From the suburbs of Washington, DC, and northern Virginia to the bat-infested caves of Wuhan, China, Dr. Ravi Iyer traces the myriad networks of the virus that brought the entire world to its knees for twenty-four months and decimated the lives of millions in its path. The Reaper’s Dance puts you in a ringside seat to the horror of the COVID pandemic, the calculations of men who were in positions to influence the fate of millions, the science that might have unleashed the pandemic, and the science that saved the world. From the failures of governments and leaders to the triumphs of individual men and women, The Reaper’s Dance is a story of the complex and compelling tapestry of human hubris and humility, courage, and cowardice, with an enduring, cautionary message for all humankind.
The Reaper’s Dance is a must-read that will inspire you, shake you, and wake you up.
Additional Praise for The Reaper's An intensely gripping account of the COVID pandemic. The writing is fast-paced and the book reads like a thriller but remains factual and very well-cited in its references. This is a book to be savored and returned to for its continued relevance long after the last page has been read.... H. H
Dr. Ravi Iyer has done a fabulous job in pulling together the story on the political stance changes, the thinking on the origins of the virus, and weaving it into the narrative in a fast-moving book that gripped me from the first page. I kept catching myself thinking as I read it, “Oh yes, that did happen”, “Trump did indeed say that” … and shake my head in disbelief as I read on. I liked the stories of the specific patients that peppered the evolution of the analysis of the pandemic. Also the bit on the seniors with cognitive decline … it hadn’t occurred to me how difficult it would have been to care for that group.... A. B
Physician-scientist, inventor, author, and entrepreneur with research publications in the mechanisms of gene controls and several patents on FDA-registered veterinary and human medicines, Dr Iyer is the CEO of ActivPower, Inc. a nutrition and wellness company he founded as well as the founding physician of The Iyer Clinic in Northern Virginia, A trans-disciplinary polymath born in Mumbai, and raised in Eastern India, life has taken Dr. Iyer from the medical colleges on the banks of the Ganges where he would swim each morning before heading to his lectures to the rarefied ivory towers of academia as a scientist and postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. He has been a Hospice Director, a Chairman of a 225-bed hospital, and is the Director of Clinical Research for a 300-physician medical group,
Dr. Iyer's essays, articles, and writings focus on the intersection and interactions of social events with people as metrics of health in a society. His extensive background of over 40 years in the fields of medicine, science, basic research, drug regulation, and vaccine development and deep insight into the human condition puts him in a unique position to speak about these issues with clarity, incisive depth, and deep compassion. His passion is educating and advocating for a balanced understanding and stewardship of our life and world in a manner that allows for all-around growth and health for all creatures and populations.
The journey through the eyes of individuals whose experiences that have been described by Dr.Ravi Iyer in The Reaper’s Dance will resonate with many. These deeply personal experiences hold the reader spellbound as the enormity of the challenges faced by first responders are brought to light in great detail. The inept handling of a national health crisis by those in power, coupled with offering of solutions that made a mockery of the seriousness of the Pandemic sent this nation and many others into a catastrophic tailspin. Dr. Iyer painstakingly takes the reader through these dark times and explains how ordinary people all over the world rose to the occasion and lead the way in treating and saving lives of fellow humans.
The Reaper’s Dance is a must read to understand how the Corona virus brought the U.S and the rest of the world to a standstill, and what lessons we can learn in order to handle future crises with speed and efficacy. The personal stories are absorbing and told in a manner that builds suspense and adds mystery to what could have been a drab.and depressing subject. I congratulate Dr. Iyer for handling s difficult topic lucidly and with clarity to keep the reader engaged fully. I highly recommend the Reaper’s Dance to young and old alike.
The Reapers Dance is an absorbing, enlightening and cautionary account of the COVID pandemic. Although non-fictional and factual, it almost reads like fiction, so bizarre was the truth of the events that unfolded. The pace is quick, hard hitting and sustained my interest throughout. The detailed science behind it and the political and geographical drivers were interspersed with heartfelt human interest vignettes. This made it so much more relatable and gave us a ringside view of the pandemic from a medical professional’s point of view. Highly recommend! 4.5 stars!
A “FRONTLINE DOCTOR’S” PERSPECTIVE ON COVID, AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
Dr. Ravi R. Iyer wrote in the Introduction to this 2023 (3rd edition) book, “The idea for this book evolved out of my team’s experiences here at the Iyer Clinic on the frontlines of healthcare during the pandemic… I could see that … leaders and public health authorities were doing an abysmal job in communicating the lessons that needed to be taught… There is no single hero or villain in this story and even the most egregious offender did some things wonderfully well… this book is a plea and a pathway to understanding the essential interconnectedness that we have to each other and the health … on every continent of this fragile planet.”
He recounts, “On March 1, 2020, the … New York Times would announce that President Trump’s statements dismissing the public’s fears as the U.S. reported its first death from COVID. And none of my doctor colleagues or my staff had any real concern that our lives would change in any way. The 2020 presidential election cycle had just begun, and the United States was in the grip of an unusually polarized public debate… The phenomenon of the COVID-19 pandemic … is as much a story of the evolution of American consciousness and the way science, media, and the body politic would handle the dissemination of facts and information as it is a story of the virus and the disease it wrought.” (Pg. 5-6)
He reports, “In those early days of gloom and doom, trained physicians opted to shutter their practice without any rational insight into how to conduct themselves safely in the presence of a novel respiratory virus or take steps to acquire the skills necessary to keep their operations running. Physician groups were panicking… The level of anxiety and fear was astronomical among private physician practices… Groups that struggled looked upon practices that remained open and thrived with significant angst and hostility. For the first six to nine months of the pandemic, the degree of hostility between physician practices was incredible, and… petty retribution was exerted between practices in this competitive shark-fest of panic-ridden survival.” (Pg 15-16)
He recalls, “Our first two patients were still struggling with their recovery in isolation at home… The question for us was what to do with those patients who were too sick to come to the office but not sick enough to go to the hospital?... My staff… put together a mobile COVID provider kit… We set up a pop-up camp portable shower privacy stall in the driveway … and used it to change into our hazmat PPE and PAPR gear. We walked into the house dressed like astronauts in our moon suits… The sheer relief in the patients’ and their families’ faces as we walked into their homes was something I will remember for the rest of my days… the fact that we were able to some into their home… without fear of contagion and touching and examining them, had an incredibly therapeutic effect.” (Pg. 25, 27)
He comments, “On March 17, a French team of doctors published a report on the use of hydroxychloroquine … The paper set off a firestorm of excitement worldwide… other nations all explored the possible unity of hydroxychloroquine … as a potential panacea for a virus few understood well at that time… President Trump, who had faced withering criticism over his decisions… to downplay the seriousness of the pandemic, immediately seized upon this as his Holy Grail of redemption… Patients began clamoring for the drug… All of this stopped by June 2020, when it was established that the drug had little value at best and significant risks at worst. But by then, the impact on the scientific dialogue about the virus… had already occurred.” (Pg. 31-32)
He observes, “During the pandemic, everyone became an instant expert… without the requirement of … the discipline needed to command that knowledge… the drama of a worldwide disease was being played out in the arena of public consciousness and conversation, with absolutely no filters of discrimination or insight… the media argued, promoted, and propounded every hypothesis, theory, and fact with equal weight. All of this produced intense disorientation of the lay public’s sense of reality and stability.” (Pg. 36)
He notes, “Nothing illustrates the damage done to the management of the pandemic more than the story of the masking guidance in the United States… In late February 2020, the U.S. Surgeon General tweeted that wearing a face mask would not prevent the public from contracting the novel coronavirus. But strangely he insisted that the same ineffective masks would be essential for the protection of healthcare workers as they cared for sick people. The obvious contradictions in his logic were not lost upon the general public and only served to undermine… the public’s faith in the guidance being provided by the authorities… President Trump, along with a majority of MAGA Republicans, publicly flouted masking by personal example. Just a few days after recovering from his own COVID infection, Trump tweeted… ‘Many people every year… despite the vaccine, die from the Flu. Are we going to close down our Country? No, we have learned to live with it, just like we are learning to live with Covid, in most populations less lethal!!!’” (Pg. 47-49)
He points out, “The United States has only 4 percent of the world’s population and yet experienced 15 percent of the global COVID-19 mortality… This single statistic alone is the most damning indictment of US Republican leadership … and history is likely to judge their performance as a criminal dereliction of duty. The sad irony … is that the same anti-vax, anti-science, conspiracy theorist-proposing narratives … resulted in more Republicans dying of COVID … due to their resistance to public health mitigation efforts. Later, when the first vaccines rolled out, far fewer Republicans opted to receive COVID vaccination. As a result, Republicans died in greater numbers than did Democrats… the grim reaper did harvest more of the heads of those who embraced the policies of fear, division, and disruption than of those who turned, instead, to fact and fellowship.” (Pg. 60-61)
He says, “When you have the president of the United States opining on the value of irradiating UV light inside lungs and of injecting bleach and disinfection into lungs and body tissue as if human beings were so many objects of furniture to be wiped free and disinfected, then you can begin to comprehend the colossal knowledge deficit the country was operating under.” (Pg. 80-81)
He asserts, “The overarching theme that runs like a common thread through the various policy decision and actions of the Trump administration … from January 2020 till November 2020 can be summed up in a single sentence. ‘Do not do anything that can jeopardize reelection!’ Every one of the myriads of apparently conflicting and schizophrenic policy switches of the Trump administration … harmonizes into a uniform pattern when viewed through the transactional lens of this mantra of the constant pursuit and preservation of personal power.” (Pg. 137)
He acknowledges, “never in the history of humankind has an effective vaccine been created from concept to finished product in eight months instead of the usual eight to ten years. In this, at least some credit must be accorded to Operation Warp Speed of the Trump administration…” (Pg. 149)
He explains, “Donald Trump realized in late October 2020 that neither Pfizer nor Moderna would have data on the efficacy of their vaccines available before the November 3 elections. This meant there would be no vaccine approved by the FDA before the elections. Trump’s paranoia led him to believe this was a conspiracy against him, though … this is not how such matters work. Regardless, Trump essentially washed his hands of the entire effort from that point. He declared the federal government’s responsibility was limited to making the vaccine available. Distribution would be up to the diverse state health authorities. As far as he was concerned… Warp Speed would not help his reelection, so he could not be concerned about its success. If fact, in the months between November 2020 and January 2021, the Trump administration actively resisted coordination and transfer of information about Warp Speed and other pandemic-related public health efforts to the incoming Biden administration. In a perverse manner… failure of the vaccine effort was now of greater value to the outgoing Republican leadership as much as its success was of value to the Biden administration… the continued illness and death toll of the suffering American populace was of no concern. It was a cynical scorched earth policy of a vindictive, despotically bankrupt regime in desperate retreat.” (Pg. 163-164) Later, he adds, “Despite all his support of Operation Warp Speed, at no point has President Trump come out in active, aggressive defense of vaccines and promotion of vaccination.” (Pg. 170)
He concludes, “The pandemic revealed this interconnectedness of us all in a way as never before. Whether it was the spread of a single virus from China to Alaska… or the fact that our atmosphere and our wilderness is connected to our use of this planet, the pandemic showed that rather than us versus them, we had better begin thinking of us and them as ‘we.’ Will we learn? Will we remember? Will you?” (Pg. 197-198)
This book will be of keen interest to those seeking critical perspectives on the Trump administration and COVID-19.
Dr. Iyer’s "The Reaper's Dance" is an incredible book that really captures what it was like to live through the COVID-19 pandemic. It isn't your typical pandemic chronicle. It is a poignant, gripping, fast-paced, and deeply personal journey that takes you from the frontlines of a suburban Virginia clinic to the murky origins of the virus in Wuhan, China.
Dr. Iyer, a medical professional himself, doesn't shy away from the harsh realities. He provides a broad, more nuanced portrayal of the global crisis in his book. He exposes the failures of leadership, the confusion surrounding the science, and the human cost of the virus's rampage. Yet, the book isn't a relentless downer. It weaves in stories of resilience, the unwavering efforts of healthcare workers, and the scientific breakthroughs that ultimately saved lives. Dr. Iyer’s meticulous research is evident, providing a well-rounded context that enhances the authenticity of the book. His writing is evocative, making complex themes understandable without sacrificing depth. He seamlessly blends medical details with political maneuvers and personal anecdotes, making the complex story accessible to a wide audience. What sets "The Reaper's Dance" apart is its balanced perspective. Dr. Iyer does not shy away from the harsh realities and systemic failures exposed by the pandemic, but he also highlights the resilience and solidarity that emerged in communities worldwide. The narrative is a testament to the indomitable human spirit and the ways in which adversity can bring out both the best and worst in society. Dr. Iyer's firsthand experiences treating patients add a layer of raw emotion, reminding us of the human cost behind the statistics.
Overall, The Reaper's Dance is more than just a story about a virus; it's a reflection on human strength and solidarity. Dr. Iyer has written something that will help us remember and understand this unique time in history. I strongly believe that this powerful and thought-provoking record of the pandemic will resonate with many people and is definitely worth picking up.
The Reaper's Dance was a fascinating book that described the experiences a frontline healthcare worker had in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. Dr. Iyer discussed his decision to accept patients with COVID-19 symptoms into his clinic during the onset of the pandemic, knowing that he was exposing himself to risk. He clearly and vividly discussed all the factors that led him to this decision, including his feeling that he must tackle the pandemic head-on. Closing his practice would merely be a facade; the risk of him and his staff contracting COVID would not be reduced through closure since he still must interact with the outside world. Through this riveting story, Dr. Iyer not only described his life story and experiences being on the front lines in the fight against COVID, but also discussed the collective effort of healthcare professionals and scientists around the world who worked tirelessly to save patients and to develop a cure.
An interesting and easy read where the author walks us through the timeline of how the corona virus, that had an impact on each of us, swept through the world. He beautifully merges science with emotion so that we understand the science and the politics and connect its impact on individuals. Dr. Iyer candidly walks us through his own journey in dealing with, and his research in understanding, the seriousness of the pandemic. I particularly enjoyed the way he weaves in anecdotes from his personal life. As is typical when I read books online, I highlight phrases or sentences that I want to go back and read again. I found I was highlighting so much in this book that I may as well read the entire book again! Lots of life lessons and takeaways in this. A must read for all!
Dr. Iyer takes the reader through the two year timeline of COVID. He demonstrated much compassion for his patients and also sharing information to others including his home country of India or anywhere in the world where info was needed. He was direct about the lack of U.S. leadership support in some areas such as wearing masks, distancing, but also was an important reason vaccine was developed so quickly. Lot of science provided in a way that could be understood, some I had to read twice, but OK. What may have really have happened as the reason for the start of COVID. We need to take steps to prevent future outbreaks and we can but we need to work together and improve our health care system..
This book was very informative about how Covid works. It was interesting to read it from the perspective of one of the courageous frontline workers during a very scary time. There are stories told about how others were directly affected by Covid. However, the political bias is very obvious. I feel like some parts could have been written more diplomatically rather than coming out sounding as an attack against those who think differently. Overall, a good read.
information is not up to date concerning masking and vaccines
Very slanted politically. Very easy to read especially since there is a lot of scientific jargon. It does cover aspects of the covid pandemic from a frontline doctors view but there is info in this story that has been changed.