Re-watched the Nuremberg Trials the other day, with newly discovered audio of the hearings. Echoes of present…

Re-watched the Nuremberg Trials the other day, with newly discovered audio of the hearings. Echoes of present times, with populists (Trump, Robodebt pollies) in the dock for egregious trashing of national leadership. It made me think about being a CMO or CHO. /1 https://t.co/xs11KBDqbZ

Imagine if the advice you’ve given government is that infecting the *entire* population with a novel virus, repeatedly, is the best option. Even if (as is the case) politicians have also strongly signalled that’s the advice they’re after. /2

Politicians will escape consequences, because they always do, they write the laws to be sure of it. But expert advisers won’t, accountability will come for them. Politicians will throw them under a bus with glee, as human shields. Officials are held to a higher standard. /3

Because that’s what officialdom is, governed by a set of customs and traditions that cross generations, to inject that longer-term view and experience into present-day decisions. I wouldn’t want to be one of those officials or experts, I think the clock is ticking for them. /4

It’s a NOVEL virus. We have little idea of long-term impact. The most basic risk management would advise to avoid infection. Instead we’ve gone to the exact opposite extreme, and let it rip. Everybody is not only expected to get infected, repeatedly, expert advice says…/5

…that’s NECESSARY. There isn’t one way I can think of that makes that sensible advice. It follows not one basic process of risk management. Experts and officials may have been flattered to be the centre of public attention, or they may feel they were ‘only following orders’. /6

People were hung for that defence, at Nuremberg. I don’t think we’ll end up there, but the public attention cowardly, self-promoting expertise garnered in this pandemic will eventually be a scrutiny they won’t enjoy. They’ll be on trial. Time for them to reflect. /end