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The "hope" that @krishgm mentions is forlorn, in this case.

A thread in which I prove (using ONLY published Pfizer trial data) that the UK CMOs and JCVI have not so much ignored the science, as left it bleeding at the roadside.

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From the moment, the decision was announced to delay 2nd vaccine doses, I've felt uneasy.

This is not my field of expertise, but I trained as a scientist (two chemistry degrees), worked professionally in IT, and understand the importance of testing.

My principal concern was about the Pfizer vaccine.

As vaccines go, it's "new tech", the first mRNA vaccine and the results are stunning.

Perhaps one should be cautious about deviating from a clinical trial procedure, at least until there is greater experience of mRNA vaccines?

I've been investigating this for over a week and haven't been able to sleep properly since I started.

At best, the 12 weeks strategy was based on one critical assumption, namely that the 2nd dose has NO effect on efficacy in the first 7 days after it is given.

And if it did?

My journey started with a friend pointing me towards an article in @bmj_latest which indicated that a single dose of @pfizer vaccine had an efficacy of
For all of those folks blaming states for the failures in vaccine distribution...


Folks like @JamesSurowiecki spent time blaming states and municipal governments for not doling out the vaccines quickly enough. Yet forgot that the federal government is in charge of vaccine distribution - and didn't buy enough vaccines to start.


By the way: We knew that the feds, under the Trump regime, would mess this up. It was reported back in December that the Trump regime didn't buy enough of the Pfizer vaccine, even after the pharma offered to supply more.

This is unsurprising, and yet, still tragedy.


But none of the blame laid at the feet of states and municipalities is shocking, either. Folks have been blaming school systems for not having the resources to reopen school buildings - and for not being able to reopen in the midst of high community spread.
On International Day to End Violence Against Women In The Sex Trade, I am going to compile statistics and evidence about my country Germany specifically and how with 18 years of highly permissive laws towards brothel keepers, pimps and sex buyers we have arrived at the following:

Violence frequently starts prior to entry into the sex trade. It is not a myth that women in #prostitution are disproportionately neglected and abused physically, sexually or emotionally in childhood. According to gov-funded study half faced regular abuse:

According to one study that asked 54 women in German prostitution, 41% entered were first exploited as minors.
https://t.co/0IuOyrf1kt International pro-prostitution oriented researchers confirm a rate of 20-40% entry into sexual exploitation as minors:

Notice the language around children's commercial sexual exploitation? Many international organizations so preoccupied with destigmatizing adult #prostitution, that they will call children "sex workers". This is not a weird one-time thing, it's a pattern:

Back to Germany: Pro-prostitution organizations, as well as the government, readily admit: #Pimping is rife in the legal German sex trade. Two-thirds of women are having to pass on more than 50% of their earnings to third parties (add taxes to that...).
For those of you concerned about the "damage" done to the field and academic freedom by the push to cancel transphobes in philosophy, I have this to say


The above is from Gen. Sherman on what is necessary to restore the Union during the Civil War, the sentiment is apt for my position on philosophy: if we are to have an inclusive field and the structure of the field prevents that, then that structure must be destroyed. (2/n)

Now, I understand that this sounds harsh, but consider why it sounds harsh: so much of the pushback against transphobia in philosophy, and the recommendations made to address transphobia in philosophy sounds like "damage" to philosophy by established philosophers. (3/n)

And in response to that perception of damage or destruction, they push back hard to preserve the "integrity" of the field, regardless of the harm being done to the marginalized people who have to survive an inhospitable field that refuses to change. (4/n)

Now, this position was anticipated by Sara Ahmed in the following:

“Indeed so often just talking about sexism as well as racism is heard as damaging the institution. If talking about sexism and racism is heard as damaging institutions, we need to damage institutions.” (5/n)