How Politics Hijacked Science and Religion

[probinson]

Now if you've read all of this, please keep in mind these are the pandemic preparedness plans that our governments and public health agencies had created to mitigate the impact of a respiratory viral pandemic. However, you can see that what we actually did throughout the COVID pandemic bears almost no resemblance to these established plans. It should be fair to question why we completely disregarded ALL of these plans.

If the answer is "science evolves", how did every government and public health agency in the entire world get it so wrong for so long, and how can we be sure that they're "right" now if they have such a horrible track record? We heard at the beginning of this pandemic that there was no plan. But as you can see, that's total nonsense. It's not that we didn't have any plans. It's that we abandoned all the plans that were established with no explanation as to why. All in the name of The Science™. And the gaslighters want you to believe that you're the one that doesn't understand "science" when you ask these very valid questions.

 

[The Barbarian]

I already posted that the research you provided shows that the vaccine vs. the placebo had a difference of less than 2% efficacy.

You're a little confused. The trial showed no vaccinated children were infected, while a number of unvaccinated children were infected. That's 100% efficacy.

One reason you have trouble, is you don't have a very good grasp of applied math.

 

[probinson]

The trial showed no vaccinated children were infected, while a number of unvaccinated children were infected. That's 100% efficacy.

Why say "a number ... were infected"? That number was 16. Out of 978.

Of course, I already addressed this in detail but I'll post it again for your benefit;

The FDA reviewed a study of more than 2,200 U.S. children ages 12 through 15. Of this group, about half were given the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The other children were given a harmless fake (placebo) shot.

A week after the second dose was given, research showed no cases of COVID-19 in the 1,005 children given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Among 978 children given the placebo, there were 16 cases of COVID-19. None of the children had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19. The results suggest that the vaccine is 100% effective at preventing the COVID-19 virus in this age group
​

First of all, this is an incredibly small sample size.

And I suppose we're just supposed to ignore that 1,005 + 978 is not "more than 2,200". What were the outcomes of the other 217+ children?

Second, let's look at the numbers they provide.

1,005 children given the vaccine. None infected. 100% efficacy.
978 children given a placebo. 16 infected. 98.36% efficacy in the placebo group.

Less than a 2% difference in efficacy in this small sample. "Statistically significant"? I suppose if you're looking to sell more vaccine and improve Pfizer's profits, sure.

 

[The Barbarian]

Johns Hopkins also did an analysis of what a 1918 Influenza Pandemic would like. They predicted 100-400 million deaths if a 1918-like pandemic were to occur today. Current global death toll of COVID-19? 3,900,948 according to Worldometers. Just barely missed it with their prediction... [/sarcasm]

This isn't influenza. It affects mostly older people (although new variants appear to be infecting and killing more younger people). And most developing countries did take effective action. [humor]And close your tags.[/humor]

Of course, the virus turns out to be less infectious from contaminated surfaces than most coronaviruses. Which is huge; flu and colds are very transmissible from things like desktops and doorknobs.

And notice that the article does not predict 100 to 400 million deaths, saying only that "simple arithmetic would suggest that number. Read more carefully.

Now if you've read all of this, please keep in mind these are the pandemic preparedness plans that our governments and public health agencies had created to mitigate the impact of a respiratory viral pandemic.

Except in the United States. The plan was to "downplay" how dangerous it was, and how many would die.

And so we have the highest death toll in the world. Only after states began to realize that the administration was hoping for a miracle, did they take effective action. And only some of those, which accounts for much of the death toll.

If the answer is "science evolves", how did every government and public health agency in the entire world get it so wrong for so long

Brand new viral disease in humans. And it took about a year to figure out some of these things. Go figure.

We heard at the beginning of this pandemic that there was no plan.

In the United States there wasn't. Would have been; Obama set up a pandemic response team to quickly deal with new pandemics. Trump removed it, with the understandable consequences.

But there were plans avialable. If Trump had listened to Joe Biden, who had a plan that would have saved over a hundred thousand lives, those Americans would not have died. As I said, Biden is no expert on pandemics and viral disease, but he listened to people who were. Trump didn't, hoping for "a miracle."

 

[probinson]

This isn't influenza.

True, but most of these pandemic preparedness plans acknowledge they are talking about a respiratory viral pandemic. Some even mention SARS and MERS directly.

And so we have the highest death toll in the world.

False. The US currently sits at 20th in deaths per million according to Worldometers;
COVID Live Update: 180,080,203 Cases and 3,900,989 Deaths from the Coronavirus - Worldometer

In the United States there wasn't. Would have been; Obama set up a pandemic response team to quickly deal with new pandemics. Trump removed it, with the understandable consequences.

But there were plans avialable. If Trump had listened to Joe Biden, who had a plan that would have saved over a hundred thousand lives, those Americans would not have died. As I said, Biden is no expert on pandemics and viral disease, but he listened to people who were. Trump didn't, hoping for "a miracle."

Nothing political here...

 

[probinson]

Today, the CDC is finally admitting that there is a "likely link between rare heart inflammation in young people after COVID shot";

There have been more than 1,200 cases of a myocarditis or pericarditis in 16- to-24-year-olds who received Pfizer’s or Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, according to a series of slide presentations published Wednesday for a meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/23/cdc...t-inflammation-after-covid-vaccine-shots.html​

 

[The Barbarian]

And so we have the highest death toll in the world.

False.

Well, let's take a look...

US death toll: 617,973 No. 1 in the world

No. 2? Brazil: 504,897
COVID Live Update: 180,153,270 Cases and 3,902,588 Deaths from the Coronavirus - Worldometer

Remember when I mentioned that it's important to know how to apply math? There's another example. You conflated the death toll with the death rate.

US is 16th in death rates, tied with GB. It's mostly due to high rates in small countries like Czech Republic, San Marino, Gibraltar, Belgium, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Peru, all of which have higher death rates than the U.S.

Big nations? Well Great Britain is pretty close. Brazil is higher. Italy is higher. Argentina is higher.

That's it. So the death rate is pretty horrifying, too.

 

[The Barbarian]

Today, the CDC is finally admitting that there is a "likely link between rare heart inflammation in young people after COVID shot"

"Finally" isn't what you think it is. Go look up the timeline between thefirst shots and the first notice that there rarely occurred myocarditis and/or pericarditis. Let us know what you find.

• There have been more than 1,200 cases of a myocarditis or pericarditis mostly in people 30 and under who received Pfizer’s or Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, according to CDC data.
• Roughly 300 million of the shots had been administered as of June 11, the agency said.

For both vaccines combined, there were 12.6 heart inflammation cases per million doses. The cases were more frequent among Moderna’s vaccine recipients at 19.8 cases per million versus eight cases per million for Pfizer’s, he said.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/23/cdc...t-inflammation-after-covid-vaccine-shots.html

In other words, one is about 101 times more likely to die from choking on food than one is to have this condition after being immunized. Notice,not counting deaths from it, that's just non-fatal reactions. So far, no one's died from it.

The big issue, which is true of any vaccination is anaphylaxis, which happens when the body's immune system overreacts to an antigen, pouring chemicals into the blood that cause vascular dilation, swelling, and very low blood pressure. It appear quickly, usually in minutes, and will often kill, if not immediately treated.

Back when such things were permitted, I had to demonstrate this to students on lab animals. It's frightening how quickly it appears, and it's remarkable how quickly one can reverse it with epinephrine. We only had one case in the four years I had an immunology clinic. Fortunately, we required anyone getting an allergy shot to wait at least 20 minutes. One guy reacted badly. By the time I had him on the table and a cuff on him, his blood pressure was 50 over 0, and he said his vision was darkening. Epinephrine pulled him out of it, but he kept going back in overnight in ICU, each time getting another shot,which pulled him out again. He was fine the next day. Wouldn't have been, if had gotten shot and left the area.

Last I looked, it happens about five in a million cases for most immunizations. But it can kill if not treated at once. And again, that can happen with any of them.

 

[probinson]

Well, let's take a look...

US death toll: 617,973 No. 1 in the world

No. 2? Brazil: 504,897
COVID Live Update: 180,153,270 Cases and 3,902,588 Deaths from the Coronavirus - Worldometer

Ah yes. I forgot that The Science™ only adjusts for population when it benefits the narrative.

 

[The Barbarian]

And so we have the highest death toll in the world.

False.

Well, let's take a look...

US death toll: 617,973 No. 1 in the world

No. 2? Brazil: 504,897
COVID Live Update: 180,153,270 Cases and 3,902,588 Deaths from the Coronavirus - Worldometer

Remember when I mentioned that it's important to know how to apply math? There's another example. You conflated the death toll with the death rate.

US is 16th in death rates, tied with GB. It's mostly due to high rates in small countries like Czech Republic, San Marino, Gibraltar, Belgium, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Peru, all of which have higher death rates than the U.S.

Big nations? Well Great Britain is pretty close. Brazil is higher. Italy is higher. Argentina is higher.

That's it. So the death rate is pretty horrifying, too.

Ah yes.

You conflated the death toll with death rates. As you just learned, the US is in third place for death rate among large nations; it's 16th overall, if you include things like Gibralter and San Marino.

The Denier Science™ only accepts data when it benefits the narrative.

 

[probinson]

The US obesity rate is nearly 43%, which ranks as one of the highest in the world. Obesity greatly increases the chance of death from COVID. Just as an FYI.

Perhaps if the CDC had spent half as much time and energy on public health messaging focusing on the importance of lowering the obesity prevalence in the US as they did on pushing largely ineffective masking, social distancing and lockdown, the death toll wouldn't have been quite so high.

The Denier Science™ only accepts data when it benefits the narrative.

Awe, how nice. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

 

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