Putting Scott Atlas in charge of COVID is like...

Scott Atlas is a radiologist, but he’s now the dominant force on the coronavirus task force.

COVID is an infectious disease. Radiologists deal with an entirely different field of medicine entirely. According to the American College of Radiology, they specialize in “diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases using medical imaging (radiology) procedures” like X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasound.

What does Atlas know about infectious diseases?

It’s hard to tell, but one thing’s for sure: It’s certainly NOT his area of expertise, any more than a chiropractor’s an expert on open-heart surgery. You can be a doctor of a lot of different things that have very little to do with one another, because there are a ton of different specialties. There are even doctors who don’t practice medicine: Ph.ds are offered in many fields of study.

Here’s the thing: Who would go to a brain surgeon for a case of chickenpox. No one. Except maybe Donald Trump, who seems to think anyone with the word “doctor” in front of his name is automatically an expert in every field of medicine.

Or maybe he just wants to find someone who tells him what he wants to hear. Actually, it’s probably that.

But by way of comparison, here’s what treating Scott Atlas like an expert on COVID is like:

Appointing LeBron James as head of the NFL rules committee, because he’s a pro athlete.

Expecting a checkers champion to beat Garry Kasparov at chess.

Calling a plumber to fix an electrical problem, because they’re both “handymen.”

Asking a pest-control service to resolve an argument with an annoying neighbor.

Hiring a baseball umpire to referee a basketball game.

Expecting a motorcycle racing champion to win the Tour de France.

Waving a Confederate flag and calling yourself a patriot.

Trying to breathe water because “it’s got oxygen in it.”

Thinking a trip to Iceland will be like a trip to Hawaii, because they’re both islands.

Hiring the Frisbee company to build a flying saucer to explore the galaxy.

Making a pie for someone who’s ordered a cake because they’re both desserts.

Mistaking an eagle for a velociraptor because they’re both raptors.

Expecting someone who speaks French to understand Spanish perfectly because they’re both Romance languages.

Thinking a laxative will have the same effect as diarrhea medicine because they both address “bowel issues.”

Thinking the Quran and the Bhagavad Gita are the same thing.

Using a Chihuahua as a sled dog in the Iditarod because one dog’s as good as another.

Trying to use a Walmart card at Target.

Using a driver at a miniature golf course.

Filling a diesel truck with unleaded gas.

Pretending Chris Pine, not William Shatner, is Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot movies.

Putting Vince McMahon on the Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team because of his long experience in pro wrestling.

Hiring Charlie Sheen as a baseball pitcher because he played one in Major League.

Electing a failed businessman as a president because he said he’d make a good one.