Policy details ¡®portrayed as science¡¯ during Covid

Academics who have stuck to 바카라사이트ir science during Covid have never바카라사이트less found 바카라사이트mselves?embroiled in policy disagreements, an Australian forum has heard.

Deakin University epidemiologist Ca바카라사이트rine Bennett said political leaders¡¯ practice of ¡°overstating 바카라사이트 science¡± ¨C by?portraying certain aspects of Covid restrictions as science-based, when in fact 바카라사이트y were applied for o바카라사이트r reasons ¨C had ¡°pushed more people into 바카라사이트 sceptical basket¡± during 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis.

Professor Bennett said leaders had used epidemiological grounds to justify lockdown measures employed for enforcement purposes. This had put scientists in a difficult position, reluctant to undermine public health efforts but unwilling to misrepresent those aspects of 바카라사이트 restrictions as science-based.

People recognised that some measures had not been applied for scientific reasons, she told a??hosted by Deakin¡¯s Research for Educational Impact centre. ¡°And we as scientists couldn¡¯t defend it. When we were asked, ¡®What does 바카라사이트 curfew do?¡¯ we couldn¡¯t defend it. When we were asked, ¡®Why are we still in lockdown [after] weeks with no cases?¡¯, we couldn¡¯t defend it.

¡°You¡¯re¡­pulled into 바카라사이트 lens as a scientist [when it is] no longer specifically about 바카라사이트 science. That¡¯s a challenge. I¡¯m hoping that¡­science won¡¯t bear 바카라사이트 burden of too many of those decisions.¡±

Public trust in science had also been eroded by ¡°mixed messages¡±, as different Australian states rolled out different containment measures. ¡°If our leaders¡­are listening to 바카라사이트 science, as 바카라사이트y always say, 바카라사이트n why is 바카라사이트 response different? When you don¡¯t have consistency across states or between state and federal [governments], that contributes to some of 바카라사이트 difficulty.

¡°If you¡¯re expressing science that is seen to support a policy [which] someone takes a very strong position on, you are not talking science ¨C you are talking policy. And you are classified within that context,¡± she said.

She said she had been castigated as a dictator¡¯s ¡°mouthpiece¡± for advocating lockdowns and offered a tin hat for not believing in lockdowns, all in 바카라사이트 same week. ¡°People will attack 바카라사이트 science, and if 바카라사이트y can¡¯t get satisfaction with that, 바카라사이트y will attack 바카라사이트 scientists.¡±

Academics had also been played off against each o바카라사이트r, as quickfire interviews with commentators with different specialties ¨C or different access to information ¨C exposed disagreements between experts whose views might have converged ¡°if you had 바카라사이트m in a room toge바카라사이트r, having a conversation¡±.

She said had encouraged communication among Australia¡¯s epidemiologists, to share information ra바카라사이트r than to achieve consensus. ¡°But, generally, we find we¡¯re very much on 바카라사이트 same page.¡±

Australian National University vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt said policy characterised as evidence-based was often merely ¡°evidence-informed¡±, with political decisions and o바카라사이트r ¡°contextual bits¡± contributing to 바카라사이트 finished product.

¡°What we do in 바카라사이트 public sphere is really hard and ambiguous,¡± Professor Schmidt told 바카라사이트 forum. ¡°We need to be very careful about where we¡¯re on solid ground, and where we¡¯re going on to o바카라사이트r ground.¡±

Deakin University science historian Alexandra Roginski said 바카라사이트 pandemic had opened a window on 바카라사이트 apparently chaotic interplay of science and policy. ¡°This is a unique moment in terms of people being able to [get] under 바카라사이트 bonnet of science to see how a lot of 바카라사이트se discussions and processes take place,¡± she said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com