Correction: This post has been corrected to indicate that Dr. Erickson’s and Massihi ‘s COVID-19 infection and mortality rates are based on patient visits to their clinic, not the general population and provides clarification of their shelter in place opinion. Â In addition, the video has been removed.
Two California doctors of immunology and owners of a Bakersfield Urgent Care facility suggest only the sick and immuno-compromised individuals must be quarantined, not healthy people.
KIRO New 23 reported -Doctors Dan Erickson and Artin Massihi said their facilities have tested over 5,200 patients for the coronavirus throughout the county, making up for over half of all testing in Kern. According to their data, the death rate of the coronavirus is similar in prevalence to the flu. Dr. Erickson and Dr. Massihi have extrapolated their numbers based on visits to their specific Urgent Care facility, not the general population and thus may have overestimated infection numbers, though underestimating mortality rates, in California.
The doctors also suggested that sheltering in place for the general public would limit microbial exposure and lead to weaker immune systems. Home environments, however, do in fact contain trillions of microbes.
Dr. Erickson says there is something much larger at play here.
Dr. Erickson: ER doctors now, you know, the friends that I talk to are saying you know it’s interesting that when I’m writing up my death report I am being pressured to add COVID. Why is that? Why are we being pressured to add COVID? To maybe increase the numbers and make it look worse than it actually is?…  This is not about science and it’s not even about COVID. When they use the word “safe” the word safe is about controlling you. So when I talk to all of my ER doctors who work in a hospital with no stake in the game, same opinion.
Dr. Erickson then goes on to praise the Swedish model in keeping the economy open with some social distancing during the pandemic.