There is no reasonable doubt that the novel coronavirus, covid 19, was a gift to the world from the Chinese Communist Party. What remains in dispute is whether this new version of coronavirus is a natural mutation of the covid 2 or man made, created in a virology lab. Adding to the suspicion that the latter is true is the fact that several virology labs in universities around the world, including in the USA, have conducted coronavirus experiments funded by grants from the Chinese government and their results all shared with the lab in Wuhan, China.

While the disease is apolitical, responses to it by state and local governments have clearly split along red state, blue state lines. Blue states adopted more draconian measures and slowed or stopped commerce to a much greater degree than did red states. The suspicion here is that these measures had more to do with providing talking points for the upcoming elections to counter the current president’s assertions that he had created a “great economy” than they did with confronting the virus

However, the ownership referred to here is not concerned with the origins of the virus but rather those individuals and institutions that have claimed the virus as a means to gain ends not connected to protecting the health of the populace. This is an important consideration because the virus has become so politicized that it is impossible for a lay person, threatened by the dire consequences of the disease, to know what to believe and which “advisor” is speaking truth instead of advancing a personal agenda.

With a presidential election just months away it is obvious that one party is using the virus to keep the spotlight off of its candidate and to castigate the other candidate for having botched the nation’s response to covid 19. In that sense they have coopted the ownership of the virus for narrow partisan gains. Can anyone be certain that pronouncements from such politicized sources can be taken as serious medical advice?

Concerning medical advice, the president formed a committee to address the problem and provide information and advice to the nation. The panel, is chaired by the Vice President and steered by two noted virologists, Drs Fauci and Birx. These two doctors were chosen to serve in a republican administration despite the fact that both were staunch supporters of democratic candidates and causes, which could be construed as a bipartisan effort to provide the best information possible to the public.

One of the greatest controversies to come from the medical advisors on the covid 19 panel is that of hydroxychloroquine versus remdesivir. Hydroxychloroquine was touted by the president as “a game changer.” Dr. Fauci reacted strongly to this stance, rejected the use of the drug and was quickly backed up by studies showing that hydroxychloroquine was not only ineffective but was actually dangerous to use. The FDA chimed in, rescinded permission for it to be used off label for covid 19 and the World Health Organization cancelled sponsored tests of the drug.

Apparently the president was on the wrong side of the science and remdesivir, with far fewer tests having been completed and with no “anecdotal” history of cures, was fast tracked.

Remdesivir carries a cost of $3000 to $4000 per course of treatment, hydroxychloroquine costs a dollar a dose. Remdesivir has patent protection, hydroxychloroquine has been in worldwide use for 65 years with no history of adverse reactions and is in public domain. Remdesivir is made in China under license from Gilead Sciences and, surprise, surprise, our Dr. Fauci has financial ties to Gilead Sciences.

Would it be cynical to suggest that financial considerations might influence medical advice? Could it be that big Pharma exerts control over government agencies and their spokespersons by dangling the twin carrots of current monetary rewards and future employment? If so, then big Pharma has also assumed partial ownership of the virus.

Tragically people are dying and the politicalization of the virus is contributing in a great degree to these deaths.

Congress seems to have a penchant for investigating every subject under the sun. Given the wide variety of information and disinformation circulating around covid 19, where are the congressional committees charged with separating the wheat from the chaff and providing unbiased facts to we, the people?

Or could it be that our Houses of Congress, in the spirit of not letting a good crisis go to waste, feel better served by the status quo and have also staked out an ownership position in the covid 19.