COVID-19 rumors/explanations (on topic)

[billvon 2,380]

There have been a lot of rumors floating around lately concerning the Delta variant, the vaccine's effectiveness against it, the possibility of the vaccinated spreading it, and the need for masks for people who have already been vaccinated. Surveys show that a lot of people are still not getting vaccinated because they lack good information - so this post is an attempt to cover the sources and facts behind some of the latest rumors.

 

"The vaccine doesn't work against the Delta variant." No vaccine is 100% against any strain of COVID. The Delta variant is significantly more infectious than previous strains, and vaccines have reduced effectiveness - but they still provide very significant protection. For example, in a UK study, the Pfizer vaccine provided 80% protection against infection with the Delta variant, 88% protection against symptomatic disease and 96% effectiveness against hospitalization compared to unvaccinated people. https://www.healthline.com/.../heres-how-well-covid-19...

 

"The vaccine doesn't prevent you from infecting other people." It is true that if you get infected, you can still spread COVID even if you are vaccinated. However, vaccinated people are many times less likely to become infected to begin with. Data from Santa Clara showed a 4x reduction in positivity in vaccinated people compared to unvaccinated people, for example - which means you are much less likely to spread COVID if you are vaccinated.

"I don't need the vaccine because I already had COVID." In a Kentucky study, people who had previous infections, but had not been vaccinated, were 2.3 times more likely to contract COVID again. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7032e1.htm

 

"Masks don't work." Here are 49 studies that show that masks work: https://www.kxan.com/.../do-face-masks-work-here-are-49.../

 

"Cloth masks don't work." Cloth masks are less effective than N95 or KN95 masks, but are still much better than nothing. Again, studies have shown reductions in particulates of 70-90% (depending on size.) See link above.

"Masks can't work because the virus is too small to be stopped." Not true; very small particles are stopped via a different method than "they are too big to pass through the holes." A good explanation of how they work: https://youtu.be/eAdanPfQdCA

 

"The COVID vaccine will make you infertile." - Nope. This rumor started because some women reported heavier periods after being vaccinated. But there has been zero evidence that it affects fertility, and no plausible way it could. Dr. Albert Hsu: "There is no data that the COVID-19 vaccines may cause infertility and no credible scientific theories for how the COVID-19 vaccine may cause female infertility." https://www.muhealth.org/.../does-covid-19-vaccine-affect...

 

"The COVID vaccine has killed thousands of people according to VAERS." This rumor refers to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting Site, where people report adverse reactions to vaccinations. An anti-vaxx activist recently scanned the site and found 2509 cases of people dying after vaccinations. However, this is expected; people still die of strokes, heart disease, cancer, car accidents etc after being vaccinated, and these can all be reported via VAERS.

 

There were about 1030 deaths a day in the US (average) during 2020, and as of now about half of them are vaccinated. So we expect to see ~500 deaths a day from all the usual causes (stroke, heart disease, cancer, car accidents) in vaccinated people every day. VAERS reports 25 a day, and many of those are from cancer, car accidents and heart disease. So far only three deaths have been linked in any way to the vaccine, and all were higher risk patient (i.e. at least one other risk factor) who got the J+J vaccine and then experienced blood clots. https://www.reuters.com/.../fact-check-vaers-data-does...

 

[Westerly 61]

Do you seriously think you're going to convenience any anti-vaxxers of anything in this post? Someone who is anti-vax would be extremely unlikely to even click on your post in the first place as doing so would imply they are interested in learning something. The main problem is that most of the anti-vaxxers just flat out dont want the damn shot and that's all there is to it. You're not going to convince them. The only thing that might convince them is an extended stay in the ICU, but at that point it will be too late.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Westerly

[JoeWeber 2,294]

19 minutes ago, Westerly said:

Do you seriously think you're going to convenience any anti-vaxxers of anything in this post? Someone who is anti-vax would be extremely unlikely to even click on your post in the first place as doing so would imply they are interested in learning something. The main problem is that most of the anti-vaxxers just flat out dont want the damn shot and that's all there is to it. You're not going to convince them. The only thing that might convince them is an extended stay in the ICU, but at that point it will be too late.

Thank you. We now know that in the vax or not to vax debate intelligence alone is not determinative.

[Phil1111 908]

An uphill battle: Marjorie Taylor Greene Banned From Twitter Again because she spread false rumors on Twitter.

and

NYU Researchers Were Studying Disinformation On Facebook. The Company Cut Them Off

and the GOP misinformation campaign Poll: Majorities support vaccine, mask mandates — but not Republicans

It sees as if vested interests want to spread misinformation for financial and political objectives.

[wmw999 2,116]

Obviously what we need is a MyVaccine...

Wendy P.

[kallend 1,621]

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/2020-election-misinformation-distortions#facebook-coronavirus-misinformation-russian

Facebook said on Tuesday that it had removed a network of accounts based in Russia that spread misinformation about coronavirus vaccines. The network targeted audiences in India, Latin America and the United States with posts falsely asserting that the AstraZeneca vaccine would turn people into chimpanzees and that the Pfizer vaccine had a much higher casualty rate than other vaccines, the company said.

The network violated Facebook’s foreign interference policies, the company said. It traced the posts to a marketing firm operating from Russia, Fazze, which is a subsidiary of AdNow, a company registered in Britain.

Facebook said it had taken down 65 Facebook accounts and 243 Instagram accounts associated with the firm and barred Fazze from its platform. The social network announced the takedown as part of its monthly report on influence campaigns run by people or groups that purposely misrepresent who is behind the posts.

“This campaign functioned as a disinformation laundromat,” said Ben Nimmo, who leads Facebook’s global threat intelligence team.

 

Etc.

[gowlerk 1,903]

13 hours ago, JoeWeber said:

Thank you. We now know that in the vax or not to vax debate intelligence alone is not determinative.

I am in the process of replacing a young pilot who I like very much. But she won’t get vaccinated so she won’t get the hours she needs to move on in the world. The thing is she is not stupid, she is from a culture and a family that doesn’t want her to get vaccinated.

[JoeWeber 2,294]

57 minutes ago, gowlerk said:

I am in the process of replacing a young pilot who I like very much. But she won’t get vaccinated so she won’t get the hours she needs to move on in the world. The thing is she is not stupid, she is from a culture and a family that doesn’t want her to get vaccinated.

What are the stupid reasons imposed by her culture and family?

[Westerly 61]

On 8/11/2021 at 9:43 AM, gowlerk said:

I am in the process of replacing a young pilot who I like very much. But she won’t get vaccinated so she won’t get the hours she needs to move on in the world. The thing is she is not stupid, she is from a culture and a family that doesn’t want her to get vaccinated.

Then she just needs to sack up and tell her family how it is. Sometimes people need to be told things straight--no bullshiting or babying. Vaccines save lives. Avoiding them cost lives. This is a hard scientific fact and it sounds like she needs to bluntly and clearly relay that to her family. If they still disagree, then so be it. Agree to disagree, but if they loved her they would support her decision even if they dont agree with it.

Edited August 13, 2021 by Westerly

[kallend 1,621]

Another idiot who spread misinformation about vaccines ends up on a ventilator:  I guess prayers didn't work so well so now he depends on medical science.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/16/cardinal-raymond-burke-ventilator-covid/