The press continues to lie about COVID-19 to generate fear
They just won’t stop lying: If you have been reading the mainstream leftist press, you are probably now under the impression that the COVID-19 epidemic is once again raging across the land, destroying whole communities while spreading out-of-control everywhere because some Republican governors thought it was now okay to come out of hiding.
The CNN article at the link above is typical, reporting in lurid detail how multiple states across the country are now experiencing record levels of new coronavirus cases.
Oh my! We are all gonna die!
Not. What the CNN article completely failed to mention is the number of deaths from COVID-19 taking place during this rise in new cases. Are you curious why? Could it be because, though the number of people now infected with the virus has skyrocketed, the number of deaths has remained largely flat, as shown by the graph above (data source here). The past two days has seen a slight uptick, but that is entirely within the range of the weekly ups and downs caused apparently by low numbers recorded over the weekends.
I am not the only one to notice this strange dishonest reporting, Nor is CNN the only culprit. This article at Just News noticed the same thing in a Washington Post report.
On Wednesday evening, the Washington Post issued a breaking news email alert headlined “New coronavirus cases in the U.S. soar to highest single-day total.”
“Across the United States,” reported the Post, “more than 36,000 new infections were reported by state health departments on Wednesday — surpassing the previous single-day record of 34,203 set on April 25.”
Yet the article failed to mention that even while new infections are on the rise, new COVID-19 deaths are not.
This vital information gap in the media is causing some health policy experts to worry that fear about the coronavirus — evidenced, for example, by Wednesday’s sharp stock market drop — is not founded in facts, particularly about how the virus disparately impacts different age groups. The spreading of unfounded alarm, the experts fear, could risk deep harm to Americans’ livelihoods and mental health due to a prolonged, widespread shutdown. [emphasis mine]
This dishonest reporting however is par for the course from mainstream leftist outlets like CNN and the Washington Post. Having failed to overthrow Trump with the Russian collusion hoax and the Ukraine phonecall hoax, they are now working hard to gin up more panic and fear about COVID-19, thus allowing their partners in the fascist Democratic Party to use that fear to justify further power grabs, such as in Oregon, where Democratic governor Kate Brown has convened her Democratically-controlled legislature into emergency session for the sole purpose of suspending due process for up to sixty days.
It is all despicable and evil. That the number of actual cases is not rising in any significant way should be a sign of relief and hope. Not only are lots of people easily throwing off the virus with no problems, these flat death numbers combined with the rising new cases strongly proves once again that the virus is simply not that lethal to the general population, and it likely very comparable to the flu.
Relief and hope cannot be allowed however. That might mean that things can go back to normal, that freedom will once again ring out across the land, and that Trump might actually win in November. Heaven forbid. Better to destroy the country with lies and fascist dictatorships then let things unfold as they should, in a free nation.
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In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
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And all this irrational fear has now caused NC’s governor to REQUIRE face coverings in public.
https://myfox8.com/news/nc-gov-roy-cooper-issues-mandate-requiring-face-masks-in-public/
But a close reading of the mandate does allow a few exceptions. For me, if confronted, I will simply declare I am an addict to oxygen and cannot wear a mask. My “condition” takes precedence.
So, Bob, do we start a bet on who gets arrested first? [haha]
What the CNN article completely failed to mention is the number of deaths from COVID-19 taking place during this rise in new cases. Are you curious why?
Not at all, like other intelligent people I’m smart enough to understand that deaths lag reported infections by about a week.
This dishonest reporting . . .
Are you really so unaware of that logically obvious and documented lag . . . or are you the one being dishonest?
New COVID-19 deaths for Tuesday included 67 from Delaware added retrospectively — “32 confirmed (already identified as a COVID-19 case in the epidemiological surveillance system but lacking a subsequent report of the person’s death) and 35 probable”. See: https://delawarestatenews.net/coronavirus/huge-jump-in-covid-deaths-after-state-review-of-data/ Subtracting those, Tuesday’s figures are down week-on-week. Wednesday’s, though, are level.
Andrew_W, have you plotted new US cases vs deaths on the same graph and compared the shapes to get a feel for the lag? I do suspect daily deaths have reached their local minimum, and we will now see them start their climb (though I’d need a lot more than just a day or two’s worth of reports to conclude it has happened), but the lag appears to be several days longer this time than what we’ve observed previously, which: #1 is curious, and #2 allows people to respond to sky-is-falling alarms with the claim that it isn’t even raining — the clouds may have let loose, but they can still wish for virga.
Well Andrew, my suggestion would be to wait a week and either come back here to gloat, or alternatively eat crow. Bon apetit.
Certainly, death lags infection. Perhaps, a better measure would be the number of Covid hospitalizations.
Here is a more balanced accounting than what CNN is giving. This article mentions hospitalizations and the fact that there were riots.
https://news.yahoo.com/record-high-coronavirus-cases-reported-194105184.html
Washington State now requires everyone to wear face masks when in public, most of the state is either in phase II or III, but masks were not required in phase I and during the peak of the outbreak, Not enough people were wearing them when they were only recommended so King Inslay III, the least popular presidential candidate in 2019, dictated that all his subjects must wear them in public.
“New cases”
That means any positive report of the virus, including antibodies (which means you are immune and not infectious), and does not mention that up to 98% of those positive cases will not get sick and are not going to any hospital or even doctor because they do not need to.
Prolonged mask use results in an increase in carbon dioxide, and a decrease on oxygen, in your blood. Result, increased risk of strokes and heart attacks. Do you have hypertension? Do not wear a mask, it could kill you.
Johns Hopkins University CSEE data : http://91-divoc.com/pages/covid-visualization/
A few states do show significant increases in the number of new cases, but almost all of these show continuously declining or constant number of new deaths, even up to three weeks following the start of the increase in new cases.
Couldn’t it be that the rise in reported cases is due to increased testing?
Let’s use some logic here, just for fun.
–If the masks (ineffective against viruses, really for bacteria) are to be mandated by law now, because this disease might kill one-tenth of one percent of the people infected, shouldn’t we force everyone to wear masks AT ALL TIMES?
–Or do the Chicken Littles imagine that this particular coronavirus is the only germ out there? If it’s So imperative to take these drastic measures over an illness that’s roughly comparable to the flu, then we should act like we’re in a hospital OR all the time.
–And we should never open for business again: because that one-tenth of one percent, or even one percent, is too much to risk, right?
FURTHERMORE, how do the mask fanatics manage to ignore all the people they’re killing by keeping them out of the hospitals and doctors’ offices for small stuff like, oh, I don’t know — heart disease, cancers going undetected? and everything else that has been broomed to make way for this ONE BUG?
It’s crazy: the bodies are piling to the sky on the other pan of the scales, but the relatively small death toll of this one disease is all they are staring at, like the guy in Clockwork Orange.
Not to mention the thousands of doctors and hospitals who had to furlough nurses and docs — hey, that’s not harming anyone, right? Oh, wait: I thought this flu-type thing was going to swamp all the hospitals? My bad: that was the excuse for the initial “two weeks” house arrest of all the healthy people. That is So 3 months ago…
Freedom? bah, humbug! who needs freedom? and the same people who say that, claim that slavery was the worse evil in the world. Harriet Tubman, Republican, gun-owner, radical freedom-lover, would be disgusted with them, throwing our freedom out the window for THIS.
Freedom brings risks. Grow up. If you’re so terrified of this flu-like illness, you are perfectly free to STAY HOME and let the rest of us get on with life.
“Andrew_W, have you plotted new US cases vs deaths . . .”
Nope.
” . . . the lag appears to be several days longer this time than what we’ve observed previously”
When I was comparing different countries a couple of months ago it was evident that the lag was greater in countries that were more proactive with testing, if the lag is getting longer in the US I expect it’s a sign that tests are shifting from just being used to confirm diagnoses to actually finding possible cases earlier on in a case. If that’s happening it’s also likely that the more extensive testing is also picking up more cases that would otherwise be missed ie. asymptomatic cases.
Kevin R: . . due to increased testing?
Certainly in part, as would a long term divergence between the number of cases and number of deaths, the recent increase in cases has been faster that the rate of increase in testing, and I expect to see that divergence.
Sabasarge: . . my suggestion would be to wait a week and either come back here to gloat, or alternatively eat crow.
My suggestion is that you should make that suggestion to Mr. Zimmerman.
It occured to me that for all of today’s issues (pandemic, riots, the recent rise in a push for communism), it is people like the Babylon Bee that have it right. These idiots (useful or otherwise) need to be mercilessly mocked.
Mocked for putting “feelings” over fact.
Mocked for pushing for a failed socio-economic system from the last century.
Mocked for ignoring basic biology.
Mocked for for their own self destructive internal bickering.
Mocked for everything that political correctness compels them to say and do.
And most importantly, mocked for actually believing their own fallacious tripe.
“the recent increase in cases has been faster that the rate of increase in testing”
Has it? In the past two months we went from testing thousands a day to tens of thousands and now 500,000 a day. It is an amazing accomplishment that our media keeps lying about. Increased testing is spotting more Who wouldn’t have but there are also more people interacting now the lockdowns are over and the race riots.
Where I live, cases have gone up with anywhere from 10-50 new cases each day but hospitalizations has remained constant at 1-2 new ones each day.
Since early June there’s been about a 15% increase in testing but about a 70% increase in cases.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/full-list-daily-covid-19-tests-per-thousand?time=2020-04-26..&country=~USA
That’s picking what I think are fair representations of start and end numbers for that period.
Since mid June there’s been no increase in testing but daily cases have increased from about 22,000 to about 37,000.
Do not trust ANY graph or numbers from liars who claim a virus can read your politics. Liars who admitted to lying.
I noticed that questioning COVID19 hysteria is now a thoughtcrime, thus explaining Andrew_W’s failure to respond to my posts.
oh oh oh …. WAIT !
The, some, “masks” are now being produced by local cottage industries in my area.
Cool, old and recently produced tie died stuff, old tee shirt material, boxer shorts colorful scrubs old socks, and any cloth which has a classy pattern.
Wow, I am so glad that these locally manufactured covud masks are keeping us alive, all the while supporting our neighborhood industries.
I really like the ones made from “imported” Hawaiian moo moo colorful material.
The big jump in Thursday’s reported daily deaths was due to New Jersey adding 1,854 past deaths “deemed likely from COVID-19, though not confirmed by a test.” Subtracting those gives only 646, down week-on-week from last Thursday’s report of 722.
(I am still expecting to see it climb again, but it hasn’t even bottomed out yet.)
These retrospective additions make tracking difficult, so some projects attempt to roll them back into the historical data, but many states aren’t providing the data necessary to determine which deaths occurred on which dates.
Oops. Here’s the link for the NJ retrospective addition: https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/06/nj-reports-probable-coronavirus-deaths-for-1st-time-death-toll-now-at-14872-with-170k-total-positive-tests.html
Also, @Nightfall: “‘New cases’ That means any positive report of the virus, including antibodies …”
No. “New cases” as discussed here and in the data source Bob linked refers to new positive antigen tests (meaning you are currently infected) and does not include antibody tests (meaning you were once infected). I’m not sure where antibody tests are tracked, or if states are even reporting them regularly. Do you know?
I like Ycharts for tracking. I look at the per day charts. https://ycharts.com/indicators/sources/the_covid_tracking_project
The trend is down on hospitalizations and deaths. I don’t care about infections cause I see that as more immunity, plus tests per day are up 3x.
andrew w is one of the [deleted] hoaxers.
the case rate went up because the testing went up by 23%. we know that. andrew w is a [deleted].
they are admitting people to hospitals in tx for one thing, and then changing the designation to virus later. a hospital administrator in tx has confirmed this. likely the chickens are coming home to roost on the health issues from a lockdown that actual science, that was ignored by the hoaxers, projected before the lockdown.
They ignored real science and used phony models to lockdown. they included everything including gunshot would deaths as virus deaths. they ramped up the testing at the appropriate time to proclaim a second wave. they are saying the hospitals are full fo virus patients when they were admitted to the hospital for something else.
this is par for the course with democrats. All they do is lie. Everyone knows that. The disappointing part is republican governors who go along with this [deleted]. what a bunch of pansies they are.
Long time research by Dr Lawrence Broxmeyer draws ominous attention to the so-called Covid virus questions. That is, research is showing that the “virus” may not be a virus after all, but a mycobacterium, the most famous of which is Tuberculosis. The rampaging mendacity of our “experts” at CDC and other slimeball institutions like WHO needs to be called to our attention. Countries mandating usage of Bacillus Calmette Guerin vaccine against tuberculosis have strangely peculiar lack of “Covid”. Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin are both used to control TB. And, despite a total whitewash of the HCQ/Zithromax regimen by our “authorities” like Fauci and Gates, it remains too close for comfort that the use of antibiotic for “Covid” is supposedly controlling the virus, unusual since we don’t expect antibiotics to control viruses. HCQ has been banished from usage in the US, despite the fact it is used by 6000 doctors who are members of the Assoc. of Physicians and Surgeons and who indicate it works excellently……yet, it is considered dangerous by our agencies!! We are very likely being scammed bigtime, Dr Broxmeyer may be on the verge of spilling some startling facts about the peculiar duality between TB and Covid. Something rotten in Denmark, we are being had. Treatment of TB and Covid are remarkably similar. How can this be? If you have a scientific bent, look up this information and you’ll be amazed. Soylent Green is people and Covid may well be TB. And to think Dr Fauci doesn’t know this is beyond blatantly mendacious. Scamming is alive and well in the Socialist States of America.
Bahmi, I expect Cletus to quickly become a fellow believer with you in Dr Lawrence Broxmeyer’s theories.
As a Las Vegas resident, we are witness to one of the biggest knee jerk actions by our Demo gov, who loves control and yet again has the entire Strip Casinos teetering on the brink of closing their doors forever. The last 7 days has freaked him out enough to come out with another dictatorial fiat that all must wear masks, starting Friday morning, it took only a few hours for the police to issue a statement that they will NOT enforce his rules. I have ripped the local newspaper for their total lack of honesty in not reporting the side by side number of deaths by the flu & pneumonia, which is the real lie here. These last 7 days has shown 3300 new cases but only 10 deaths – you do the math = ZERO point 3 of ONE % mortality rate.
Until the free thinking people decide Not to coward to these unconstitutional “Lockdown” measures including lack of studies proving the efficacy of social distancing or mask wearing when not in contact with a known positive case, Then the Masses will follow the herd over the cliff whereby our individual freedoms will be or currently are being whittled away. My only solution is anybody with a logical, rational brain should call or email their local representatives telling them their position. If that doesn’t work then consider organizing a protest vocalizing loss of rights and freedoms just like Black Lives Matter draws attention we as freethinkers need to do the same. Truth in large numbers overcomes evil, Be brave! “What do you have to lose” says Trump
cletus johnson: Though I agree with the essence of your comment, you cannot use obscenities on Behind the Black. (See the rules just above the “Last 15 comments” box as well as this post.) I have deleted them.
This is a warning. The next time you will be suspended for a week. The third time you will be banned.
Not that I care Mr. Zimmerman, but from your link:
From now on I will not simply delete the obscenity and issue a warning. From now on, any violation of this rule will get an immediate suspension for a week. A second violation by the same person will get them banned.
I thought you people might enjoy this take on why the US curve has not declined as it has in Europe:
A Horrifying U.S. Covid Curve Has a Simple Explanation
A growing gap in case growth between Europe and the U.S. tells the tale: Declaring victory too soon is an excellent way to return to new heights.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-06-26/coronavirus-a-horrifying-rise-in-u-s-covid-cases-is-explained
I am absolutely opposed to a national ID card. This is a total contradiction of what a free society is all about. The purpose of government is to protect the secrecy and the privacy of all individuals, not the secrecy of government. We don’t need a national ID card. — Ron Paul
If we need a national ID card…then I guess Voter ID’s were okay after all, no?
Voter ID benefits ALL, EXCEPT those who want to subvert Honest Elections.
To vote in a Canadian election, one must present photo-ID This does not say that there is no fraud, but it is minimized!