A top Edmonton doctor in virology says Albertans “are being led down the garden path” by government health officials in their efforts to stop the COVID-19 virus..Dr. Roger Hodkinson says the virus is no worse than a “bad flu.”.Hodkinson is the CEO of Western Medical Assessments, and has been the company’s medical director for over 20 years. He received his general medical degrees from Cambridge University in the U.K., and then became a Royal College certified pathologist in Canada (FRCPC) following a residency in Vancouver..He also taught at the University of Alberta and runs MutantDx, a molecular diagnostics company in North Carolina..“What I am going to say is lay language and blunt,” Hodkinson said during an Edmonton City Council Community and Public Services Committee meeting, audio of which is currently making the rounds on YouTube..“There is utterly unfounded public hysteria driven by the media and politicians. It’s outrageous. This is the greatest hoax every perpetrated on an unsuspecting public..“There is absolutely nothing to be done to contain this virus other than protecting your more vulnerable people. It should be thought of as nothing more than a bad flu season..“This is not Ebola. It’s not SARS. It’s politics playing medicine. And that’s a very dangerous game.”.“Masks are utterly useless. There is no evidence based on their effectiveness whatsoever. Seeing these people walking around like lemmings obeying without any knowledge…putting the masks on.”.Hodkinson said social distancing is also “useless” because the virus can travel up to 30 m before landing..He said positive tests, which do not accurately reflect whether you have the virus, are driving “public hysteria,” adding testing should stop unless you show up at a hospital with respiratory problems.. POLL: Many Albertans say they will ignore Christmas COVID lockdown .He called for residents of long term care homes to be given daily doses of Vitamin D which can help battle the virus..Hodkinson said the risk of death from COVID-19 to Albertans under 65 is 1 in 300,000..He also blamed businesses closures for a spate of suicides and other social problems..“It’s just another bad flu, and you have to get your minds around that. You’re being led down the garden path by the chief medical officer of health (Dr. Deena Hinshaw) in this province.,” he said..“I am absolutely outraged that it has reached this level.”.The Western Standard tried to contact Hodkinson through his office, but when informed what the topic involved, a secretary said he was too busy all week..A message has been left on his cell phone..Alberta has had close to 41,000 cases of COVID-19 resulting in 427 deaths..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
