Im banned from them too for asking a question. Not a Tucker Carlson style "just asking questions". I don't know if I even remember the context, but I was replying to a mod who said something outlandish and asked for clarification. I probably also stated my own opinion on the matter, but it's not like I have a history of abusive or rule breaking behavior.

What do you mean by independent research scientist? There are examples of self-funded research like with Wolfram or Mitchell, but when I hear "independent research" in the same discussion as "covid" I assume you mean that you read a lot of blogs. Biology research is expensive and highly regulated, especially with a pathogen. At best, I'd trust a truly independent scientist (not trading government for ngo or corporate funding) to write a really good review article. Scientific consensus is a lot more reliable than the results of any one study. Yes, biases are inherent to any human endeavor. The need for funding drives research focus. Some people outright falsify data to get publications in. I still trust one guy with unknown motivations less than a theory tested by a dozen subject matter experts.