Scientists to Spanish politicians: 'You rule but don't know'

Scientific groups representing over 170,000 health workers are urging Spanish politicians to base ir response to coronavirus pandemic on science rar than politics.

10-point manifesto by 55 scientific societies comes after a political turf war between left-wing national government and conservative authorities of Mrid region led to weeks of back and forth before Spanish capital was partially locked down late on Friday.

With 647 new coronavirus infections per 100,000 residents in past two weeks, Mrid has been source of Europe’s most worrying surge of infections in ongoing second wave of pandemic.

manifesto, published Sunday in all major newspapers, was helined "In health, you rule but you don’t kw.” scientists wrote that “decisions must be based on best available scientific evidence, completely detached from continuous political confrontation.”

manifesto also calls for less red tape in opting measures against virus outbreaks, for authorities in Spain’s 19 regions to abide by a set of national scientific standards that would dictate response and an end to interference in medical decisions.

dressing “politicians” in general, scientists write: “On behalf of more than 47 million Spaniards, including you and your families, we have to change so much political, professional and human inconsistency.”

manifesto h received more than 20,000 online backers by mid-Monday.

(Im Credit: AP)