Jack, call them whatever you want--lies, falsehoods, misinformation, conspiracy theories--the bottom line is that inaccurate information about COVID-19 spread by conservative media outlets and right-wing individuals on social networks is making people sicker.
Coronavirus vaccination efforts are lagging in a variety of regions, neighborhoods and demographics across the country and, as a direct result, COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise. Cities like Los Angeles are reintroducing mask mandates, and hospitals in the worst affected regions are returning to emergency protocols.
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It's an understatement to say how unfortunate--and manufactured--this all is. Tucker Carlson regularly tells his huge audience on Fox News how dangerous the vaccine is. Other right-wing pundits and social media figures imply that COVID-19 is just some scam cooked up by the Democrats to defeat Trump, install communism, or who knows what other nonsense. As a doctor from Michigan put in a recent op-ed: "I do blame Fox News and other right-wing media outlets for poisoning the minds of millions of Americans with the deceptive propaganda [about vaccines] they spray into living rooms 24/7."
Social media is a cesspool of misinformation and lies about COVID and its vaccine. A study (PDF) by the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that just 12 people were responsible for 65% of all the COVID-19 misinformation on social media, including 73% of misinformation on Facebook. And No. 2 on their list just happens to be Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who has filed a lawsuit against Daily Kos.
The lies even come from those elected to some of the highest offices in the country. Take Republican Senator Ron Johnson for example, who competes with Senator Rand Paul for the leading anti-vaxxer in Congress. Johnson claims that "natural immunity is as strong, if not stronger than getting the vaccine" or that the vaccine "has some pretty serious side effects, including death." His information, or lack thereof, is contrary to that of every public health expert -- which he is not.
The real world consequences of the lies that Fox News and Republicans shovel out everyday are dire. This is why we need progressive, independent media like Daily Kos--and no one hates us more than Republicans and anti-vaxxers, because we expose them for the public health threats that they are. Please support our ongoing work by giving a monthly donation of $5.
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Keep fighting,
Amanda McKay, Daily Kos
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