Charles Teves
Netizens have gone after infectious disease expert Dr. Edsel Salvaña after Pres. Rodrigo Duterte only recently realized the importance of mass COVID-19 testing.
In his latest televised address, Duterte emphasized the importance of mass testing and ordered Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to find a way to make it as free as possible to the public.
“You know, what’s really important, and I realized now, it’s the testing, the swabbing, the test. It’s expensive,” he told Duque.
Duterte was criticized for his late realization.
Now, people are slamming Salvaña for previously telling those who criticize health experts to “sit down” because their rants “don’t help.”
His argument was somehow correct but it came off as pompous.
Epic rant against opportunists (including doctors) who keep yelling their misinformed opinions on a topic they have no relevant expertise in. They DON'T HELP. They just confuse & distract. Listen to the infectious diseases docs & epidemiologists. Everyone else SIT DOWN. #COVID19 https://t.co/B1OsK6Xjgv
— Dr. Edsel Salvana (@EdselSalvana) March 23, 2020
A netizen questioned his title as an epidemiologist because COVID-19 results in the country have been unsatisfactory.
Hi @EdselSalvana kung napakagaling mong epidemiologist bakit 9 months na tayong CQ without an end in sight (apart from glimmers of vaccine?) NAG SIT DOWN NAMAN KAMING LAHAT PERO BAKET WALANG NANGYARI??? BAKEEETTTT????
— jennylyn mechado (@emceemorx) December 8, 2020
Salvaña last April wrote an article in Esquire saying that mass testing was not a priority. One main reason is the cost.
“Its limitations may also actually mislead us into thinking that some people are safe to work, or are not going to transmit even if this is not the case. It only takes one false negative case to wreak havoc on a population.” he said.
I hope Dr. SitDown realizes he has blood on his hands, when he let his narcissism stand in the way of mass testing back then. As someone who knew people who died from COVID, up yours, you fucking Science Mocha, and everyone who enabled the breathtaking incompetence of this admin.
— Demontitang Aczar of Manila (@mrsunlawyer) December 8, 2020
Just because he has the credentials doesn’t mean regular people can’t give their own opinion, says a netizen.
Doctors do not have the monopoly of knowledge. Mas matutuwa tayo kung ang mga lay people ay nagbabasa. Meaning nyan,interesado silang matuto. Mali ba ang kanilang binabasa? Then make it a teachable moment. Having a medical degree doesn't give you a license to be an asshat.
— Tom (@Tom_MD_) December 8, 2020
A molecular biologist poked fun at Salvaña for using his status to impose his opinion on others.
https://twitter.com/josh_danac/status/1336284874248839176?s=20
Salvaña is known to block people on social media who criticize and question his medical claims.
alternatively, trying to project an image of being a benevolent authority figure, at the expense of being the ONLY correct voice (and everyone else is wrong, and how dare they try to question you)
— Josh #MassTestingNowPH #NEVERAGAIN (@josh_danac) December 8, 2020
Salvaña has yet to criticize the government’s response to the pandemic.
akin lang naman @EdselSalvana (who won't see this cos he blocked me lol) why don't you leverage your "expert" standing to speak out about the horrible failures in the pandemic response? e.g. yung pag-prioritize ng uniformed personnel for vaccination, payag ka don?
— Josh #MassTestingNowPH #NEVERAGAIN (@josh_danac) December 8, 2020
https://twitter.com/josh_danac/status/1336286737593581569?s=20
Also in April, Salvaña said that numbers indicated a flattening of the curve, which people said was a manner of giving false hope.
158 new cases. That's higher than yesterday's 76 cases but lower than the March 31 peak of 538 cases. This really seems to indicate flattening. This is encouraging and points to a real effect of ECQ. Extension is an option, but the hardest hit will need a lot of support. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/zEPyYI4tjF
— Dr. Edsel Salvana (@EdselSalvana) April 5, 2020
In mid September, he claimed that there is no evidence to prove social distancing reduces the likelihood of transmitting the disease, therefore loosening physical distancing measures should already start gradually.
“Wala tayong ebidensya na okay lang i-less than one-meter natin. Di naman ibig sabihin na di talagang pwedeng gawin, yung problema lang kasi kailangan nating pag aralan,” Salvaña said during an interview with DZMM Teleradyo
“Kailangan natin pag aralan. Huwag muna natin gawin ng malawakan. Kailangan po talaga unti unti lang rather than biglaan.
“Hindi naman po natin sinasabing hindi puwede. Pero dahil wala pa tayong magandang ebidensya, siguro dapat hindi po biglaan dahil baka magkaroon tayo ng problema talaga.
“Kung magkamali po tayo, marami talagang madidisgrasya,” he added.
Netizens caught him flip-flopping because he previously urged the public to always keep a distance of six feet from each other.
He flip-flopped so much that he was given the nickname of “Science Mocha” after Fake News Queen Mocha Uson.
