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—THREAD BEGINS—
Here are some un-examined & false convictions circulating in our Western societies about Covid:
1. Everyone is equally susceptible to the virus, young & old, healthy & sick.
- FALSE
Here are some un-examined & false convictions circulating in our Western societies about Covid:
1. Everyone is equally susceptible to the virus, young & old, healthy & sick.
- FALSE
2. Nobody or very very few people are immune to the virus.
FALSE. How could the majority of infections produce mild illness or no noticeable illness if very few people were immune?
FALSE. How could the majority of infections produce mild illness or no noticeable illness if very few people were immune?
3. The virus can be suppressed or wiped out by human interventions.
- FALSE. Maybe it could be suppressed if the intervention was aggressive, focused, & very early. But once the virus is endemic in the population, it becomes seasonal, very much like other coronaviruses.
- FALSE. Maybe it could be suppressed if the intervention was aggressive, focused, & very early. But once the virus is endemic in the population, it becomes seasonal, very much like other coronaviruses.
4. If we just stop socialising long enough, we’ll save hundred & maybe thousands of lives, especially of the elderly & sick.
- VERY UNLIKELY. If you could live asocially forever, maybe. But sooner or later, society must open up, & the virus will just keep circulating.
- VERY UNLIKELY. If you could live asocially forever, maybe. But sooner or later, society must open up, & the virus will just keep circulating.
5. Herd immunity is a strange, right-wing strategy.
- FALSE. Herd immunity is a biological phenomenon. It is how epidemics get stabilised. The only strategic question is whether to boost naturally acquired immunity with a vaccine or not.
- FALSE. Herd immunity is a biological phenomenon. It is how epidemics get stabilised. The only strategic question is whether to boost naturally acquired immunity with a vaccine or not.
6. If we just masked up constantly, we’d stop this virus from transmitting.
- DOUBTFUL. Studies do not show any clear protective benefit at the aggregate level from masking of healthy populations. There is no clear correlation so far between mask laws & decreased disease.
- DOUBTFUL. Studies do not show any clear protective benefit at the aggregate level from masking of healthy populations. There is no clear correlation so far between mask laws & decreased disease.
7. Anyone who questions lockdowns, universal masking, forced business closures, or other emergency measures is un-caring or under the influence of “fake news.”
- FALSE. Lots of responsible, caring, & intelligent people are worried that govts are doing more harm than good.
- FALSE. Lots of responsible, caring, & intelligent people are worried that govts are doing more harm than good.
8. Children are at serious risk from Covid or are likely to be major spreaders of the disease.
FALSE. Contact tracing studies consistently show that children are not major transmitters of Covid & are at very low risk themselves from the virus.
FALSE. Contact tracing studies consistently show that children are not major transmitters of Covid & are at very low risk themselves from the virus.
9. Covid-19 has an extremely high fatality rate.
- FALSE. Covid-19 is estimated to have an infection fatality rate of approximately 0.2-0.3%, which naturally varies across populations, & the fatality rate has decreased over time. Higher than flu but not astronomically higher.
- FALSE. Covid-19 is estimated to have an infection fatality rate of approximately 0.2-0.3%, which naturally varies across populations, & the fatality rate has decreased over time. Higher than flu but not astronomically higher.
10. If you don’t have a PhD in public health or infectious diseases, you have no standing to criticise the experts.
- FALSE. Science & philosophy are built on transparent argumentation & evidence. Not liking the messenger does not invalidate their arguments! https://twitter.com/davidjthunder/status/1329073931920187394
- FALSE. Science & philosophy are built on transparent argumentation & evidence. Not liking the messenger does not invalidate their arguments! https://twitter.com/davidjthunder/status/1329073931920187394
11. Covid policy has no worrying implications for our constitution & way of life.
- DOUBTFUL. The entrenchment of emergency powers like the curtailment of free movement & forced closure of businesses obviously puts the liberties of citizens in jeopardy.
—THREAD ENDS—
- DOUBTFUL. The entrenchment of emergency powers like the curtailment of free movement & forced closure of businesses obviously puts the liberties of citizens in jeopardy.
—THREAD ENDS—
