Ashish Jha's prior life: Other scientists are 'clowns,' not 'a serious player,' and he didn't want to sit next to the unvaccinated

Ashish Jha served as COVID czar under the Biden administration. He famously said that God gave us two arms so that we could get the COVID19 booster and the fall flu shot at the same time. That COVID19 booster was pushed on young people— as young as 6 months old— and people who already and recently had COVID. Ashish had no good evidence that those groups benefit from that additional dose. He pushed this unproven intervention relentlessly on TV. He didn’t demand randomized trials from Pfizer for boosters powered for clinical endpoints. It was sad to watch a doctor become a propagandist for a political regime.

Recently, some commenters remarked that it is good for Ashish to be doing the media circuit and admitting that many of his administration’s policies were in-error. I agree, but he is still not totally honest. Let us revisit some of his prior comments.

In Sept 2021, nearly 10 months after adult vaccination was offered, and at least 4 months after any adult American who wanted it could get it, Ashish criticized his favorite target Ron DeSantis’ Florida

Ashish was wrong. Mask mandates had no data and testing after vaccines were made widely available was pointless. He called Jay Bhattacharya and Martin Kullsdorff, two professors with different points of view, clowns. Florida of course did not suffer more from following their advice, but rather gained bc they opened schools faster.

In the fall of 2021, Ashish displayed distaste for the unvaccinated while admitted that both unvaccinated and vaccinated could transmit.

Here, Dr. Jha shows his ignorance. Breakthrough infection post vaccination was inevitable. That was obvious the moment there were breakthrough infections. There really was no point in sitting with an uncomfortable mask to delay it.

Furthermore, breakthrough infection despite vaccination meant that he shouldn’t just worry about the unvaccinated person, he should also worry about the vaccinated person. He didn’t say that because it was fashionable to speak poorly about the unvaccinated at that time. Treating the unvaccinated like dogs was acceptable. I found it distasteful for a physician.

In Jan 2021

Ashish said he wore a mask for “most normal outdoor things”. This was incorrect at the time. It was well know that masks are not necessary outside (even if he believed they do work) because no transmission occurs outside. Furthermore, he may have been vaccinated when he said this, which makes it even more bizarre.

In the fall of 2020

Lots of ad-hominem against Scott Atlas, but Scott was correct about masking, kids schools, and the risk to young people. Furthermore the Great Barrington Declaration had many great points, like the urgency to reopen public elementary schools.

He faulted the GBD authors for not protecting the vulnerable, but places that disavowed the GBD— New York State/city— did a worse job with elderly deaths. Frankly his criticism was unfounded.

Why did Ashish Jha pour kerosine on the COVID19 debates rather than sensibly engage on masking, schools, etc? Two commenters offer ideas...