A Salesman’s Trick, Ignoring R0, Shaming, Conspiracy, Premature Declaration, Strategic Omission, and Fanciful Fiction

I can’t stop thinking of a recent analysis that estimated over 300,000 Americans might be alive today had all adults been vaccinated. How did we get here?

My previous articles have examined several techniques these COVID minimizers use to mislead their readers. These include:

  • A salesman’s trick:  Using a number that is larger than the COVID death toll to minimize that death toll.
  • Ignoring R0:  Focusing on the infection fatality rate of COVID while ignoring how contagious it is.
  • Shaming: Shaming people who try not to get COVID or who are bothered by its death toll.
  • Conspiracy:  Claiming the COVID death toll can’t be trusted.
  • Premature declaration: Acting as if the pandemic is over.
  • Strategic omission:  Omitting key facts that are needed to understand some aspect of the pandemic.
  • Fanciful fiction: Just making stuff up.

Source: A Salesman’s Trick, Ignoring R0, Shaming, Conspiracy, Premature Declaration, Strategic Omission, and Fanciful Fiction

How can we fight bad information about health?

Full Fact’s Researcher Dr. Dora-Olivia Vicol looks at health misinformation, and how fact checkers and the general public can stand up to crises, conspiracies, and inaccurate everyday health advice.

Source: How can we fight bad information about health?

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