Virus expert: Science shouldn't take a back seat on Coronavirus
18 April 2020, 15:51 | Updated: 19 April 2020, 11:33
Dr. Syra Madad on science and politics during coronavirus
The key voice in a recent Netflix documentary called for politics to step out of the limelight and let scientists fight coronavirus.
Dr. Syra Madad is a special pathogens expert from New York, the worst-hit state in the USA from coronavirus and she featured in the Netflix documentary Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak which aired just weeks before the surfacing of coronavirus.
Maajid wanted to know the opinion of Dr. Madad on how the coronavirus crisis has been hijacked by politicians. "Do you worry that the debate has been overly politicised" he asked.
Dr. Madad pointed out that "outbreaks have always been politicised". From Ebola to ZIKA, medical professionals have stayed away from the press and allowed politicians the opportunity to dictate the narrative, despite a lack of knowledge on matters in hand.
The special pathogens expert pointed out that "science often takes a back seat" in the debate but insisted that this must change if we are to pull through the coronavirus crisis intact.
"People's lives are on the line" she said. Dr. Madad told Maajid that if we are to effectively combat Covid-19 there needs to be more emphasis put on scientific facts rather than the opinions of politicians and commentators.
"It's important to follow the facts" she insisted. The expert shared with Maajid a desire to ensure the public's knowledge of coronavirus and coronavirus prevention is from a scientific point of view rather than the opinions of people who are not experts.
"We need to continue to make sure we're relying on what we know and following the knowledge of the scientific community"
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