You have to be perfect if you deny people taking their turn to speak. Or alternatively accept that you could be wrong and let people propose other ideas. Even if you believe these to have absolutely no merit, it is not something you have the right to answer for everyone. This was always one of the largest problems of scientific progress, not "wrong science". If it is wrong there will be a counter-proof. Not some self-asserted authority to filter anything.
The same concept applies for making health decisions of course. It would indeed be an interesting question if states have overstepped their authority with some enforced measures and I believe it can be argued that they did.
An appeal to authority is weak if some professionals get shouted down. And they were and some of them later proved correct. You undermine your own argument if you propose this to be the most reasonable option. I hope the communication and tolerance for diverging opinion is seriously improved in the next pandemic. It has to.
The same concept applies for making health decisions of course. It would indeed be an interesting question if states have overstepped their authority with some enforced measures and I believe it can be argued that they did.
An appeal to authority is weak if some professionals get shouted down. And they were and some of them later proved correct. You undermine your own argument if you propose this to be the most reasonable option. I hope the communication and tolerance for diverging opinion is seriously improved in the next pandemic. It has to.