Cartesian Doubt (skepticism) is also arguably the most critical principle of science. “The science” has to be subject to skepticism or it isn’t science, and no progress is made.

"We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress." ― Richard P. Feynman

As for covid, it’s actually worse than you say. If all you care about is “science” and all you care about is ending covid, you could just kill everyone who might have covid and disregard ethics along with all negative consequences of killing people. That’s what the National Socialists did: kill the children with disabilities “because science” and “muh ethical claims are unscientific”.