Dave Janda, a retired orthopedic surgeon and a researcher who also operates the podcast and radio show Operation Freedom, made the statement during his appearance in Health Ranger Mike Adams' Brighteon Conversations.

According to Janda, who worked under former Surgeon General C. Everett Coop during the latter part of the Reagan presidency, many elements – some of whom are connected to both Big Pharma and the government – are exploiting the hysteria surrounding COVID-19 in order to make a profit off the pandemic, as well as to take away the "American public's inherent freedoms."

"Look where our freedoms were in January. I mean they were already being limited, but look at where our freedoms were in January and where we are now," Janda said, noting in his interview that the measures enforced by the government such as store closures, mask-wearing mandates, indefinite lockdowns and planned forced vaccinations, are all about keeping the population under control.