Ashish Jha has gone too far with false statements
He recommends a fall booster for someone who had 3 shots and COVID 3 times-- can we admit this is crazy?
Ashish Jha has an interesting path to becoming White House Covid Czar. The White House picked him because reportedly the Biden team enjoyed watching him on cable TV— probably b/c he often praised them. And he got on cable TV because he tweeted a lot initially during the pandemic, catching the eyes of TV news anchors. Ironically, then his role in COVID policy was largely due to twitter, and not his scholarship, which is tangential at best to the job.
In a past life, Ashish was a scientist and his slogan was "An ounce of data is worth a thousand pounds of opinion.” Unfortunately, his role in COVID policy has been the opposite. Let’s consider his recent appearance on Good Morning America. Watch the clip.
https://x.com/TODAYshow/status/1701575004645638440?s=20
In the clip he is asked to justify the US policy of recommending the fall covid booster, or 4 or 5 or even 7th dose to a healthy American. Jha replies
“It makes the holidays much safer”
That’s false. He has no data to support that claim.
The anchor then asks what about the person who is reluctant, who says "I’ve had covid 3 times and I have had all the shots.”
Jha argues such a person should still get the fall booster.
Jha, “Its going to be milder. You are less likely to spread it to others.”
“You are less likely to spread it to her [grandma]”
“That [Long covid] gets reduced a lot.”
These claims are false. He has no evidence for any of them.
Also, what doctor would advise someone who has had 3 shots and 3 prior bouts of COVID to get an additional booster?
That would be taking on risk without any real possibility of benefit. It is practically negligent recommendation. I would consider it malpractice to boost an individual with 3 prior covid shots and 3 prior infections.
Does Dr. Jha recommend mammograms to women with metastatic breast cancer?
COVID19 vaccines have unique risks in young men. Walid Gelad notes.
Death from myocarditis is fleetingly rare, but it is not zero. Myocarditis from boosting can be as high as 1 in 10k. Unless someone proves that the benefit to the shot is bigger than the potential risk in an RCT, I believe it is inappropriate to recommend it to young men, or anyone with prior COVID.
My views are in line with UK and Australia and most sensible doctors.
Ashish Jha’s view benefit Pfizer.
Recommending this fall dose to someone with 3 prior shots and 3 prior episodes of COVID19 is irresposible and shows Dr. Jha has now decided to prioritize his opinion over data.
The truth is offering a shot to everyone is likely viewed as a politically beneficial strategy in the Administration (keeps the pro vax, zero covid base happy) and they actually don’t care too much if anyone benefits or is harmed, and Jha continues to audition for future career advancement.
The problem is not Jha, the individual. If Jha does not do what he does, the Biden administration will hire someone else who would.
That is why you have to make systemic changes. Like shutting down the CDC and starting over. Like banning senior CDC and FDA officials from working for the drug industry.
I am tired of hearing how rare death from myocarditis is. That death is someone's son, friend, brother etc. I'm sure these people aren't understanding of their loved ones death bc it is "rare". And for what?? It is absolutely disgusting, and the only conclusion I can come to is that the people pushing it are evil.