한 사실
In all age groups below 75 years, more people have died in 2021 than in the previous year. The reason for this is not the virus.
An Essay (with 5 Tables and 3 Graphs) by Michael Pröbsting, International Secretary of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), 18 December 2021, www.thecommunists.net
Note of the Editorial Board: The following essay contains three figures. For technical reasons these can only be viewed in the pdf version which can be downloaded below.
Contents
Introduction
Excess mortality in Germany and Europe in 2021
Is excess mortality in 2021 caused by COVID?
What could be the causes of such a significant increase of excess mortality?
Devastating mental consequences – particularly for youth
Excurse: A note on state-monopoly capitalist health policy
What are the effects of the state-monopoly capitalist vaccination campaign?
Why should young and middle-aged people be forced to get a jab?!
A comparison with past examples of mandatory vaccination is misplaced
Excurse: The COVID Counterrevolution’s slogan “trust the science” is the modern version of America’s maxim “In God we trust”
Concluding Theses
Introduction
The RCIT has emphasized since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020 that the policy of capitalist governments all over the world is not focused on public health but rather on serving the political and economic interests of the ruling class. Behind the disguise of combatting the pandemic, the governments’ policy is mainly directed to expand the power of the state apparatus and to increase the profits of the monopolies. [1]
We have called this policy the COVID Counterrevolution as it represents a historic offensive of the ruling class to enhance its control of the masses in a period of deep economic crisis and popular unrest. It is characterized by a shift from (limited) bourgeois democracy towards chauvinist state bonapartism – resulting in the creation of a totalitarian new Leviathan of which Thomas Hobbes could not have dreamed! [2]
When we say that public health is not the primary consideration in the COVID policy of the ruling class, we do not mean that the issue of health does not play a prominent role. It certainly does. But this policy represents a specific, capitalist approach to health. Health is viewed as an extraordinary business opportunity for the pharma and biotech corporations. [3] It is viewed in combination with instruments of control and surveillance of people. [4]
However, in this essay we will not deal with the political and economic aspects of the COVID Counterrevolution – something which we have elaborated in many other RCIT documents. At this place, we will rather focus on the effects of the official pandemic policy – based on the pillars of Lockdowns, Health Pass and mass / compulsory vaccination – for public health. We will look at the development of excess mortality in Europe in the last 6-12 months and what have been the effects of the mass vaccination campaigns orchestrated by the governments and Big Pharma. This is a very understudied issue. In fact, it is characteristic for the hypocrisy of the bourgeois governments and their submissive barkers among the media, the “experts”, etc. that they ignore this question. But let us go in media res.
Excess mortality in Germany and Europe in 2021
Before we present the figures relevant for our subject, we want to point out that all tables and graphs in this essay have been taken from official agencies responsible for publishing relevant statistical material. As these institutions are strictly controlled by the capitalist state, there is no reason to believe that they would publish manipulated figures in order to undermine the prestige of the governments’ pandemic policy.
Since some time, we see a substantial increase of excess mortality in Europe among all age groups below 75 years. This trend started in early 2021 respectively, for the youth, in summer. In some countries we even see an increase of the total number in deaths. This development is not related to the so-called “second wave” of the virus which ended in spring 2021. This becomes evident if we take the figure for mortality from calendar week 16 (which began in mid-April) to week 47 (the end of November; the latest available data) and compare these with the figures for the same period in 2020.
In Germany, for example, the total number of deaths increased by +4.4% in the period of calendar week 16 and 47. This increase is not because of more deaths among the old age groups (as it was the case in 2020). It is rather caused by an increasing number of deaths in younger age groups. Mortality increased in this period in the age group of 0-50 years by +4.7%. This figure is even higher if we take only the age group of 0-30 years (+5.85%). (See Table 1 as well as Graph 1 in the Appendix)
Table 1. Total Number of Deaths in Germany between Calendar Week 16 and 47 in 2020 and 2021 [5]
Total 2020 Total 2021 Increase 2020 to 2021
564,649 589,666 +4.4%
0-50 Years 2020 0-50 Years 2021 Increase 2020 to 2021
17,599 18,423 +4.7%
0-30 Years 2020 0-30 Years 2021 Increase 2020 to 2021
4,356 4,611 +5.85%
We see several similar trends in the whole of Europe. Again, we have taken the period since calendar week 16 so that the figures are not influenced by mortality caused by the “second wave” in spring. In contrast to Germany, excess mortality for the whole population in Europe declined compared with the same period in 2020 – the “year of Corona” (-8.4%). However, this decline is exclusively caused by the reduction of mortality among the age group above 75 years (which, as known, has been hardest affected by the pandemic). All other age groups have experienced a substantial increase in mortality. Excess mortality increased for those between 15 and 44 years by +82.1% and for those between 45-64 years by +67.9%. The only difference is that for the age group 0-14 years the increase in mortality started later – in calendar week 37. (See Table 2 as well as Graph 2 in the Appendix)
Table 2. Excess Mortality in Europe between Calendar Week 16 and 47 in 2020 and 2021 [6]
Total 2020 Total 2021 Increase 2020 to 2021
7,120,295 6,522,888 -8.4%
15-44 Years 2020 15-44 Years 2021 Increase 2020 to 2021
58,049 105,705 +82.1%
45-64 Years 2020 45-64 Years 2021 Increase 2020 to 2021
541,752 909,575 +67.9%
Is excess mortality in 2021 caused by COVID?
At a first glance, this development is surprising. 2020 was the “Year of Corona”. No vaccination was in circulation. In contrast, such vaccination exists in 2021 and has been widely applied. In fact, Western Europe is the continent with the highest share of population vaccinated. Furthermore, it is the also richest continent in the world in which a better health service exists than in other regions. Nevertheless, it has also the highest number of Corona deaths! It is, to quote the Head of the World Health Organization’s Europe region, Hans Kluge, the “epicenter” of the global pandemic.
“The European region is now the “epicenter” of the global pandemic and is on a trajectory to see another half a million deaths this winter, the head of the World Health Organization’s Europe region warned Thursday. Last week, Europe and Central Asia reported nearly 1.8 million new cases of COVID-19, accounting for 59 percent of all cases globally, Hans Kluge said during a press conference. And the region recorded 24,000 deaths, accounting for 48 percent of deaths globally, he said. Cumulatively, there are now more reported cases — 78 million — in the European region than in South East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Western Pacific and Africa combined.” [7]
But we will discuss the issue of vaccination later. At this point we want to deal with the question if the increase of mortality among younger age groups has been caused by COVID. The answer is a definite No.
If one looks at Graph 1 showing the development of mortality in Germany (see Appendix), one can see the increasing gap between the line for 2021 and the one for 2020. At the bottom of the graph, one can also see the development of the number of people who died because of COVID. Again, one can compare the development for this year with the year before. There is hardly any difference. (If one goes to the website which shows the graph [the link is in the footnote to the graph] one can see the exact figures for COVID death for each week by moving the mouse cursor directly on the lines.).
This fact is also evident when one takes into account the extremely small share of people below the age of 50 or 60 years among the COVID deaths. In Germany, for example, the share of those between 0 and 49 years among the COVID deaths in 2021 is only 1,45%. If we include the next age group – i.e. those between 50 and 59 years – this share rises to the still very small number of 5,13%. In contrast, those 70 years and older constitute the large junk of all COVID deaths – 85,45%. (See Table 3)
Germany is no exception. If we take the figures for Sweden, we see exactly the same picture. The share of those between 0 and 49 years makes only 1,44% of all COVID deaths in 2020-21. If we add those between 50 and 59 years, this share still constitutes only 4,03%. In contrast, again, those in the age group of 70 years and older make the large majority of all COVID deaths – 85,88%. (See Table 4)
Table 3. Number of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Deaths in Germany in 2021, by Age [8]
Age Group Number of Deaths Share
0-9 Years 21 0.02%
10-19 Years 20 0.02%
20-29 Years 112 0.11%
30-39 Years 352 0.34%
40-49 Years 998 0.96%
50-59 Years 3,825 3.68%
60-69 Years 9,783 9.42%
70-79 Years 21,480 20.68%
80-89 Years 45,772 44.06%
90 Years and Older 21,516 20.71
Total 103,879 100%
Share of 70 Years and Older 85,45%
Share of 0-49 Years 1,45%
Share of 0-59 Years 5,13%
Table 4. Number of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Deaths in Sweden in 2020 and 2021, by Age [9]
Age Group Number of Deaths Share
0-9 Years 9 0.06%
10-19 Years 5 0.03%
20-29 Years 26 0.17%
30-39 Years 48 0.32%
40-49 Years 126 0.83%
50-59 Years 394 2.59%
60-69 Years 1,083 7.12%
70-79 Years 3,417 22.45%
80-89 Years 6,179 40.59%
90 Years and Older 3,933 25.84
Total 15,221 100%
Share of 70 Years and Older 85,88%
Share of 0-49 Years 1,44%
Share of 0-59 Years 4,03%
Finally, we shall also quote the German Statistical Federal Agency (DESTATIS) which commented the increase in mortality in 2021 with the cautious words: “The official number of COVID deaths can explain this development only partly.” [10]
In summary, we can safely conclude that at the increase of mortality among those below the age of 60 or 70 years has not been caused by COVID. There must be other factors which caused this worrying development.
What could be the causes of such a significant increase of excess mortality?
So, if COVID is not the main reason for the increase of mortality among younger age groups, what else could have caused this development? Unfortunately, we can only identify several likely causes since no serious studies exist about this issue. Such a lack of attention is not very surprising. [11] Despite the fact that COVID represents only a small proportion of all death, the total focus of official politics, media, as well as of scientific research is on the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The reason for this is obvious: COVID can be exploited for gigantic business projects, for creating fear among the population as well as for justification of the expansion of the police and surveillance state apparatus. Other and more widespread diseases like cancer, diabetes, Tuberculosis in India, Cholera in Nigeria, [12] etc. are not useful for such political and economic interests (at least until now).
Nevertheless, we think that we can name a few factors which might help to understand the increasing mortality among younger age groups. Before doing so, allow us to mention a curious reason which has been named by the above-mentioned German DESTATIS. In a press release this agency refers to the heat wave in the summer as a possible factor. [13] While it is true that it was hot in summer in Europe, one can not fail to note that heat is dangerous for elder people but – under normal circumstances – not for people below the age of 50 years!
So, what could explain the increasing mortality among age groups below 75 years? First, there has been a dramatic decline of visits to doctors and hospitals by people with other, non-COVID illnesses. According to DESTATIS there were 2.5 million (or -13.1%) less hospital treatments in Germany in 2020. Likewise, there have been 690,000 (or -9,7 %) less surgeries in hospitals. [14]
Such a development has not been limited to Germany. The new “State of Health in the EU: Companion Report 2021” remarks: “In all European countries, measures to boost care capacity for COVID-19 patients were accompanied by a slowdown or temporary suspension of non-urgent, non-COVID-19 hospital care. Outpatient activity followed a similar trend.” [15]
It is difficult to overestimate the dramatic consequences of such a collapse in public health! One indication for this shameful development is the fact that many cases of cancer will have not been diagnosed in time. “Across Europe, estimates have been developed indicating up to one million potentially undiagnosed cancer cases due to the disruption of health systems from COVID-19.” [16] As it is well known, cancer can be treated with a good chance of success if it is detected in an early stage. If it is only detected later, prospects are much worse.
Hence, we see how the capitalist pandemic policy created a catastrophe with devastating long-term consequences. The governments failed to expand the public health sector so that both – COVID as well as non-COVID cases – could have been treated in time. Until today they have refused to build additional hospital capacities, to improve the working conditions for an overloaded personal, to increase the wages, to recruit additional doctors and nurses and to invest in the training of new ones. Nothing of this was done!
Instead, the capitalist governments even reduced capacities in public health. In Germany, for example, there are 4,000 fewer intensive care beds available today than a year ago! [17] So, in the midst of the pandemic, the public health sector has been even reduced! Similar developments have taken place in many other European countries.
To all this, one must add the enormous public fear which the governments and media intentionally provoked. As we reported in an article last year, the Austrian Chancellor said in March 2020, in an internal meeting with advisers, that the population “does not take the danger of the virus seriously enough”. The Chancellor then stated, according to the minutes: “Kurz makes clear that the people should be afraid of being infected respectively should be afraid that their parents or grandparents could die.” A few days later Kurz said in a public speech: “We will have soon a situation in Austria where everyone will know somebody who has died because of the Corona Virus.” [18] The same methods of scaremongering have been deployed in nearly all other countries. It is therefore hardly surprising that many people have been afraid of going to a doctor or to a hospital!
Devastating mental consequences – particularly for youth
There are also additional factors which certainly will have played a role in the increase of mortality and will continue to do so in the future. One of these is the horrible consequence of the capitalist pandemic policy for mental health. This issue is particularly relevant for youth. Despite the fact that this age group has hardly anything to fear from the virus, the governments have imposed a policy which massively violates their rights and their conditions for development.
A recently published study by the United Nations Children’s Fund reports: “As well as the Life in Lockdown report, a number of other studies have surveyed research from around the world. One of the most widely reported is a meta-study in JAMA Pediatrics, released in August 2021, that pulled together results from 29 studies worldwide, covering around 80,000 children and adolescents under 18.102 According to the study, rates of clinically significant generalized depression and anxiety doubled over the course of the pandemic, with one in four youth experiencing depression and one in five anxiety.” [19]
Another study reports: “The prevalence of anxiety and depression in early 2020 was double or more the level observed in previous years in a number of countries, including Belgium, France, the United Kingdom and the United States (…) In Japan, 31% of 20‑29 year‑olds were experiencing symptoms of depression, compared to 18% of older adults, based on survey responses from July 2020.” [20]
And an EU study reports: “COVID--19 particularly affected the mental health of young people. In Belgium, around 30% of those aged 18-29 had symptoms of depression in April 2020 –– a rate about three times higher than in 2018. The situation further deteriorated from the second wave of the pandemic: nearly 40% reported symptoms of depression in March 2021.“ [21]
According to a survey from the American Psychological Association, more than seven in 10 among young adults (aged 18 to 23 years) said that they experienced common symptoms of depression. [22]
While it is impossible to make calculation about the consequences of such a deterioration of mental health for mortality rates, it is obvious that the Lockdown policy must have strong effects, likely in the short-term and definitely in the long-term!
There is no reason for optimism concerning this troublesome development. One must expect that mental health of people will deteriorate even more once the governments have established the “Health Pass” system. This means a tightly woven comprehensive system of control and restriction of all aspects of life. Most likely it will be combined with regular mandatory vaccination as well as repeated Lockdowns.
Such a development is completely cynical. As we emphasized repeatedly, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is indeed dangerous for people of high age as well as those with pre-existing diseases. However, for other age groups it represents only a limited danger. Various scientific studies have demonstrated that the infection fatality rate of COVID is about 0,15%. [23] According to a recently published global study – covering 14 countries – the median infection fatality rate for those below the age of 50 years is extremely low. (See Table 5)
Table 5: Median Infection Fatality Rate by Age Groups, 0-69 Years [24]
Age Group Median Infection Fatality Rate
0-19 years 0,0027%
20-29 years 0,014%
30-39 years 0,031%
40-49 years 0,082%
50-59 years 0,27%
60-69 years 0,59%
Let us finally also draw attention to a statistic published recently by the EU and the OECD. According to this study, life expectancy at birth in the EU decreased from 81.3 to 80.6 years in 2020, i.e. by 0.86%. However, the same graph also shows that in 2015 life expectancy at birth had also declined: from 80.8 to 80.5 years, i.e. by 0,38%. The reason for this development was that Europe experienced a severe influenza season in winter 2014/15. Hence, while we see a worse deterioration of life expectancy in 2020 than in 2015, it can hardly be called such an apocalyptic and unprecedented turn which could have justified putting the whole society under a never-ending state of emergency! (See Graph 3 in the Appendix)
In summary, we can confidently conclude that the effects of the capitalist pandemic policy – characterized by a state-orchestrated campaign of public fear, repeated Lockdowns, introduction of a “Health Pass” system and mass vaccination – have devastating consequences for the popular masses and, in particular, for younger people. This policy has most likely played a decisive role in the increasing mortality rates among the mass of the population in Europe in 2021.
Excurse: A note on state-monopoly capitalist health policy
As the focus of this essay is the development of mortality and its relation to the official pandemic policy, we will not dwell on the political background of this development. Let us only briefly note at this point the current mass vaccination campaign by governments is a key feature of a historic transformation which is taking place in the present period – from the (limited) bourgeois-democratic form to a chauvinist-bonapartist, more totalitarian form of capitalism.
In our book on the COVID Counterrevolution, published in April 2020, we referred to Lenin’s analysis of state-monopoly capitalism and explained: “While the course of the 20th century demonstrated that the concrete relationship of state and monopolies can and actually does change depending on global and national developments, the close collaboration and interweaving of capitalist state and monopolies has remained a key characteristic of this system. This is even more the case in periods like the current one when capitalism is in a state of deep crisis and decay.” [25]
The last one and a half years have fully confirmed this assessment. On the economic level we see capitalist governments – from China to the U.S. – implementing unprecedented Keynesian spending programs financed by new public debts. In the field of health policy, we also see an unprecedented development as the same governments turn to a state-regulated policy of “Health Pass” and to mass or compulsory vaccination.
Hence, we can speak about a state-monopoly capitalist health policy which closely combines the business interests of monopolies (pharma, IT, etc.) with the political interests of the ruling class of expanding the chauvinist-bonapartism state apparatus. It is certainly no exaggeration to characterize the current huge effort of COVID Counterrevolution as one of the largest state-monopoly capitalist project in modern history – at least since the period of fascism and World War II.
We have repeatedly pointed out that it is astonishing how the opportunistic left completely ignores this development. For them, health policy is something which hovers above the class society and its contradictions. If the ruling class – all around the world – imposes austerity policy resulting in increasing social inequality, these leftists find no difficulty in identifying and denouncing such developments. The same is the case when it comes to the economic policy of privatization or the militaristic policy of armament. Despite the fact that all ruling classes on the globe are following such a policy, the left (rightly) opposes it.
But when it comes to health policy, the opportunistic left stops thinking in class terms. It denies that the COVID policy with its Lockdowns, Health Pass and mass vaccination is driven by the political and economic interests of the monopoly bourgeoise. No, according to these naïve simpletons, the health policy in times of a pandemic is motivated by … the need to protect the society! It must be the case because “everybody” says so and all governments in the world are following this policy – this is the rational for the opportunist left (consciously or unconsciously)!
Of course, Marxists know that such a policy of capitulation does not happen for the first time. Already before, reformist and centrist forces did join the ideological circus of the ruling class in times of crisis. In 1914, they all supported their imperialist fatherland by referring to the “danger for their people”. The same in 1939-45 when they rallied behind the Western imperialist powers in their war against Nazi-Germany. From one day to the other, “democracy” and “fatherland” had become class-neutral categories. Today, it is the same with the combat against the pandemic!
What are the effects of the state-monopoly capitalist vaccination campaign?
Let us now discuss the effects of the state-directed vaccination campaign. Here too, we can see that capitalist governments and their institutions as well as the monopolies are orchestrating a wave of studies which shall proof the effectiveness of the currently available vaccines.
Of course, we are not in a position to judge on all these studies. However, one must take into account the extremely politicized character of the COVID policy from the very first minute – in contrast to past pandemics like the so-called “Asian Flu” in 1957-58 or the so-called “Hong Kong Flu” in 1968-69 which have also cost millions of lives. Hence, the starting point for socialists, in fact for any thinking person, has to be skepticism and mistrust against all these commissioned “scientific” studies. This does not mean that they are necessarily wrong or a fraud. A number of these might be even correct or at least partly correct. But approaching them with naïve believe as the ruling class wants us to do, is utter idiocy and can only result in criminal disorientation of the working class and the oppressed. No, one should be cautious about the value of such studies confirming the narrative of governments’ policy. Various often cited studies have already proven to be fake and had to be retracted.
John Ioannidis, a renown medical scientist and Stanford University professor and one of the few top-ranking scientists who has managed to withstand the pressure of the ruling class, has pointed to this problematic development. In a recently published article, he explains the massive lowering of scientific standards in the course of the COVID pandemic – “to fuel political warfare that has nothing in common with scientific methodology.” He provides examples showing that “each and everyone” has published something on this issue.
He notes, not without irony: “The pandemic led seemingly overnight to a scary new form of scientific universalism. Everyone did COVID-19 science or commented on it. By August 2021, 330,000 scientific papers were published on COVID-19, involving roughly a million different authors. An analysis showed that scientists from every single one of the 174 disciplines that comprise what we know as science has published on COVID-19. By the end of 2020, only automobile engineering didn’t have scientists publishing on COVID-19. By early 2021, the automobile engineers had their say, too.” [26]
Such suspicion is even more justified if we remember what these scientists did already “proof” in the past two years. First, they did “proof” that Lockdowns are useful and necessary – despite the fact that such an instrument had never been applied before against pandemics. Not only this: such a public health policy had also never been advocated by any scientist before the beginning of the COVID Counterrevolution in spring 2020! As a matter of fact, as Prof. Ioannidis and others demonstrated, Lockdowns have hardly any effect. [27] Even the countries with the most draconic Lockdown policy (like China and Australia) could not eradicate the virus and have been forced to repeat again and again putting millions of people under curfew.
Then, the “scientists” in the payroll of the capitalist state and corporations denounced Sweden – one of the few countries which refused to impose Lockdowns. Just remember the myriads of scientists who published “studies” showing how devastating Sweden’s’ pandemic policy supposedly is! As a matter of fact, Sweden has come much better through the pandemic than most other countries in Europe. [28] Today, these critical “experts“ have become silent on this issue and one or the other of them is forced to admit that this Nordic country did “not so bad”.
Then, the governments and their media and scientists claimed that the vaccines are highly effective, that they would stop the transmission of the virus and that they would make you safe, i.e. that vaccinated people would not die or get hospitalized. It was this claim which the governments in Europe have used to justify the Apartheid-like discrimination of people who have not been vaccinated. Of course, as we did explain, the real reason for the discrimination of healthy but unvaccinated people has nothing to do with science but was purely political motivated. The goal has been to force people to get a jab so that they supposedly “get back their freedom”.
Again, the capitalist governments got a number of “experts” subscribing to their policy and lending it “scientific” credentials. But, once more, they have been proven wrong. A study published in The Lancet has shown that secondary attack rates among household contacts exposed to fully vaccinated index cases was similar to household contacts exposed to unvaccinated index cases (25% for vaccinated vs 23% for unvaccinated). [29]
Another study, published by a large team of scientists of the U.S. CDC, basically arrived at the conclusion that there is no significant difference in the transmission of the virus between people vaccinated and unvaccinated. “[C]linicians and public health practitioners should consider vaccinated persons who become infected with SARS-CoV-2 to be no less infectious than unvaccinated persons.” [30]
Meanwhile, some governments – like those in Portugal and Italy – are indirectly forced to admit this fact as they introduce mandatory testing for foreigners visiting their country, even if they are fully vaccinated. [31]
Governments and their scientists also said that vaccinations would allow people to face no longer any lockdowns or other restrictions. Well, you known what happened with this claim!
There are numerous studies which claim that vaccinations are effective. However, there exist also an increasing number of studies and reports which show that the share of vaccinated people is high among those infected.
This has pushed many supporters of the vaccination campaign to emphasize that while this might be the case, the jabs are effective insofar as the share of vaccinated people is lower among those hospitalized or dead. However, here again, there are more and more reports which contradict this claim.
In response, the supporters of the vaccination campaign argue that the reason for such a development is because a new variant of the virus (“Delta”) has emerged against which the vaccine does not work. From this, they conclude that a “third booster” shall be necessary and currently the governments work hard to force people to get vaccinated once more.
However, as everyone knows, meanwhile another variant of the virus has emerged (“Omicron”) and experts warn already that the existing booster might not work against it. [32] The solution? Get another booster!
Well, it is obvious what this is boiling down to. Every few months another variant of the virus emerges and, hence, people should be forced to get another jab. It does not need much imagination to understand that such a vaccination policy is extraordinary profitable for the pharma corporations! Likewise, it is clear that the governments are highly interested to implement such a policy. First, they are closely connected with the pharma corporations and have long-term and highly profitable contracts with them. And, secondly, they can politically utilize the need for regularly boosts as a pretext for implementing and expanding a comprehensive health control system (“Health Pass”). [33]These political reasons alone have been sufficient for the RCIT to oppose the policy of Health Pass and mass vaccination since the very beginning.
Why should young and middle-aged people be forced to get a jab?!
However, we repeat that the focus of this essay is not the political and economic background of the mass vaccination campaign but its consequences for public health. As we did already say, we are not in a position to make a concrete and scientific assessment about the effectiveness of the currently available vaccines. However, this does not mean that one can not draw any conclusions.
First, is it well-known that vaccines – like medicine in general – does not equally affect all groups of the population. Feminists have pointed out this fact for long as pharma corporations have usually designed drugs with a focus on men and their biological specifics. Likewise, there are different effects of drugs on different age groups, races and social classes (where people often have different health conditions due to different living conditions). Hence, for example, it is possible that the new COVID vaccines have a positive effect for old people but not for young and middle-aged people.
This is particularly relevant for the issue of the side effects of these vaccines. It could be the case that the positive effects outweigh the negative side-effects in the case of old people but not in the case of young and middle-aged people.
To put it in stronger terms: It seems absurd to us – simply from a public health point of view – to push or even force the mass of the population (i.e. the young and middle-aged people who still have many years and decades to live) to get vaccinated if they are not under any particular danger by the virus!
All this is even more true if we take into account that the vaccines – even if they have a certain positive impact for old people – are not particularly effective. If every new mutation of the virus makes the vaccine ineffective, it can't be very good. And if the consequence of this is that people must get vaccinated every few months, we can definitely speak about a disastrous development from a public health point of view!
Let’s be clear: never in modern history did vaccinations campaigns exist where the vaccines got ineffective after such a short time and where people had to get a shot repeatedly every few months! It is self-evident that this can not have healthy effects for the human body! “At best” it is like taking a drug against pain many times. The first time it works but then the body gets used and the drug gets less and less effective. And in the end, such a procedure has long-term bad effects for the person.
Add to all these considerations the well-known fact that the current vaccines have been developed in profit-driven haste and are not tested for long-term side-effects. Why should people take all these risks and against their will?!
A comparison with past examples of mandatory vaccination is misplaced
For these reasons we strongly reject the argument of supporters of the capitalist pandemic policy who justify mandatory vaccination by referring to similar examples in the past (e.g. against smallpox or Tuberculosis). First, these are well-known and particularly dangerous diseases who often threaten the lives of children and youth. Secondly, the vaccines against such diseases had been tested and it was proven that the advantages outweigh any potential detriments.
And, thirdly, the mandatory vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2 is very clearly driven by political and economic interests, not by health considerations. Never before has a health policy been so directly linked to the business interests of a few pharma corporations, never before was that part of a political project of replacing (limited) bourgeois democracy with a semi-totalitarian regime.
This is particularly evident given the draconic response of the capitalist governments against criticism coming from scientists, doctors and health workers. Prof. Ioanidis and many other scientists who signed the famous Great Barrington declaration have been slandered by the supporters of the capitalist pandemic policy. [34] As we are writing these lines, Austria’s public news network reports that 200 doctors who have published an open letter criticizing mRNA vaccinations – a courageous action given the massive pressure they are facing – have been threatened by the state health authorities with a ban from their profession! [35] Similar developments are taking place in many other countries.
Furthermore, it is well-known that – despite huge pressure from authorities – large sectors of health workers are opposed to mandatory vaccination. In Ontario and Quebec, two provinces in Canada, thousands of health workers protested against mandatory vaccination and finally forced the authorities to back down. [36] Likewise, many health workers protested in France and about 3,000 of them have been suspended. [37] Similar protests have taken place in Greece and many other countries. [38] In Austria, about 30% of the 130,000 health workers are still not vaccinated, according to official estimations – despite massive pressure from the authorities. [39] Most importantly, just a few weeks ago the health workers in Martinique and Guadeloupe – together with the popular masses – launched a general strike and an uprising against, among others, mandatory vaccination for health workers. [40]
The very fact that many health workers – i.e. people with a lot of experience in medical issues – are opposing mandatory vaccination, and all this despite massive pressure from the capitalist state, reflects the fact that such a draconic measure has no scientific basis.
In summary, we see that the current vaccination campaign is a gigantic project orchestrated by the capitalist state – hand in hand with Big Pharma, media and the whole bourgeois establishment. At the same time, this attack has provoked mass protests all over the world. There can be no doubt that this issue is a fundamentally political issue, a key question of the global class struggle today. It can not be compared by any standards with examples of mandatory vaccination in the past.
Excurse: The COVID Counterrevolution’s slogan “trust the science” is the modern version of America’s maxim “In God we trust”
The barkers of the COVID Counterrevolution like to proclaim against their critics that one should “trust the science”. We certainly trust science, but we don’t trust those scientists who are on the payroll of the capitalist state and Big Pharma! In fact, the official banner of the COVID Counterrevolution – “trust the science” – is nothing but the modern equivalent of America’s maxim “In God we trust”.
Marxists reject both the old as well as the new ideological leitmotif of the ruling class! The way how science is applied, which interests it serves, on which issues scientists are researching, etc. – all this does not exist independently of the classes which dominate in the society. More concretely, all this is closely linked with the question if scientists research at the behest of a corporation, if the university where they are employed is financially dependent on donations from corporations, if the state authorities put pressure on scientists on public institutions and, let’s not forget this, if a given scientist is interested in making career and “adapts” his or her results for such a purpose.
It is unworthy for a Marxists to forget all these basic truths. Particularly in times like today, we need to remind ourselves that the large majority of scientists – like intellectuals in general – work for the interests of the ruling elite in their country. This has always been the case – in countries ruled by fascist forces, in a bourgeois democratic system as well as under Stalinism.
The task of socialists is not, and never can be, to “trust the scientists” in the payroll of the capitalist state and corporations. It is rather to free science and the scientific community from the shackles of state-monopoly capitalism. Science must be free from power and profit!
It is only in a socialist society without classes where science can prosper and where scientists will work free from the interests of a small powerful minority. It is only under such conditions that science will truly serve the people!
Concluding Theses
1. In the present essay we have shown that mortality figures in Europe for people below the age of 60, 70 years have increased in 2021 compared with 2020 – the “Year of Corona”. This has not been caused mainly by the COVID as this virus is only of negligible danger for age groups up to 50, 60 years.
2. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the official pandemic policy – characterized by a state-orchestrated campaign of public fear, repeated Lockdowns, introduction of a “Health Pass” system and mass vaccination – has devastating consequences for the popular masses, in particular for younger people. Hence, the RCIT calls this policy the COVID Counterrevolution.
3. This policy has resulted in the fact that many illnesses have remained undetected or untreated. For example, according to official estimations there are up to one million potentially undiagnosed cancer cases in Europe. In addition, mental diseases – in particular among young people – have dramatically increased. This development is scandalous since young people are not under serious danger by the virus but are facing now long-term damages resulting from the consequences of the capitalist COVID policy.
4. The current official COVID policy can be characterized as a state-monopoly capitalist health policy which closely combines the business interests of monopolies (pharma, IT, etc.) with the political interests of the ruling class of expanding the chauvinist-bonapartism state apparatus. We think that it constitutes the largest state-monopoly capitalist project in modern history – at least since the period of fascism and World War II.
5. The opportunist left has shown incapable to understand the character of this reactionary policy since the very beginning. As a result, they capitulate to this policy and act as its “critical” supporters – similar to the reformists during World War I and II who defended the imperialist “fatherland”.
6. The current mass vaccination campaign is mainly driven by political and economic interests, not by considerations of public health. Governments and corporations have orchestrated a series of studies which shall show the effectiveness of vaccinations. It is difficult to make an exact judgement on this issue as there exist also various other studies which show a high share of vaccinated people among those hospitalized or dead.
7- The RCIT opposes the campaign for mass vaccination – and even more so for compulsory vaccination – first of all for political reasons. This campaign is a crucial part of an anti-democratic offensive of the ruling class (“Health Pass” system).
8. There are various indications which show that the policy of vaccination is not particularly effective. People vaccinated can transmit the virus to a similar degree like unvaccinated people. There is also a sizable number of vaccinated people dying from the virus. Even more so, the vaccination loses its protection after a few months. Every new mutation of the virus makes the existing vaccination ineffective. As a result, the number of infections as well as hospitalization and deaths are rising again. The answer of the ruling class – mandatory vaccination for all with boosters every few months – is an extremely dangerous policy, both from a democratic as well as a public health point of view.
9. Criticism from the supporters of the official pandemic policy who say one should “trust the science” must be strongly rejected. In fact, this motto is nothing but the modern equivalent of America’s maxim “In God we trust”. While socialists consider progress of science as essential for humanity’s future, they must remain critical towards the research of scientists who are in the payroll of the capitalist state and the corporations.
10. The task of Marxists is rather to free science and the scientific community from the shackles of state-monopoly capitalism. Science must be free from power and profit! Only in a socialist society without classes, science can prosper, and scientists can work free from the interests of a small powerful minority.
Appendix
Graph 1. Weekly Deaths in Germany 2016-2021 (incl. COVID Deaths) [41]
Graph 2. Excess Mortality in Europe by Age Groups in 2019, 2020 and 2021 [42]
Graph 3: Life Expectancy at Birth in the EU, 2009-2020 [43]
[1] The RCIT has analyzed the COVID-19 counterrevolution extensively since its beginning. Starting from 2 February 2020 we have published about 100 pamphlets, essays, articles and statements plus a book which are all compiled at a special sub-page on our website: https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/collection-of-articles-on-the-2019-corona-virus/. In particular we refer readers to two RCIT Manifestos: COVID-19: A Cover for a Major Global Counterrevolutionary Offensive. We are at a turning point in the world situation as the ruling classes provoke a war-like atmosphere in order to legitimize the build-up of chauvinist state-bonapartist regimes, 21 March 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-a-cover-for-a-major-global-counterrevolutionary-offensive/; “Green Pass” & Compulsory Vaccinations: A New Stage in the COVID Counterrevolution. Down with the chauvinist-bonapartist police & surveillance state – defend democratic rights! No to health policy in the service of the capitalist monopolies – expand the public health sector under workers and popular control! 29 July 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/green-pass-compulsory-vaccinations-a-new-stage-in-the-covid-counterrevolution/; In addition, we draw attention to our book by Michael Pröbsting: The COVID-19 Global Counterrevolution: What It Is and How to Fight It. A Marxist analysis and strategy for the revolutionary struggle, RCIT Books, April 2020, Chapter V, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/the-covid-19-global-counterrevolution/. See also our very first article on this issue by Almedina Gunić: Coronavirus: "I am not a Virus"... but WE will be the Cure! The chauvinist campaign behind the “Wuhan Coronavirus” hysteria and the revolutionary answer, 2 February 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/wuhan-virus/. Almedina Gunić and Michael Pröbsting: On Some Ideological Features of the COVID Counterrevolution. Comments on an interesting interview with a German liberal historian, 14 November 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/on-some-ideological-features-of-the-covid-counterrevolution/; See also a number of Spanish-language articles of our Argentinean comrades: Juan Giglio: La izquierda de la "Big Pharma", dejó de defender las libertades, 1.10.2021, https://convergenciadecombate.blogspot.com/2021/10/la-izquierda-de-la-big-pharma-dejo-de.html; Juan Giglio: ¿Por qué la izquierda no cuestiona las políticas de la OMS? 8.9.2021, https://convergenciadecombate.blogspot.com/2021/09/por-que-la-izquierda-no-cuestiona-las.html
[2] For a more detailed elaboration of this issue see e.g. the above-mentioned book by Michael Pröbsting: The COVID-19 Global Counterrevolution: What It Is and How to Fight It. (Chapter II)
[3] See on this e.g Michael Pröbsting: Mass Vaccination Can Make You Rich… at least if you own a pharmaceutical corporation! 22 June 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/mass-vaccination-can-make-you-rich/; see by the same author: COVID-19: “A Market of up to 23 Billion US-Dollar”. The big corporations in the pharmaceutical industry expect gigantic profits by the vaccine business, 12 February 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-a-market-of-up-to-23-billion-us-dollar/; see also by the same author: COVID-19: An Opportunity Too Good to Be Missed by the Lords of Wealth and Money (Part 1). An “official” confirmation of the Marxist analysis that the ruling class utilizes the pandemic for expanding the bonapartist state, 18 January 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-an-opportunity-to-good-to-be-missed-by-the-lords-of-wealth-and-money-part-1/; COVID-19: An Opportunity Too Good to Be Missed by the Lords of Wealth and Money (Part 2). A few examples of how the monopoly capitalists rob the workers under the cover of the anti-democratic Lockdown policy, 11 February 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-an-opportunity-too-good-to-be-missed-by-the-lords-of-wealth-and-money-part-2/; COVID-19: That Was A Damn Good Year … for the Billionaires in West and East who massively gained from the anti-democratic Lockdown policy, 5 January 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-that-was-a-damn-good-year-for-the-billionaires-in-west-and-east/
[4] See on this e.g. Michael Pröbsting: The Police and Surveillance State in the Post-Lockdown Phase. A global review of the ruling class’s plans of expanding the bonapartist state machinery amidst the COVID-19 crisis, 21 May 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/police-and-surveillance-state-in-post-lockdown-phase/
[5] Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis): Sonderauswertung Sterbefälle. Fallzahlen nach Tagen, Wochen, Monaten, Altersgruppen, Geschlecht und Bundesländern für Deutschland 2016 - 2021, published on 7.12.2021, pp. 30-32. The numbers in this tables are listed separately for each week. The calculation of the sum is ours.
[6] EuroMomo: Graphs and maps, Exel file for the graphs on excess mortality, https://www.euromomo.eu/graphs-and-maps/ (accessed on 14.12.2021) The numbers in this tables are listed separately for each week. The calculation of the sum is ours.
[7] Helen Collis: WHO: Europe region ‘epicenter’ of coronavirus pandemic, 4 November 2021, https://www.politico.eu/article/who-europe-region-epicenter-of-coronavirus-pandemic/
[8] Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths in Germany in 2021, by gender and age, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1105512/coronavirus-covid-19-deaths-by-gender-germany/ (accessed on 15.12.2021)
[9] Folkhälsomyndigheten: Antal fall av covid-19 i Sverige, https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/09f821667ce64bf7be6f9f87457ed9aa (accessed on 15.12.2021)
[10] DESTATIS: Sterbefälle und Lebenserwartung Sonderauswertung zu Sterbefallzahlen der Jahre 2020/2021, 7. December 2021, https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Bevoelkerung/Sterbefaelle-Lebenserwartung/sterbefallzahlen.html
[11] There exists a few articles which also discuss this issue: Gerd Roettig: Politisierte Statistik, https://www.heise.de/tp/features/Politisierte-Statistik-6292579.html?wt_mc=nl.red.telepolis.telepolis-nl.2021-12-11.link.link; Susan Bonath: Wachsende Übersterblichkeit nun auch bei Jüngeren: An Corona kann das nicht liegen, 12 December 2021, https://de.rt.com/meinung/128273-wachsende-uebersterblichkeit-nun-auch-bei-juengeren/
[12] See on this e.g. RSV: Cholera not Omicron should be the major concern for Public Health in Nigeria! 6th December, 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/cholera-not-omicron-should-be-the-major-concern-for-public-health-in-nigeria/
[13] DESTATIS: Sterbefälle und Lebenserwartung Sonderauswertung zu Sterbefallzahlen der Jahre 2020/2021
[14] DESTATIS: Corona-Pandemie führt zu Übersterblichkeit in Deutschland, Pressemitteilung Nr. 563 vom 9. Dezember 2021, https://www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2021/12/PD21_563_12.html
[15] State of Health in the EU: Companion Report 2021, Commission Staff Working Document, SWD(2021) 389 final, Brussels, 10 December 2021, p. 12
[16] State of Health in the EU: Companion Report 2021, Commission Staff Working Document, SWD(2021) 389 final, Brussels, 10 December 2021, p. 13
[17] Deutsche Welle: Germany's ICU medics expect COVID surge before Christmas, 01.12.2021. https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-icu-medics-expect-covid-surge-before-christmas/a-59985778
[18] See on this, with the references for the quotes: Michael Pröbsting: COVID-19 Crisis: Internal Document Reveals Austrian Government Plan to Spread Fear, 28 April 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/europe/covid-19-crisis-internal-document-reveals-austrian-government-plan-to-spread-fear/#_edn1
[19] United Nations Children’s Fund: The State of the World’s Children 2021: On My Mind – Promoting, protecting and caring for children’s mental health, UNICEF, New York, October 2021, p. 102
[20] OECD: Health at a Glance 2021: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris 2021, https://doi.org/10.1787/ae3016b9-en, p. 55 and 57
[21] State of Health in the EU: Companion Report 2021, Commission Staff Working Document, SWD(2021) 389 final, Brussels, 10 December 2021, p. 15
[22] More than 7 in 10 Gen-Zers report symptoms of depression during pandemic, survey finds, 21 October 2020, https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/21/survey-more-than-7-in-10-gen-zers-report-depression-during-pandemic.html
[23] See e.g. John P. A. Ioannidis: Reconciling estimates of global spread and infection fatality rates of COVID-19: An overview of systematic evaluations, in: European Journal of Clinical Investigation, May 2021, Vol. 51(5), doi: 10.1111/eci.13554
[24] Cathrine Axfors, John P.A. Ioannidis: Infection fatality rate of COVID-19 in community-dwelling populations with emphasis on the elderly: An overview, 13 July 2021, https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.08.21260210v1.full
[25] See the above-mentioned book by Michael Pröbsting: The COVID-19 Global Counterrevolution: What It Is and How to Fight It, p. 43
[26] John P.A. Ioannidis: How the Pandemic Is Changing the Norms of Science. Imperatives like skepticism and disinterestedness are being junked to fuel political warfare that has nothing in common with scientific methodology, September 09, 2021, https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/science/articles/pandemic-science
[27] John Ioannidis et al: Assessing Mandatory Stay-At-Home and Business Closure Effects on the Spread of COVID-19, in: European Journal of Clinical Investigation, April 2021, Vol. 51(4), doi:10.1111/ECI.13484
[28] See on this e.g. Michael Pröbsting: COVID-19: Sweden's Total Mortality in 2020. Once again, the figures demonstrate that this is a serious but not unprecedented pandemic, 23 January 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-sweden-s-total-mortality-in-2020-compared-with-past-years/; by the same author: COVID-19: A Comparison of Historical Data. An analysis of the COVID-19 death figures and those of past pandemics and climate disasters based on data from the World Bank, 19 January 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-a-comparison-of-historical-data/
[29] Anika Singanayagam, Seran Hakki, Jake Dunning and others: Community transmission and viral load kinetics of the SARS-CoV-2 delta (B.1.617.2) variant in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in the UK: a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study, The Lancet, 28 October 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/ S1473-3099(21)00648-4
[30] Phillip P. Salvatore and others: Transmission potential of vaccinated and unvaccinated persons infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in a federal prison, July—August 2021, medRxiv 2021.11.12.21265796; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.12.21265796
[31] Ralf Streck: Die 2G-Linie aus Brüssel zerbröselt, 16. Dezember 2021, https://www.heise.de/tp/features/Die-2G-Linie-aus-Bruessel-zerbroeselt-6296913.html?wt_mc=nl.red.telepolis.telepolis-nl.2021-12-16.link.link
[32] See e.g. RCIT: “Omicron”: A Pretext for Exacerbated Attacks of the COVID Counterrevolution. Down with chauvinist travel bans against Southern African countries! No to Lockdowns and compulsory vaccination! 1 December 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/omicron-is-pretext-for-another-attack-of-covid-counterrevolution/
[33] On our analysis of the “Health Pass” and the strategy against it see the above-mentioned RCIT Manifesto: “Green Pass” & Compulsory Vaccinations: A New Stage in the COVID Counterrevolution
[34] See on this e.g. Michael Pröbsting: COVID-19: The Great Barrington Declaration is indeed Great! Numerous medical scientists protest against the reactionary lockdown policy, 11 October 2020, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/global/covid-19-the-great-barrington-declaration-is-indeed-great/
[35] ORF: ÖGK droht mit Berufsverbot, 16.12. 2021, https://orf.at/stories/3240427/
[36] See e.g. Jessica Patton: Ontario will not mandate COVID-19 vaccines for hospital workers, Global News, 3 November 2021, https://globalnews.ca/news/8347039/ontario-covid-mandatory-vaccine-hospital-workers/
[37] French hospital worker on hunger strike over vaccine mandate, 16 September 2021, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/16/french-hospital-worker-on-hunger-strike-over-vaccine-mandate
[38] Elena Becatoros: Greek health care workers protest against mandatory vaccines, 26.8.2021, https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-62c084d0fa59fa730bf8f54632d2097e
[39] ORF: Drei von zehn Pflegepersonen sind ungeimpft, 16.12.2021, https://orf.at/stories/3240425/
[40] See on this e.g. Michael Pröbsting: Martinique & Guadeloupe: A First Victory against the COVID Counterrevolution! Popular uprisings forces the French government to delay the implementation of compulsory vaccination and to offer talks about autonomy, 28 November 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/latin-america/martinique-guadeloupe-popular-uprising-against-the-covid-counterrevolution/#anker_1; by the same author: Martinique & Guadeloupe: General Strike and Popular Uprising against the COVID Counterrevolution! This is the road which the mass protests in Europe should take! 26 November 2021, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/latin-america/martinique-guadeloupe-popular-uprising-against-the-covid-counterrevolution/
[41] Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis): https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Querschnitt/Corona/_Grafik/_Interaktiv/woechentliche-sterbefallzahlen-jahre.html?nn=209016 (accessed in 16.12.2021)
[42] EuroMomo: Graphs and maps, https://www.euromomo.eu/graphs-and-maps/ (accessed on 14.12.2021)
[43] State of Health in the EU: Companion Report 2021, Commission Staff Working Document, SWD(2021) 389 final, Brussels, 10 December 2021, p. 7
En todos los grupos de edad menores de 75 años, han muerto más personas en 2021 que en el año anterior. La razón de esto no es el virus.
Un ensayo (con 5 tablas y 3 gráficos) de Michael Pröbsting, secretario internacional de la Tendencia Internacional Comunista Revolucionaria (RCIT), 18 de diciembre de 2021, www.thecommunists.net
Nota del Comité Editorial: El siguiente ensayo contiene tres figuras. Por razones técnicas, estos solo se pueden ver en la versión pdf que se puede descargar a continuación.
Contenido
Introducción
Exceso de mortalidad en Alemania y Europa en 2021
¿El exceso de mortalidad en 2021 es causado por COVID?
¿Cuáles podrían ser las causas de un aumento tan significativo del exceso de mortalidad?
Consecuencias mentales devastadoras, especialmente para los jóvenes
Excurse: una nota sobre la política de salud capitalista monopolista estatal
¿Cuáles son los efectos de la campaña de vacunación del capitalista monopolista estatal?
¿Por qué se debería obligar a las personas jóvenes y de mediana edad a recibir una vacuna?
Una comparación con ejemplos anteriores de vacunación obligatoria está fuera de lugar
Excursión: el lema de la contrarrevolución del COVID "confía en la ciencia" es la versión moderna de la máxima estadounidense "En Dios confiamos"
Tesis finales
* * * * *
Introducción
La CCRI ha enfatizado desde el comienzo de la pandemia a principios de 2020 que la política de los gobiernos capitalistas en todo el mundo no se centra en la salud pública sino en servir a los intereses políticos y económicos de la clase dominante. Detrás del disfraz de combatir la pandemia, la política de los gobiernos se dirige principalmente a expandir el poder del aparato estatal y aumentar las ganancias de los monopolios. [1]
Hemos llamado a esta política la Contrarrevolución del COVID, ya que representa una ofensiva histórica de la clase dominante para mejorar su control sobre las masas en un período de profunda crisis económica y malestar popular. Se caracteriza por un cambio desde la democracia burguesa (limitada) hacia el bonapartismo de Estado chovinista, ¡lo que resulta en la creación de un nuevo Leviatán totalitario con el que Thomas Hobbes no podría haber soñado! [2]
Cuando decimos que la salud pública no es la consideración principal en la política del COVID de la clase dominante, no queremos decir que el tema de la salud no juegue un papel importante. Ciertamente lo hace. Pero esta política representa un enfoque capitalista específico de la salud. La salud se considera una oportunidad comercial extraordinaria para las corporaciones farmacéuticas y biotecnológicas. [3] Se ve en combinación con instrumentos de control y vigilancia de personas. [4]
Sin embargo, en este ensayo no nos ocuparemos de los aspectos políticos y económicos de la Contrarrevolución del COVID, algo que hemos elaborado en muchos otros documentos de la CCRI. En este lugar, nos centraremos más bien en los efectos de la política oficial contra la pandemia, basada en los pilares de los confinamientos, pases sanitarios y vacunación masiva/obligatoria, para la salud pública. Analizaremos el desarrollo del exceso de mortalidad en Europa en los últimos 6-12 meses y cuáles han sido los efectos de las campañas de vacunación masiva orquestadas por los gobiernos y las grandes farmacéuticas. Este es un tema muy poco estudiado. De hecho, es característico de la hipocresía de los gobiernos burgueses y sus sumisos pregoneros entre los medios, los “expertos”, etc. que ignoren esta cuestión. Pero vayamos al punto.
Exceso de mortalidad en Alemania y Europa en 2021
Antes de presentar las cifras relevantes para nuestro tema, queremos señalar que todas las tablas y gráficos de este ensayo han sido tomados de organismos oficiales responsables de la publicación de material estadístico relevante. Como estas instituciones están estrictamente controladas por el estado capitalista, no hay razón para creer que publicarían datos manipulados para socavar el prestigio de la política pandémica de los gobiernos.
Desde hace algún tiempo, vemos un aumento sustancial del exceso de mortalidad en Europa entre todos los grupos de edad menores de 75 años. Esta tendencia se inició a principios de 2021 respectivamente, para los jóvenes, en verano. En algunos países incluso vemos un aumento del número total de muertes. Este desarrollo no está relacionado con la llamada "segunda ola" del virus que terminó en la primavera de 2021. Esto se hace evidente si tomamos la cifra de mortalidad desde la semana 16 (que comenzó a mediados de abril) hasta la semana 47 (a finales de noviembre; los últimos datos disponibles) y los comparamos con las cifras del mismo período en 2020.
En Alemania, por ejemplo, el número total de muertes aumentó un + 4,4% en el período de la semana natural 16 y 47. Este aumento no se debe a más muertes entre los grupos de edad avanzada (como fue el caso en 2020). Más bien se debe a un número creciente de muertes en grupos de edad más jóvenes. La mortalidad aumentó en este período en el grupo de edad de 0 a 50 años en un + 4,7%. Esta cifra es aún mayor si tomamos solo el grupo de edad de 0 a 30 años (+ 5,85%). (Ver Tabla 1 y Gráfico 1 en el Apéndice)
Tabla 1. Número total de defunciones en Alemania entre la semana 16 y 47 del calendario en 2020 y 2021 [5]
Total 2020 Total 2021 Incremento 2020 a 2021
564,649 589,666 + 4.4%
0-50 años 2020 0-50 años 2021 Incremento 2020 a 2021
17.599 18.423 + 4,7%
0-30 años 2020 0-30 años 2021 Incremento 2020 a 2021
4.356 4.611 + 5,85%
Vemos varias tendencias similares en toda Europa. Nuevamente, hemos tomado el período desde la semana 16 del calendario para que las cifras no se vean influenciadas por la mortalidad causada por la "segunda ola" en la primavera. A diferencia de Alemania, el exceso de mortalidad para toda la población en Europa disminuyó en comparación con el mismo período en 2020, el “año del Coronavirus” (-8,4%). Sin embargo, este descenso se debe exclusivamente a la reducción de la mortalidad entre el grupo de edad superior a los 75 años (que, como se sabe, ha sido el más afectado por la pandemia). Todos los demás grupos de edad han experimentado un aumento sustancial en la mortalidad. El exceso de mortalidad aumentó en un + 82,1% para los que tenían entre 15 y 44 años y en un + 67,9% para los que tenían entre 45 y 64 años. La única diferencia es que para el grupo de edad de 0 a 14 años, el aumento de la mortalidad comenzó más tarde, en la semana 37 del calendario (consulte la Tabla 2 y el Gráfico 2 en el Apéndice).
Tabla 2. Exceso de mortalidad en Europa entre la semana natural 16 y 47 en 2020 y 2021 [6]
Total 2020 Total 2021 Incremento 2020 a 2021
7.120.295 6.522.888 -8,4%
15-44 años 2020 15-44 años 2021 Incremento 2020 a 2021
58.049 105.705 +82,1%
45-64 años 2020 45-64 años 2021 Incremento 2020 a 2021
541.752 909.575 +67,9%
¿El exceso de mortalidad en 2021 es causado por COVID?
A primera vista, este desarrollo es sorprendente. 2020 fue el “año del Coronavirus”. No había vacunación en circulación. Por el contrario, dicha vacunación existe en 2021 y se ha aplicado ampliamente. De hecho, Europa Occidental es el continente con la mayor proporción de población vacunada. Además, es el continente más rico del mundo en el que existe un mejor servicio de salud que en otras regiones. Sin embargo, ¡también tiene el mayor número de muertes por Coronavirus! Es, para citar al Jefe de la región europea de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, Hans Kluge, el “epicentro” de la pandemia mundial.
“La región europea es ahora el“ epicentro ”de la pandemia global y está en camino de ver otro medio millón de muertes este invierno, advirtió el jueves el jefe de la región europea de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. La semana pasada, Europa y Asia Central informaron casi 1,8 millones de nuevos casos de COVID-19, lo que representa el 59 por ciento de todos los casos a nivel mundial, dijo Hans Kluge durante una conferencia de prensa. Y la región registró 24.000 muertes, lo que representa el 48 por ciento de las muertes a nivel mundial, dijo. En conjunto, ahora hay más casos notificados (78 millones) en la región europea que en el sudeste asiático, el Mediterráneo oriental, el Pacífico occidental y África juntos.” [7]
Pero discutiremos el tema de la vacunación más adelante. Llegados a este punto queremos abordar la cuestión de si el aumento de la mortalidad entre los grupos de edad más jóvenes ha sido provocado por COVID. La respuesta es un No definitivo.
Si se observa el Gráfico 1 que muestra la evolución de la mortalidad en Alemania (véase el Apéndice), se puede ver la brecha creciente entre la línea para 2021 y la de 2020. En la parte inferior del gráfico, también se puede ver el desarrollo de la número de personas que murieron a causa de COVID. Una vez más, se puede comparar el desarrollo de este año con el del año anterior. Apenas hay diferencia. (Si uno va al sitio web que muestra el gráfico [el enlace está en la nota al pie del gráfico], puede ver las cifras exactas de muerte por COVID para cada semana moviendo el cursor del mouse directamente sobre las líneas).
Este hecho también es evidente cuando se tiene en cuenta la proporción extremadamente pequeña de personas menores de 50 o 60 años entre las muertes por COVID. En Alemania, por ejemplo, la proporción de personas entre 0 y 49 años entre las muertes por COVID en 2021 es solo del 1,45%. Si incluimos el siguiente grupo de edad, es decir, aquellos entre 50 y 59 años, esta proporción se eleva al todavía muy pequeño número del 5,13%. Por el contrario, los mayores de 70 años constituyen la gran masa de todas las muertes por COVID: 85,45%. (Ver tabla 3)
Alemania no es una excepción. Si tomamos las cifras de Suecia, vemos exactamente la misma imagen. La proporción de personas entre 0 y 49 años representa solo el 1,44% de todas las muertes por COVID en 2020-21. Si sumamos los que tienen entre 50 y 59 años, esta participación todavía constituye solo el 4,03%. En contraste, nuevamente, aquellos en el grupo de edad de 70 años o más representan la gran mayoría de todas las muertes por COVID: 85,88%. (Ver tabla 4)
Tabla 3. Número de muertes por coronavirus (COVID-19) en Alemania en 2021, por edad [8]
Grupo de edad Número de muertes Porcentaje
0-9 años 21 0,02%
10-19 años 20 0,02%
20-29 años 112 0,11%
30-39 años 352 0,34%
40-49 años 998 0,96%
50-59 años 3.825 3,68%
60-69 años 9.783 9,42%
70-79 años 21.480 20,68%
80-89 años 45,772 44.06%
90 años y más 21.516 20,71
Total 103.879 100%
Proporción de 70 años o más 85,45%
Cuota de 0-49 años 1,45%
Cuota de 0-59 años 5,13%
Tabla 4. Número de muertes por coronavirus (COVID-19) en Suecia en 2020 y 2021, por edad [9]
Grupo de edad Número de muertes Porcentaje
0-9 años 9 0,06%
10-19 años 5 0,03%
20-29 años 26 0,17%
30-39 años 48 0,32%
40-49 años 126 0,83%
50-59 años 394 2,59%
60-69 años 1.083 7,12%
70-79 años 3.417 22,45%
80-89 años 6.179 40,59%
90 años y más 3.933 25,84%
Total 15.221 100%
Proporción de 70 años o más 85,88%
Proporción de 0-49 años 1,44%
Proporción de 0-59 años 4,03%
Finalmente, también citaremos a la Agencia Federal Alemana de Estadística (DESTATIS) que comentó el aumento de la mortalidad en 2021 con las palabras cautelosas: “El número oficial de muertes por COVID puede explicar este desarrollo sólo en parte." [10]
En resumen, podemos concluir con seguridad que el aumento de la mortalidad entre los menores de 60 o 70 años no ha sido causado por COVID. Debe haber otros factores que causaron este preocupante desarrollo.
¿Cuáles podrían ser las causas de un aumento tan significativo del exceso de mortalidad?
Entonces, si el COVID no es la razón principal del aumento de la mortalidad entre los grupos de edad más jóvenes, ¿qué más podría haber causado este desarrollo? Desafortunadamente, sólo podemos identificar varias causas probables ya que no existen estudios serios sobre este tema. Tal falta de atención no es muy sorprendente. [11] A pesar del hecho de que COVID representa solo una pequeña proporción de todas las muertes, el enfoque total de la política oficial, los medios de comunicación y la investigación científica está en el virus SARS-CoV-2. La razón de esto es obvia: el COVID puede ser explotado para gigantescos proyectos empresariales, tanto para generar miedo entre la población como para justificar la expansión del aparato estatal policial y de vigilancia. Otras enfermedades más extendidas como el cáncer, la diabetes, la tuberculosis en la India, el cólera en Nigeria, [12] etc. no son útiles para tales intereses políticos y económicos (al menos hasta ahora).
No obstante, creemos que podemos nombrar algunos factores que podrían ayudar a comprender el aumento de la mortalidad entre los grupos de edad más jóvenes. Antes de hacerlo, permítanos mencionar una curiosa razón que ha sido nombrada por el mencionado DESTATIS alemán. En un comunicado de prensa esta agencia se refiere a la ola de calor del verano como un posible factor. [13] Si bien es cierto que hacía calor en verano en Europa, no se puede dejar de notar que el calor es peligroso para las personas mayores pero, en circunstancias normales, ¡no para las personas menores de 50 años!
Entonces, ¿qué podría explicar el aumento de la mortalidad entre los grupos de edad menores de 75 años? Primero, ha habido una disminución dramática de las visitas a médicos y hospitales por parte de personas con otras enfermedades no relacionadas a COVID. Según DESTATIS, hubo 2,5 millones (o -13,1%) menos de tratamientos hospitalarios en Alemania en 2020. Asimismo, ha habido 690.000 (o -9,7%) menos cirugías en hospitales. [14]
Tal desarrollo no se ha limitado a Alemania. El nuevo “Estado de la salud en la UE: Informe complementario 2021” remarca: “En todos los países europeos, las medidas para impulsar la capacidad de atención de los pacientes con COVID-19 fueron acompañadas de una ralentización o suspensión temporal de los no urgentes, no COVID-19 atención hospitalaria. La actividad ambulatoria siguió una tendencia similar.” [15]
¡Es difícil sobreestimar las dramáticas consecuencias de tal colapso en la salud pública! Un indicio de este vergonzoso desarrollo es el hecho de que muchos casos de cáncer no se han diagnosticado a tiempo. “En toda Europa, se han desarrollado estimaciones que indican hasta un millón de casos de cáncer potencialmente no diagnosticados debido a la interrupción de los sistemas de salud por COVID-19.” [16] Como es bien sabido, el cáncer se puede tratar con buenas posibilidades de éxito si se detecta en una etapa temprana. Si solo se detecta más tarde, las perspectivas son mucho peores.
Por lo tanto, vemos cómo la política capitalista pandémica creó una catástrofe con devastadoras consecuencias a largo plazo. Los gobiernos no lograron expandir el sector de la salud pública para que tanto los casos COVID como los no COVID pudieran haber sido tratados a tiempo. Hasta el día de hoy se han negado a desarrollar capacidades hospitalarias adicionales, mejorar las condiciones de trabajo de un personal sobrecargado, aumentar los salarios, contratar médicos y enfermeros adicionales e invertir en la formación de nuevos. ¡Nada de esto se hizo!
En cambio, los gobiernos capitalistas incluso redujeron las capacidades en salud pública. En Alemania, por ejemplo, ¡hay 4.000 camas de cuidados intensivos menos disponibles hoy que hace un año! [17] Entonces, en medio de la pandemia, ¡el sector de la salud pública incluso se ha reducido! Se han producido desarrollos similares en muchos otros países europeos.
A todo esto hay que añadir el enorme miedo público que intencionalmente provocaron los gobiernos y los medios de comunicación. Como informamos en un artículo el año pasado, la canciller austriaca dijo en marzo de 2020, en una reunión interna con asesores, que la población “no se toma lo suficientemente en serio el peligro del virus". El Canciller luego declaró, de acuerdo con el acta: “Kurz deja en claro que la gente debe tener miedo de infectarse, respectivamente, debe tener miedo de que sus padres o abuelos puedan morir". Unos días después, Kurz dijo en un discurso público: “Pronto tendremos una situación en Austria donde todos conocerán a alguien que ha muerto a causa del CoronaVirus.” [18] Los mismos métodos de alarmismo se han implementado en casi todos los demás países. Por tanto, no es de extrañar que muchas personas hayan tenido miedo de ir al médico o al hospital.
Consecuencias mentales devastadoras, especialmente para los jóvenes
También hay factores adicionales que sin duda habrán influido en el aumento de la mortalidad y seguirán haciéndolo en el futuro. Uno de ellos es la horrible consecuencia de la política capitalista de la pandemia para la salud mental. Este tema es particularmente relevante para los jóvenes. A pesar de que este grupo de edad apenas tiene que temer del virus, los gobiernos han impuesto una política que viola masivamente sus derechos y sus condiciones de desarrollo.
Un estudio publicado recientemente por el Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia informa: “Además del informe Life in Lockdown, varios otros estudios han examinado investigaciones de todo el mundo. Uno de los más ampliamente informados es un metaestudio en JAMA Pediatrics, publicado en agosto de 2021, que reunió los resultados de 29 estudios en todo el mundo, que abarcaron alrededor de 80.000 niños y adolescentes menores de 18 años.102 Según el estudio, las tasas de depresión y ansiedad generalizadas clínicamente significativas se duplicó durante el transcurso de la pandemia, con uno de cada cuatro jóvenes experimentando depresión y uno de cada cinco ansiedad.” [19]
Otro estudio informa: “La prevalencia de ansiedad y depresión a principios de 2020 era el doble o más del nivel observado en años anteriores en varios países, incluidos Bélgica, Francia, Reino Unido y Estados Unidos (…) En Japón, 31% de 20 - 29 años - edad estaban experimentando los síntomas de la depresión, en comparación con el 18% de los adultos mayores, basado en las respuestas de la encuesta a partir de julio de 2020.” [20]
Y un estudio de la UE informa: “COVID-19 afectó particularmente la salud mental de los jóvenes. En Bélgica, alrededor del 30% de las personas de entre 18 y 29 años tenían síntomas de depresión en abril de 2020, una tasa aproximadamente tres veces mayor que en 2018. La situación se deterioró aún más desde la segunda ola de la pandemia: casi el 40% informó síntomas de depresión en marzo de 2021”. [21]
Según una encuesta de la Asociación Estadounidense de Psicología , más de siete de cada 10 entre los adultos jóvenes (de 18 a 23 años) dijeron que experimentaron síntomas comunes de depresión. [22]
Si bien es imposible calcular las consecuencias de tal deterioro de la salud mental para las tasas de mortalidad, es obvio que la política de encierro debe tener efectos fuertes, probablemente a corto plazo y definitivamente a largo plazo.
No hay razón para el optimismo con respecto a este desarrollo problemático. Es de esperar que la salud mental de las personas se deteriore aún más una vez que los gobiernos hayan establecido el sistema de "Pase Sanitario". Esto significa un sistema integral de control y restricción de todos los aspectos de la vida. Lo más probable es que se combine con la vacunación obligatoria regular, así como con confinamientod repetidos.
Tal desarrollo es completamente cínico. Como enfatizamos repetidamente, el virus SARS-CoV-2 es realmente peligroso para las personas de edad avanzada, así como para las que padecen enfermedades preexistentes. Sin embargo, para otros grupos de edad representa solo un peligro limitado. Varios estudios científicos han demostrado que la tasa de mortalidad por infección de COVID es de aproximadamente 0,15%. [23] Según un estudio mundial publicado recientemente, que abarca 14 países, la tasa media de mortalidad por infección para los menores de 50 años es extremadamente baja. (Ver Tabla 5)
Tabla 5: Tasa mediana de mortalidad por infecciones por grupos de edad, 0-69 años [24]
Grupo de edad Tasa mediana de mortalidad por infección
0-19 años 0,0027%
20-29 años 0,014%
30-39 años 0,031%
40-49 años 0,082%
50-59 años 0,27%
60-69 años 0,59%
Por último, también llamemos la atención sobre una estadística publicada recientemente por la UE y la OCDE. Según este estudio, la esperanza de vida al nacer en la UE descendió de 81,3 a 80,6 años en 2020, es decir, un 0,86%. Sin embargo, el mismo gráfico también muestra que en 2015 la esperanza de vida al nacer también había disminuido: de 80,8 a 80,5 años, es decir, un 0,38%. La razón de este desarrollo fue que Europa experimentó una temporada de influenza severa en el invierno de 2014 a 2015. Por lo tanto, si bien vemos un peor deterioro de la esperanza de vida en 2020 que en 2015, ¡difícilmente se puede llamar un giro tan apocalíptico y sin precedentes que podría haber justificado poner a toda la sociedad en un estado de emergencia sin fin! (Ver Gráfico 3 en el Apéndice)
En resumen, podemos concluir con seguridad que los efectos de la política capitalista pandémica: caracterizada por una campaña de miedo público orquestada por el estado, cierres repetidos, introducción de un sistema de “pase de salud” y vacunación masiva, tienen consecuencias devastadoras para las masas populares y, en particular, para los jóvenes. Es muy probable que esta política haya desempeñado un papel decisivo en el aumento de las tasas de mortalidad entre la masa de la población europea en 2021.
Excursión: una nota sobre la política de salud capitalista monopolista estatal
Dado que el enfoque de este ensayo es el desarrollo de la mortalidad y su relación con la política oficial contra la pandemia, no nos detendremos en el trasfondo político de este desarrollo. Observemos brevemente en este punto que la actual campaña de vacunación masiva por parte de los gobiernos es una característica clave de una transformación histórica que está teniendo lugar en el período actual: de la forma democrático-burguesa (limitada) a una forma chovinista-bonapartista, más totalitaria del capitalismo.
En nuestro libro sobre la contrarrevolución COVID, publicado en abril de 2020, nos referimos al análisis de Lenin sobre el capitalismo monopolista de estado y explicamos: “Si bien el curso del siglo XX demostró que la relación concreta entre el estado y los monopolios puede cambiar y de hecho cambia dependiendo de los desarrollos globales y nacionales, la estrecha colaboración y el entrelazamiento del estado capitalista y los monopolios han seguido siendo una característica clave de este sistema. Este es aún más el caso en períodos como el actual, cuando el capitalismo se encuentra en un estado de profunda crisis y decadencia.” [25]
El último año y medio ha confirmado plenamente esta evaluación. En el nivel económico, vemos gobiernos capitalistas, desde China hasta Estados Unidos, implementando programas de gasto keynesianos sin precedentes financiados por nuevas deudas públicas. En el campo de la política de salud, también vemos un desarrollo sin precedentes ya que los mismos gobiernos recurren a una política regulada por el estado de “Pase Sanitario” y a la vacunación masiva u obligatoria.
Por tanto, podemos hablar de una política de salud capitalista monopolista estatal que combina estrechamente los intereses comerciales de los monopolios (farmacéutica, informática, etc.) con los intereses políticos de la clase dominante de expandir el aparato estatal de bonapartismo chovinista. Ciertamente no es exagerado caracterizar el enorme esfuerzo actual de la contrarrevolución del COVID como uno de los proyectos capitalistas monopolistas estatales más grandes de la historia moderna, al menos desde el período del fascismo y la Segunda Guerra Mundial.
Hemos señalado repetidamente que es asombroso cómo la izquierda oportunista ignora por completo este desarrollo. Para ellos, la política sanitaria es algo que se cierne sobre la sociedad de clases y sus contradicciones. Si la clase dominante -en todo el mundo- impone una política de austeridad que resulta en una creciente desigualdad social, estos izquierdistas no encuentran dificultad en identificar y denunciar tales desarrollos. Lo mismo ocurre con la política económica de privatización o la política militarista de armamento. A pesar de que todas las clases dominantes del mundo están siguiendo esa política, la izquierda (con razón) se opone.
Pero cuando se trata de política sanitaria, la izquierda oportunista deja de pensar en términos de clase. Niega que la política de COVID con sus encierros, pases de salud y vacunación masiva esté impulsada por los intereses políticos y económicos de la burguesía monopolista. No, según estos ingenuos simplones, la política de salud en tiempos de pandemia está motivada por… ¡La necesidad de proteger a la sociedad! Debe ser el caso porque “todo el mundo” lo dice y todos los gobiernos del mundo están siguiendo esta política - ¡esta es la lógica para la izquierda oportunista (consciente o inconscientemente)!
Por supuesto, los marxistas saben que tal política de capitulación no ocurre por primera vez. Ya antes, las fuerzas reformistas y centristas se unieron al circo ideológico de la clase dominante en tiempos de crisis. En 1914, todos apoyaron a su patria imperialista refiriéndose al “peligro para su pueblo”. Lo mismo en 1939-45 cuando se unieron detrás de las potencias imperialistas occidentales en su guerra contra la Alemania nazi. De un día para otro, "democracia" y "patria" se habían convertido en categorías de clase neutra. ¡Hoy pasa lo mismo con el combate a la pandemia!
¿Cuáles son los efectos del ¿Campaña de vacunación capitalista monopolista estatal?
Analicemos ahora los efectos de la campaña de vacunación dirigida por el estado. Aquí también, podemos ver que los gobiernos capitalistas y sus instituciones, así como los monopolios, están orquestando una ola de estudios que pondrán a prueba la efectividad de las vacunas actualmente disponibles.
Por supuesto, no estamos en condiciones de juzgar todos estos estudios. Sin embargo, se debe tener en cuenta el carácter extremadamente politizado de la política de COVID desde el primer minuto, en contraste con pandemias pasadas como la llamada "gripe asiática" en 1957-58 o la llamada "gripe de Hong Kong" en 1968-69 que también han costado millones de vidas. Por tanto, el punto de partida para los socialistas, de hecho para cualquier persona pensante, tiene que ser el escepticismo y la desconfianza hacia todos estos estudios "científicos" encargados. Esto no significa que estén necesariamente equivocados o sean un fraude. Algunos de estos pueden ser incluso correctos o al menos parcialmente correctos. Pero acercarse a ellos con una creencia ingenua, como la clase dominante quiere que hagamos, es una completa idiotez y solo puede resultar en una desorientación criminal de la clase trabajadora y los oprimidos. No, hay que tener cuidado con el valor de estos estudios que confirman la narrativa de la política de los gobiernos. Varios estudios citados con frecuencia ya han demostrado ser falsos y tuvieron que ser retirados.
John Ioannidis, un científico médico de renombre y profesor de la Universidad de Stanford y uno de los pocos científicos de alto rango que ha logrado resistir la presión de la clase dominante, ha señalado este desarrollo problemático. En un artículo publicado recientemente, explica la reducción masiva de los estándares científicos en el curso de la pandemia de COVID, "para alimentar una guerra política que no tiene nada en común con la metodología científica". Proporciona ejemplos que muestran que "todos y cada uno" han publicado algo sobre este tema.
Señala, no sin ironía: “La pandemia condujo aparentemente de la noche a la mañana a una nueva y aterradora forma de universalismo científico. Todos hicieron ciencia sobre COVID-19 o comentaron sobre ella. En agosto de 2021, se publicaron 330.000 artículos científicos sobre COVID-19, en los que participaron aproximadamente un millón de autores diferentes. Un análisis mostró que científicos de cada una de las 174 disciplinas que componen lo que conocemos como ciencia han publicado sobre COVID-19. A fines de 2020, solo la ingeniería automotriz no tenía científicos que publicaran sobre COVID-19. A principios de 2021, los ingenieros de automóviles también tenían algo que decir. ” [26]
Tal sospecha está aún más justificada si recordamos lo que estos científicos ya hicieron "probar" en los últimos dos años. En primer lugar, "probaron" que los confinamientos son útiles y necesarios, a pesar de que nunca antes se había aplicado un instrumento de este tipo contra las pandemias. No solo esto: ¡tal política de salud pública nunca había sido defendida por ningún científico antes del comienzo de la Contrarrevolución del COVID en la primavera de 2020! De hecho, como demostraron el profesor Ioannidis y otros, los confinamientos apenas tienen efecto. [27] Incluso los países con la política de encierro más drástica (como China y Australia) no pudieron erradicar el virus y se han visto obligados a repetir una y otra vez poniendo a millones de personas bajo toque de queda.
Entonces, los "científicos" en la nómina del estado capitalista y las corporaciones denunciaron a Suecia, uno de los pocos países que se negó a imponer cierres. ¡Solo recuerde la miríada de científicos que publicaron “estudios” que muestran cuán devastadora supuestamente es la política antipandémica de Suecia! De hecho, Suecia ha superado la pandemia mucho mejor que la mayoría de los demás países de Europa. [28] Hoy, estos “expertos” críticos se han quedado callados sobre este tema y uno u otro de ellos se ve obligado a admitir que este país nórdico “no lo hizo tan mal”.
Luego, los gobiernos y sus medios de comunicación y científicos afirmaron que las vacunas son altamente efectivas, que frenarían la transmisión del virus y que te pondrían a salvo, es decir, que las personas vacunadas no morirían ni serían hospitalizadas. Fue esta afirmación la que los gobiernos de Europa han utilizado para justificar la discriminación similar al apartheid de las personas que no han sido vacunadas. Por supuesto, como explicamos, la verdadera razón de la discriminación de personas sanas pero no vacunadas no tiene nada que ver con la ciencia, sino que fue una motivación puramente política. El objetivo ha sido obligar a la gente a recibir una inyección para que supuestamente “recuperen su libertad”.
Una vez más, los gobiernos capitalistas consiguieron que una serie de "expertos" se suscribieran a su política y le prestaran credenciales "científicas". Pero, una vez más, se ha demostrado que están equivocados. Un estudio publicado en The Lancet ha demostrado que las tasas de ataques secundarios entre los contactos domésticos expuestos a casos índice completamente vacunados fueron similares a los de los contactos domésticos expuestos a casos índice no vacunados (25% para los vacunados frente al 23% para los no vacunados). [29]
Otro estudio, publicado por un gran equipo de científicos de los CDC de EE. UU., básicamente llegó a la conclusión de que no existe una diferencia significativa en la transmisión del virus entre personas vacunadas y no vacunadas. “Los clínicos y los profesionales de la salud pública deben considerar que las personas vacunadas que se infectan con el SARS-CoV-2 no son menos infecciosas que las personas no vacunadas." [30]
Mientras tanto, algunos gobiernos, como los de Portugal e Italia, se ven obligados indirectamente a admitir este hecho, ya que introducen pruebas obligatorias para los extranjeros que visitan su país, incluso si están completamente vacunados. [31]
Los gobiernos y sus científicos también dijeron que las vacunas permitirían a las personas no enfrentar más confinamientos u otras restricciones. Bueno, ¡ya sabías lo que pasó con esta afirmación!
Existen numerosos estudios que afirman que las vacunas son efectivas. Sin embargo, también existe un número creciente de estudios e informes que muestran que la proporción de personas vacunadas es alta entre los infectados.
Esto ha llevado a muchos partidarios de la campaña de vacunación a enfatizar que, si bien este podría ser el caso, los golpes son efectivos en la medida en que la proporción de personas vacunadas es menor entre los hospitalizados o muertos. Sin embargo, aquí nuevamente, hay cada vez más informes que contradicen esta afirmación.
En respuesta, los partidarios de la campaña de vacunación argumentan que la razón de tal desarrollo es porque ha surgido una nueva variante del virus (“Delta”) contra la cual la vacuna no funciona. De esto concluyen que será necesario un “tercer refuerzo” y actualmente los gobiernos trabajan duro para obligar a las personas a vacunarse una vez más.
Sin embargo, como todo el mundo sabe, mientras tanto ha surgido otra variante del virus (" ñOmicron") y los expertos ya advierten que el refuerzo existente podría no funcionar en su contra. [32] ¿La solución? ¡Conseguir otro refuerzo!
Bueno, es obvio a qué se reduce esto. Cada pocos meses surge otra variante del virus y, por lo tanto, las personas deberían verse obligadas a recibir otro pinchazo. ¡No se necesita mucha imaginación para comprender que una política de vacunación de este tipo es extraordinariamente rentable para las corporaciones farmacéuticas! Asimismo, es evidente que los gobiernos están muy interesados en implementar dicha política. En primer lugar, están estrechamente relacionadas con las corporaciones farmacéuticas y tienen contratos a largo plazo y muy rentables con ellas. Y, en segundo lugar, pueden utilizar políticamente la necesidad de impulsos regulares como pretexto para implementar y expandir un sistema integral de control de la salud (“Pase Sanitario”). [33] Estas razones políticas por sí solas han sido suficientes para que la CCRI se oponga a la política de Pase Sanitario y vacunación masiva desde sus inicios.
¿Por qué se debería obligar a las personas jóvenes y de mediana edad a recibir una vacuna?
Sin embargo, repetimos que el enfoque de este ensayo no es el trasfondo político y económico de la campaña de vacunación masiva, sino sus consecuencias para la salud pública. Como ya dijimos, no estamos en condiciones de hacer una valoración científica y concreta sobre la eficacia de las vacunas actualmente disponibles. Sin embargo, esto no significa que no se puedan sacar conclusiones.
En primer lugar, ¿es bien sabido que las vacunas, como la medicina en general, no afectan por igual a todos los grupos de la población? Las feministas han señalado este hecho durante mucho tiempo, ya que las corp