Don’t trust internet rumors over the medical community

Arecent Community Voices, “Can we trust the medical community?” (Oct 16.) brought up some common internet rumors. Debunking false claims often takes more words than the claims themselves, but I’ll try to cover them all.

The opening was a “red herring” argument about the origin of the virus. “It was announced that bats were probably to blame... Could the virus have come from a Chinese lab? That question remains unanswered. The government has not pursued the answer.”

The “medical community” has no reason to care where it originated. It is here, now, so the medical concern is treating it and limiting its spread. No evidence is offered that the government is NOT pursuing the answer. Tough problems take time to be solved. Some never are.

Next concern: “People were told not to wear a mask. Later, it was suggested that they do. Now a mask is demanded. Why the change?”

Facts and knowledge have changed over time. In February of 2020 the virus was not widespread. Someone in Elko County, Nevada, say, had no reason to wear a mask. No case within hundreds of miles. However, the virus was very contagious and soon spread nationwide, so mask wearing made sense, even in Elko County. Then a new, even more contagious variant arrived and mask wearing was more urgent.

The writer asserts “there are too many unanswered questions to really believe what was being reported.” And “honest answers were not forthcoming.” Those kind of charges are all the better for some evidence or detail, none of which is provided in the article.

The article claimed “a motorcyclist on the Central Coast died in an auto accident. After the autopsy was performed, it was announced that the rider had COVID. COVID was listed as the cause of death.”

No source for the claim was provided and I can’t track it down. There were two similar claims in Florida, one even repeated by the governor. However, when reporters asked the medical examiner about one case he told them “following the motorcycle crash, the person was subsequently hospitalized for a long period of time, got pneumonia. It happened to be COVID pneumonia, and they died .... In that case, we did (attribute) it to COVID pneumonia.” In the second case there was an initial report to the state about the COVID positive test, but after the medical examiner reviewed the case the death certificate did not show COVID as the cause of death. The Central California story might be true. Mistakes happen. Even if true, it is a minuscule part of the death toll. We all saw videos of overcrowded hospitals and temporary morgues enough to give nightmares.

The article asks, “Did the flu go away, or were people diagnosed with a different illness?” My question would be, did all the COVID prevention measures like masks, distancing and staying at home reduce the flu?

The article makes another charge that would be improved immensely by any evidence or support at all. “People have died from the vaccine. But we aren’t told that.”

This is coming from someone who made a point earlier of doubting whether people were dying from COVID or with COVID. My bold prediction: Every person who is vaccinated will die. Eventually. We emphasize vaccinating older people, especially in rest homes. It would be surprising if no one died in the months after being vaccinated.

The article asks, “If people who take the vaccine are safe from the virus, why worry about the people who refuse to be immunized? …why the need for wearing a mask? …why worry about social distancing?”

Vaccinated people are not perfectly safe, but they are safer. Seat belts don’t stop all fatalities and injuries, but they help.

Next claim: “Wearing a mask, is like trying to catch a mosquito with a chain link fence.”

The idea is the virus is too small to be stopped by the mask. The virus is small, but it isn’t floating through the air alone. It’s in droplets or aerosol particles large enough to be stopped by a mask.

Closing: “There has been misinformation reported. Lots of it!”

Yup. So we shouldn’t trust internet rumors over the medical community!