Wildlife in Ada, Ohio

Picture taken on November 6, 2021

© Mihai Caragiu

Not Fade Away - Grateful Dead / Buddy Holly cover

Misinformation, suspicion and religious conservatism: a deadly combo

Bodies pile up outside hospital morgue as Romania struggles with fourth wave of Covid

By Cristiana Moisescu and Ben Wedeman, CNN

Updated 6:27 AM ET, Mon November 22, 2021

"Look at the reality," said Col. Dr. Valeriu Gheorghita, an army doctor who runs the national vaccination campaign. "We have our intensive care units full of patients. We have lots of new cases. We have, unfortunately, hundreds of deaths every day. So this is the reality. And more than 90% of patients who died were unvaccinated."

A MUST READ.

On COVID or climate, disinformation virus finds new ways to propagate in society

Conspirationistii paraziteaza in egala masura (prin abundente "teorii" rogue - or shall I say dirty yet somewhat novel PR) comunicarea (outreach) atit dinspre stiintele climatice cit si cea dinspre biologie moleculara/virologie.

• Covid denial to climate denial: How conspiracists are shifting focus (BBC - November 16)
  
• Se înmulţesc teoriile conspiraţiei legate de schimbările climaterice. Care sunt cele mai comune teorii (ZF.RO - 19 Noiembrie)

Through disinformation, conspiracists become themselves "viral agents" of an informational sort...

Answer to a FAQ: no, vaccinated people are not ‘just as infectious’ as unvaccinated people if they get COVID

 

"How concerned should we be? Are vaccinated people just as contagious as unvaccinated? What does this mean for future plans for reopening?

These studies only show a similar peak viral load, which is the highest amount of virus in the system over the course of the study.

But vaccinated people clear the virus faster, with lower levels of virus overall, and have less time with very high levels of virus present.

Therefore, vaccinated people are, on average, likely to be less contagious."

For more details, check No, vaccinated people are not ‘just as infectious’ as unvaccinated people if they get COVID (The Conversation, November 17 2021)

Mary Reichelderfer Chair 2021-2022: my diploma

 

Why the E Street Band are the quintessential Rock and Roll Hall of Famers

That's why: 

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (Live in New York City)

In a comment, it is pointed out that:

"Only Bruce and E Street could:

-Start a song

-Go into a rendition of Take Me To The River

-Lead into a gospel-like soul-searching sermon

-Introduce the band

-and then FINISH the song they started with

...and make the whole thing work"

ACTIVENEWS's "WITNESSES" - fact checking the Romanian anti-vaxxers agitprop

Fact checking the Romanian anti-vaccine propaganda (along the lines of Capsali - ActiveNews - as summarized in the mouthful garbage found here), in a moment when Romania faces a catastrophic number of COVID-19 deaths ("Romania Hits Pandemic Death Record of 591 as Vaccines Lag" - AP News).

So... here we go, debunking ActiveNews' "witnesses":

 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #1: "Michael Yeadon - fost cercetator sef Pfizer": „Acest sistem este construit folosind minciuni si este astfel modelat cu un scop si cred ca acest scop este controlul complet totalitar si mai cred ca scopul acestuia este depopularea lumii”.

• Fact check - Fact check: Ex-Pfizer scientist repeats COVID-19 vaccine misinformation in recorded speech https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-health-coronavirus/fact-check-fact-check-ex-pfizer-scientist-repeats-covid-19-vaccine-misinformation-in-recorded-speech-idUSL2N2N72CS VERDICT - False. Infected but symptom-free people can spread the coronavirus; vaccinated people are better protected but not 100% immune; research shows COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for adults and pregnant women.
• Does the COVID-19 Vaccine Affect Fertility? Here’s What the Experts Say https://www.muhealth.org/our-stories/does-covid-19-vaccine-affect-fertility-heres-what-experts-say “While there is no reason to believe the vaccine poses a risk to women who are pregnant or are trying to conceive, there is evidence about the danger of COVID-19 infection to pregnant women, which is a reason they should embrace rather than avoid vaccination. “Pregnant women get sicker when they get COVID compared to other people their age, and pregnant people with COVID are more likely to experience preterm delivery,” Morris said. “The effect of COVID disease on pregnancy is real, and it’s important to prevent.” Similarly, Hsu recommends the COVID vaccine for men concerned about their fertility because of the possible effects that COVID-19 disease could have on their reproductive system. To address this issue, he recently published a peer-reviewed journal article that discussed the potential negative impact of the COVID-19 disease on testicular function, sperm production and male fertility. Some studies have shown that the SARS-COV-2 virus has been found in the sperm of men with COVID-19 infection, the SARS-CoV-2 virus may impact male hormones necessary for normal sperm production, and there are numerous reports of men with testicular or scrotal pain after getting the COVID-19 disease. “Men who are worried about their fertility should probably get the COVID-19 vaccine,” Hsu said, “as there are some concerns about the potential effect of COVID-19 disease on male fertility.” 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #2 "Dr. Peter McCullough - medic epidemiolog": „Toate lucrurile au inceput sa se lege si am inceput sa avem sentimentul ca se intampla ceva rau…” 

• FactCheck Posts › Featured Posts › SciCheck Vaccines Remain Largely Effective Against Delta Variant, Counter to Claims From Fox News Guest By Jessica McDonald https://www.factcheck.org/2021/07/vaccines-remain-largely-effective-against-delta-variant-counter-to-claims-from-fox-news-guest/ 
• US cardiologist makes false claims about Covid-19 vaccination https://factcheck.afp.com/us-cardiologist-makes-false-claims-about-covid-19-vaccination (1) Healthy people younger than 50 do not need a Covid-19 vaccine: FALSE Both Schwartz and Lina said that while the Covid-19 vaccines currently authorized cannot guarantee that a person will not catch the disease, they have been shown to lessen symptoms and prevent death. Lina also explained that if a vaccinated person does contract Covid-19, the amount of virus present compared to an unvaccinated person is “16 times less,” reducing the likelihood of transmission. (2) People who have recovered from Covid-19 do not need the vaccine: FALSE
• Covid vaccines provide stronger immunity than past infection, CDC study finds https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-vaccines-provide-stronger-immunity-infection-cdc-study-finds-rcna4133 Unvaccinated people who had recovered were five times more likely to test positive again than people who were recently fully vaccinated. 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #3: "Dr. Ryan Cole - medic patolog"

• FactCheck Posts › SciCheck Idaho Doctor Makes Baseless Claims About Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines By Saranac Hale Spencer https://www.factcheck.org/2021/04/scicheck-idaho-doctor-makes-baseless-claims-about-safety-of-covid-19-vaccines/ SciCheck Digest - A viral video features a doctor making dubious claims about COVID-19 vaccines and treatments at a forum hosted by Idaho’s lieutenant governor. Dr. Ryan Cole claims mRNA vaccines cause cancer and autoimmune diseases, but the lead author of the paper on which Cole based that claim told us there is no evidence mRNA vaccines cause those ailments.
  

DEBUNKING WITNESS #4: "Insusi inventatorul testului PCR, castigator al premiului Nobel, Kary Mullis, a declarat ca acest test nu este o metoda de diagnostic".

• FactCheck: Did the creator of PCR tests say they don't work for Covid-19? https://www.thejournal.ie/kary-mullis-pcr-testing-factcheck-debunk-hse-5271830-Nov2020/ The Verdict - PCR testing is effective at testing for Covid-19 and other viruses, and is widely considered to be the gold standard for virus testing. The method does not result in an abundance of false positives, and a PCR test for Covid-19 will not simply detect “anything” in an individual. Claims on social media have either incorrectly or misleadingly – depending on the claim – attributed quotes to the creator of PCR testing, Kary Mullis, that suggest he was opposed to using PCR tests to test for viruses like Covid-19. Of the two “quotes” attributed to him most frequently in these claims, one of them was taken out of context in a misleading way, and another was not said by Mullis but by a writer and has also been misinterpreted. Mullis died before the first cases of Covid-19 were reported, and could not have commented specifically on the effectiveness of PCR testing for Covid-19. As a result, we rate the claim that the creator of PCR tests said they do not work for Covid-19: FALSE. 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #5: "Dr. Dan Erickson - medic ATI": Au sustinut: „Am fost presati sa adaugam covid pe lista de diagnostice”, in timp ce noi credem ca nu are nici o legatura cu cauza reala a decesului. 

• ‘Reckless and untested musings’: Health experts criticize 2 doctors urging ease on social distancing https://www.fox5ny.com/news/reckless-and-untested-musings-health-experts-criticize-2-doctors-urging-ease-on-social-distancing LOS ANGELES - Two California doctors who made headlines for downplaying the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling for an end to social distancing orders, have been called out by medical experts for spreading misinformation. Following the claims made by Erickson and Massihi, The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) issued a statement of condemnation against the two doctors, saying that their members “jointly and emphatically condemn the recent opinions released by Dr. Daniel Erickson and Dr. Artin Massihi,” and assailing their claims as “reckless.” The new guidelines are aimed at easing restrictions in areas with low coronavirus transmission rates. “These reckless and untested musings do not speak for medical societies and are inconsistent with current science and epidemiology regarding COVID-19. As owners of local urgent care clinics, it appears these two individuals are releasing biased, non-peer reviewed data to advance their personal financial interests without regard for the public’s health.”… “The data cited by Drs. Erickson and Massihi is extrapolated from a small population to the state of California, resulting in misleading conclusions regarding the mortality of COVID-19.” The organization added. Even as the two doctors claim the coronavirus mortality rate is overstated, most experts say the death toll for the virus is likely undercounted. 
• FACT CHECK - https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/may/07/facebook-posts/facebook-post-cites-doctors-widely-disputed-calcul/ Two doctors from Bakersfield, California, called for an end to statewide shutdowns and said testing data showed the infection fatality rate in California to be 0.03%. Experts said their calculations were faulty because the data they used to extrapolate to the entire state was “not representative of the state of California.” Video of their press conference was removed from YouTube. Leading medical associations “emphatically condemn(ed)” their findings in a statement. 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #6: "Dr. Scott Jensen - medic de familie si senator": „Ca medic, am primit saptamana trecuta un email din partea Departamentului de Sanatate, in care sunt instruit cum sa completez certificatele de deces.” 

• Video makes misleading claims about COVID case counts By JUDE JOFFE-BLOCK February 23, 2021 https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-afs:Content:9953495293 “A video circulating on Facebook makes misleading claims about a recent World Health Organization notice regarding COVID-19 testing. The video, created by former Minnesota state senator Dr. Scott Jensen, also falsely suggests an effort is underway to change the way COVID-19 cases are tallied so it will appear cases are falling under President Joe Biden. Jensen, a family physician, told The Associated Press his video repeated key points he had read in a Feb. 6 commentary piece that appeared on the website of the Independent Institute, a libertarian and conservative-leaning think tank. CLAIM: Flu cases plummeted in March 2020 because doctors were misdiagnosing patients as having COVID-19. THE FACTS: Flu cases did decline after COVID-19 became widespread, but not because of widespread misdiagnosis. Justman of Columbia University called the claim “not grounded in reality.” Medical experts say that the precautions people are taking to avoid COVID-19, wearing masks and social distancing, are also driving down flu rates. “People usually transmit flu when they have symptoms. So, of course, now in society, people are really avoiding people if they have symptoms,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and associate dean at University of California San Francisco. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report published last fall found that after SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, began spreading in late February 2020, the portion of flu tests that were positive fell from 20% to just 2.3%. The same report also found fewer flu tests were conducted overall. The report attributed the decline to fewer people seeking out routine healthcare during the pandemic, as well as less flu virus circulating due to efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. The report said “initially” declines in flu activity “were attributed to decreased testing, because persons with respiratory symptoms were often preferentially referred for SARS-CoV-2 assessment and testing.” But the report goes on to say, “renewed efforts by public health officials and clinicians to test samples for influenza resulted in adequate numbers tested and detection of little to no influenza virus.”

DEBUNKING WITNESS #7: "Brian Rose - gazda emisiunii London Real"

• Fact-checking ‘Plandemic 2’: Another video full of conspiracy theories about COVID-19 https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/aug/18/fact-checking-plandemic-2-video-recycles-inaccurat/ 
• London Real is Falling Down https://www.logically.ai/articles/london-real-is-falling-down “London Real, the podcast/website/business guru course/YouTube channel responsible for reintroducing David Icke to the public eye and cultural discourse (reptilians and all), is currently in the midst of a PR crisis. Owner Brian Rose’s videos have cultivated a dedicated and vocal following known as the London Real Army, but it appears as though there is dissent in the ranks.” 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #8: Ivory Hecker - "reporter denuntator": „M-au trimis acolo ca sa nu vorbesc despre tratamentul anticovid in acel spital. Nu trebuia sa pun acea intrebare. Privitorii sunt inselati cu o poveste fabricata cu multa atentie.’’ 

• “In Hecker's conversation with station leadership, she also brought up a doctor who promoted hydroxychloroquine as effective. The same doctor has said alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and claimed some "gynaecological problems" are caused by demonic "spirit husbands" having sex with women while they sleep. “ https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/former-kare-11-reporter-ivory-hecker-fired-by-houston-news-station “You need to cease and desist posting about hydroxychloroquine,” FOX 26's news director told Hecker.”
  

DEBUNKING WITNESS #9: "Prof. Dolores Cahill - biolog, imunolog" […] 

• Fact check: The novel coronavirus outbreak was described as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation in March 2020 https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-pandemic-flu/fact-check-the-novel-coronavirus-outbreak-was-described-as-a-pandemic-by-the-world-health-organisation-in-march-2020-idUSKBN2872HX VERDICT False. A pandemic is defined as a worldwide spread of a new disease. COVID-19 fits this definition and has been described as a pandemic by the WHO. Current data suggests COVID-19 has a higher mortality rate than the flu. 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #10: Dr. Robert Malone: „Cenzura este in derulare de mai bine de un an. Totul este bine documentat, foarte clar.” 

• The Vaccine Scientist Spreading Vaccine Misinformation - Robert Malone claims to have invented mRNA technology. Why is he trying so hard to undermine its use? https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/08/robert-malone-vaccine-inventor-vaccine-skeptic/619734/ “The irony is that, to the audiences who tune in to those shows, the vaccines are seen as a scourge rather than a godsend. No matter how nuanced Malone might try to be, or how many qualifiers he appends to his opinions, he is egging on vaccine hesitancy at a time when hospitals in the least-vaccinated parts of the country are struggling to cope with an influx of new COVID-19 patients. If you want proof of that, scroll through the many comments from his followers thanking him for confirming their fears. Malone has finally made his mark, by undermining confidence in the very vaccine he says wouldn’t be possible without his genius. It’s a victory, of sorts, but one that he and the rest of us may come to regret.”
• Fact Check-COVID-19 vaccines are not ‘cytotoxic’ (as claimed by Malone, Steve Kirsch and others - https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-vaccine-cytotoxic/fact-check-covid-19-vaccines-are-not-cytotoxic-idUSL2N2O01XP ) 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #11: “Declaratia Great Barringhton, redactata si semnata de trei dintre cei mai mari experti mondiali in epidemiologie, boli infectioase si vaccinuri, zeci de mii de medici din intreaga lume si sute de mii de oameni. “ 

• Fact check: 5 failings of the Great Barrington Declaration’s dangerous plan for COVID-19 natural herd immunity https://theconversation.com/5-failings-of-the-great-barrington-declarations-dangerous-plan-for-covid-19-natural-herd-immunity-148975 “4. The declaration misunderstands herd immunity. Herd immunity occurs when a large enough proportion of the population has immunity, usually more than 70 per cent. Viral spread is then slowed because the virus largely encounters immune people. Herd immunity can be safely achieved by vaccines, but in order to “naturally” develop herd immunity, people must first survive the infection. Despite more than nine million cases in the United States, less than 10 per cent of Americans have COVID-19 antibodies. Even if true caseloads were 10-fold greater than recognized, 94 per cent of people remain susceptible and, if rapidly infected, would swamp the health-care system and lead to many avoidable deaths. The declaration’s approach amounts to a global chickenpox party, a historical means of generating immunity to the varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox. Healthy children were put in close contact with an infected child so that all became infected with chickenpox. Unfortunately, even some healthy children suffered severe complications and unintended people were often infected. At least with chickenpox there was no risk of epidemic spread because society had herd immunity (which we lack for COVID-19).” 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #12: "Dr. Byram Bridle - dr.imunologie virala": „Vreti ca vocea doctorilor si a oamenilor vostri de stiinta sa fie suprimata? Suntem impartiti in doua tabere acum, suntem polarizati.” 

• FALSE: Conspiracy theory that COVID-19 vaccines’ spike proteins are ‘cytotoxic’ debunked by experts https://www.wfla.com/news/national/false-conspiracy-theory-that-covid-19-vaccines-spike-proteins-are-cytotoxic-debunked-by-experts/ 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #13: "Dr. Patrick Phillips - medic de familie": „Se solicita investigarea si disciplinarea oricarui doctor care prezinta oricare din aspectele negative ale acestor interventii, indiferent de ce ar arata dovezile.” 

• Ontario doctor accused of spreading COVID-19 misinformation barred from providing vaccine, mask exemptions https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/patrick-phillips-covid-19-misinformation-college-1.6191906 Dr. Patrick Phillips is 'incompetent,' Ontario's medical regulator alleges 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #14: Dr. Sucharit Bhakdi: „Trebuie sa intelegeti ca numarul doctorilor si al oamenilor de stiinta care spun nu, tuturor (acestor politici) depaseste numarul celor care spun da.’’ 

• Debunked: Yes, coronavirus antibodies protect against 'infection of the lung' A video shared online claimed that because antibodies produced as a result of the vaccine are in the blood, they don’t protect against Covid infection. This is false. https://www.thejournal.ie/claims-about-vaccines-working-with-respiratory-illness-5468645-Jun2021/ “A MISLEADING CLAIM from a retired microbiologist about antibodies and Covid-19 has been shared in a Facebook post in the past week. Dr Sucharit Bhakdi, who previously worked as a professor in the German University of Mainz, claimed it is “naive” to believe Covid-19 vaccines protect “against infection of the lung”. He claimed that because Covid-19 is a respiratory disease, and the antibodies created as a result of the vaccine are in the blood, vaccinated people are not protected against infection. This is untrue. The coronavirus does not only impact the respiratory tract and antibodies travel to the site of infection to fight illness. Dr Bhakdi has been factchecked elsewhere in the past. Teyit, a factcheck organisation based in Turkey, debunked claims he made about the effectiveness of Covid vaccines in reducing deaths.” 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #15: "Dr. Stella Immanuel - medic de familie" […] 

• Stella Immanuel - the doctor behind unproven coronavirus cure claim https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53579773 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #16: "Robert Kennedy Jr. - avoca"t: […]

• The Anti-Vaccine Propaganda of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-health-pseudoscience/anti-vaccine-propaganda-robert-f-kennedy-jr Or how an environmental lawyer led a crusade against vaccines and spread lies to marginalized communities 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #17: "Heiko Schoning – medic" […]

• FACT CHECK: https://www.factcheck.org/2020/10/doctors-in-video-falsely-equate-covid-19-with-a-normal-flu-virus/ A video posted by a European-based group called World Doctors Alliance falsely claims the novel coronavirus is “a normal flu virus” and there is no COVID-19 pandemic. Actually, COVID-19 is deadlier than the seasonal flu, and some European nations are combatting a second wave of cases. 

DEBUNKING WITNESS #18: "Dr. Andrew Kaufmann - medic biologie moleculara": „Suntem prizonierii din ce in ce mai multor mutatii care pot fi folosite pentru manipularea noastra continua si interzicerea libertatilor.’’

• FACT CHECK: The Psychiatrist Who Calmly Denies Reality https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-pseudoscience/psychiatrist-who-calmly-denies-reality “Dr. Andrew Kaufman made the rounds in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic by claiming the virus did not exist. Now, he leads anti-maskers in public demonstrations and tells hundreds of thousands of YouTube users that everything they know about medicine is wrong”
• False claim: A COVID-19 vaccine will genetically modify humans https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-covid-19-vaccine-modify/false-claim-a-covid-19-vaccine-will-genetically-modify-humans-idUSKBN22U2BZ “Most claims refer to a version of a now-deleted, widely shared YouTube video of Dr Andrew Kaufman, a “natural healing consultant” ( here ) in an interview with Spiro Skouras, an online-personality and “independent researcher” with a popular YouTube channel. In the video, Kaufman talks about how a future COVID-19 vaccine would provide a vessel to “inject genes” into humans, first by a procedure known as “electroporation”, in which an electric current “create[s] little holes in our cells that allow the DNA to go into our own cells” and then through the insertion of “foreign proteins that supposedly generate immunity”. Kaufman concludes that the vaccine, like the results of biotechnology in agriculture, will make humans “genetically modified organisms”.”