By Paul Bennett

Sweden justified in implementing only minimal lockdown rules

Sweden’s well publicised covid policy of no-lockdowns during the past two years has been deemed “fundamentally correct” according to a government approved safety commission.

Sweden unfairly received criticism from many western nations for its stance on covid. The Scandinavian country opted against implementing harsh lockdowns and closing schools. Instead, the Swedish government and health officials recommended its citizens a voluntary approach in managing covid with a strong emphasis on personal responsibility.

A panel of eight experts including professors of economics and political science examined Sweden’s unique covid response. The commission stated in its final report: “In comparison with the rest of Europe, Sweden has come through the pandemic relatively well and is among the countries with the lowest excess morality over the period 2020-2021.” The report added, “Focusing on advice and recommendations which people were expected to follow voluntarily was fundamentally correct. It meant that citizens retained more of their personal freedom than in many other countries.”

Despite praising the overall covid response, the panel reported, “In February-March 2020, Sweden should have opted for more rigorous and intrusive disease prevention and control measures.”

Health Minister Lena Hallengren responded to the report’s findings by saying: “The non-lockdown policy has been much debated. I’ve had to answer a lot of questions during the pandemic about the “Swedish strategy”. The fact that the commission concluded that the overall strategy, based on non-invasive recommendations… was the right choice. I think that’s good.”

The report highlighted the worldwide issue of handing too many powers and responsibilities to government approved health agencies. “In a crisis, there must be no uncertainty about who is in charge,” the commission reported.

European drug regulator to examine reports of disturbances in menstruation after covid jabs

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is currently reviewing a possible link between menstrual irregularities and covid vaccines after thousands of women reported changes post-vaccination.

On the February 11, the EMA issued a statement on their official EU website: “The Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) is assessing reported cases of heavy menstrual bleeding (heavy periods) and absence of menstruation (amenorrhea) with the Covid-19 vaccines Comirnaty and Spikevax.

The Committee had previously analyzed reports of menstrual (period) disorders in the context of safety summary reports for Covid-19 vaccines approved in the EU, and concluded at the time that the evidence did not support a casual link between these vaccines and menstrual disorders.

In view of spontaneous reports of menstrual disorders with both vaccines and or findings from the literature, the PRAC decided to further assess occurrences of heavy periods or amenorrhea following vaccination.

Menstrual disorders are very common and can occur with a wide range of underlying medical conditions as well as from stress and tiredness. Cases of these disorders have also been reported following Covid-19 infection.

Heavy periods may be defined as bleeding characteristics by a volume, which may interfere with the person’s physical, social, emotional, and material quality of life. Amenorrhea may be defined as the absence of menstrual bleeding for three or more months in a row.

After reviewing the available evidence, the PRAC decided to request an in-depth evaluation of all available data, including reports from spontaneous reporting systems, clinical trials, and the published literature.

At this stage, it is not yet clear whether there is a casual link between Covid-19 vaccines and the reports of heavy periods or amenorrhea. There is also no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 vaccines affect fertility.

EMA will communicate further when more information becomes available.”

A major study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health examined the link between covid vaccines and menstrual changes. Results from the study found that there was a high incidence of menstrual changes after inoculation. The study collected data from over 6,000 women aged 18-30.

Project Leader at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Dr Lill Trogstad reported: “Menstrual changes are very common, and even before vaccination, almost four out of ten young women reported that they had experienced such changes. However, in this study we see that more women experienced changes after the first or second vaccine doses.”

Government and health officials who coerced millions to get jabbed under the guise of ‘safe and effective’ vaccines need to be answerable to the public as adverse reactions keep emerging all the time.

Referendum in Switzerland rejects funding for state media corporations

Switzerland has voted strongly to reject government plans to increase state funding for media organizations. The referendum was directly related to a Bill approved by the Swiss government in Bern to grant aid for media companies in the region of 151 million Swiss francs a year.

Switzerland utilized its democratic political decision-making process by holding a referendum on the issue. Opponents of the Bill gathered thousands of signatures in a petition to set up the vote.

The unique system of democracy in Switzerland known as ‘Direct Democracy’ was the driving force in initiating this people-led referendum. Direct Democracy allows Swiss citizens to contest, change or modify all laws and changes to the constitution. The right to request a referendum is an integral part of Swiss democracy. For a vote to take place, at least 50,000 signatures from citizens are needed within 100 days to trigger a referendum.

Swiss French language newspaper Le Temps reacted to the referendum results by saying: “Whatever else one says, Sunday, February 13 will force editorial offices to question themselves. The results show that the media are seen as complacent and subject to external influence… The only possible answer is to work even harder, to constantly search for opinions that contradicts one’s own, to continue investigative journalism and field work, and to be innovative. The Swiss media will have no choice but to prove that they are indispensable even in a society dominated by Google, Facebook, and Co.”

Zurich based newspaper Neue Zurcher also posted: “The rejection of additional financial aid could also be a reaction to reporting in coronavirus times. The media’s credibility has been put to the test in these last two unusual years. Their conspicuous closeness to the state and the-as we now know-loyalty to the government of certain outlets imposed by their management must have shaken the confidence of many citizens in the fourth estate of democracy.”

The full results from the Swiss referendum showed 54.6% voting against the financial package for the ‘already bought’ media corporations.

In a time of authoritarian political power and media mass control, it is refreshing to see true democracy and people-power alive and well in a European country.

South African doctor told to stop labeling the omicron variant as mild

One of the first doctors in the world to assess and treat the omicron variant was told to stop playing down the mild features of the variant. Dr Angelique Coetzee, a South African GP was one of the first doctors to discover the new variant in November 2021.

Dr Coetzee told German newspaper Die Welt, “I was told not to publicly state that it was a mild illness. I have been asked to refrain from making such statements and to say that it is a serious illness. I declined.” She added, “In the Netherlands, in the UK, scientists asked: “How can you explain that it’s a mild disease? It’s a serious illness. Look at the mutations.” My reports have thrown them off track. In a pandemic, you also have to look at what is happening at the grassroots level. The general practitioners who treat the sick every day must be asked what they experience, how the clinical picture presents itself.”

In an interview with the Australian Daily Telegraph, Dr Coetzee reported, “Because of all of Covid’s mutations, all of these scientists and politicians who aren’t from South Africa were contacting me telling me I was wrong when I spoke out, that it was a serious disease… they were telling me I had no idea what I was talking about, they kept attacking me. In South Africa, it is a lighter disease, but in Europe it has been a serious, serious illness, which is what the politicians want me to say. There has been a lot of pressure from European scientists and politicians who have said “Please don’t say it is a mild illness.”

Many countries will never admit their part in whipping up mass hysteria especially regarding the mild omicron variant. One hopes that more doctors like Dr Coetzee will bravely speak out on what they see/don’t see in their work health settings.