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#COVID19 Mythbuster thread. Holy shit, get a cup of tea. Let's break these apart. I will take each common myth and address the evidence and provide an explanation. Feel free to tag me in more, and I will try to get to them. 1/x
1) COVID 19 was released by the Communist Party of China as a weapon.
One common idea is that the virus was purposefully created as a weapon against the west, or that it was accidentally leaked. There are a number of reasons this assertion is likely to be false.
One common idea is that the virus was purposefully created as a weapon against the west, or that it was accidentally leaked. There are a number of reasons this assertion is likely to be false.
a) its a bit crap as a weapon. If you wanted to kill a bunch of people, you would manipulate something like corona as it has a high infectivity, but simply put it does not have a high enough fatality rate to render a young fit military population useless.
b) from an economic standpoint, it would be cheaper to just attack financial structures to destabilise a country rather than relying on a virus that could also destroy your own. Cheaper still would be to do nothing whilst the west destroys itself. Wuhan suffered greatly.
c) RNA studies indicate that this is a natural mutation of the virus, which will occur due to basic evolutionary mechanisms and is predictable over a relatively short time period. Nature will weaponise itself without human intervention https://gulfnews.com/world/coronavirus-infectiousness-came-from-silent-mutations-study-1.1603371569402
Furthermore, the 'spike protein' often hailed as an indication of human engineering, can occur through natural mechanisms. Remember, the most likely explanation is usually the simplest. When a virus mutations millions of times over hours, this happens. https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-spike-protein-structure.html
2) KIDS CANT SPREAD COVID 19
It's a virus spread in respiratory secretions and by surfaces, kids have lungs and touch things. Early postulations suggesting that kids cannot share it are logically incongruent, and recent studies show this. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32310621/
It's a virus spread in respiratory secretions and by surfaces, kids have lungs and touch things. Early postulations suggesting that kids cannot share it are logically incongruent, and recent studies show this. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32310621/
We can also see that the spike in recent infections is linked to children going back to school. We can also study the incidence curves to see acceleration after schools were reopened. This raises tough questions about whether they should remain open. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/30-coronvavirus-outbreaks-schools-reopened-june-a4531326.html
3) COVID IS LESS DEADLY THAN THE FLU
Mortality and morbidity of an infection is measured in a number of ways, but using age adjusted standardised mortality rate (i.e how it compares in outcomes of death compared to control) and is calculated by n(deaths)/n incidence.
Mortality and morbidity of an infection is measured in a number of ways, but using age adjusted standardised mortality rate (i.e how it compares in outcomes of death compared to control) and is calculated by n(deaths)/n incidence.
Using ONS data we are clearly able to see that the rate is much higher in COVID 19 than for flu. Per this data, ASMR in those >85 yrs
Pneumona/influenza: 824.4/100,000
Covid 19: 2068.3 /100,000 people
This means the relative risk is 2.5 in this group
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsduetocoronaviruscovid19comparedwithdeathsfrominfluenzaandpneumoniaenglandandwales/deathsoccurringbetween1januaryand31august2020
Pneumona/influenza: 824.4/100,000
Covid 19: 2068.3 /100,000 people
This means the relative risk is 2.5 in this group
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsduetocoronaviruscovid19comparedwithdeathsfrominfluenzaandpneumoniaenglandandwales/deathsoccurringbetween1januaryand31august2020
In the same data, it is quoted when making further adjustments for all-cause mortality:
Therefore, there were 1.3 times as many deaths where influenza or pneumonia was a contributory factor than COVID-19, but COVID-19 was the underlying cause in 3.4 times as many deaths.
Therefore, there were 1.3 times as many deaths where influenza or pneumonia was a contributory factor than COVID-19, but COVID-19 was the underlying cause in 3.4 times as many deaths.
4) FACEMASKS DONT REDUCE SPREAD
A systematic review published in The Lancet comprising 172 studies showed an effectiveness of reducing spread by 85% at 3 feet. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext#seccestitle10
A systematic review published in The Lancet comprising 172 studies showed an effectiveness of reducing spread by 85% at 3 feet. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext#seccestitle10
One argument against this is the size of the virus, which is smaller than air gaps in the masks. This is true, but it is not the reason masks work. COVID-19 resides in fluid droplets > than mask air gap size. If the droplet can't get in, nor can the virus https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-about-masks-heres-science-behind-how-face-masks-prevent
We can also use observational data (i.e indirect evidence) to show that the r number decreased when social distancing measures were adopted. This shows the net effect of multiple measures, including facemasks. As always, FM are part of a wider approach
5) COVID WAS CAUSED BY 5G
A) fuck off.
b) 5G waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, as have a wavelength of 1-10mm and creates energy through radiation. If this could cause new viruses, we would be seeing a lot more new ones.
A) fuck off.
b) 5G waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, as have a wavelength of 1-10mm and creates energy through radiation. If this could cause new viruses, we would be seeing a lot more new ones.
6) YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE SAFE
By looking as ASMR, we know this not to be the case. Mortality is increased by a number of risk factors including obesity, heart disease/ cancer and other problems. The presence of these increases risk in proportion to this. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/investigations-discovery/hospitalization-death-by-age.html
By looking as ASMR, we know this not to be the case. Mortality is increased by a number of risk factors including obesity, heart disease/ cancer and other problems. The presence of these increases risk in proportion to this. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/investigations-discovery/hospitalization-death-by-age.html
Although its accurate to say that the overall risk for a 20 year old is less than an 85 year old, any sweeping statement omits the contribution of other risk factors. For example, people with t1 diabetes are 3.5x more likely to die https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/may/20/type-1-diabetics-type-2-coronavirus-nhs-study
7) YOU CAN SPOT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CORONA AND A COLD
Although COVID 19 and most cold viruses share a similar genetic ancestry, and the former can produce some different symptoms, most of these are not different enough for the layperson to spot. The common symptoms..
Although COVID 19 and most cold viruses share a similar genetic ancestry, and the former can produce some different symptoms, most of these are not different enough for the layperson to spot. The common symptoms..
such as cough/fever are indicative of so many different infections that as a screening tool is only serves to point out potential risk and further review, not a diagnosis. This is why we do PCR tests to find out. Even doctors missed it early on.
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