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Did Mixed Messages from the Media Drive the Covid-19 Resurgence?
The law of unintended consequences is immutable.
How ever well-meaning their reasons, media personalities, politicians, and medical experts have ignored the dangers of not social distancing during the large George Floyd protests.
In so downplaying that risk, they have not kept the public properly informed, protected or on its guard. By encouraging people to protest in large numbers, these powerful influencers have inadvertently convinced too many people that the threat of Covid-19 isn’t all that dire.
We are now seeing the resulting spike in Covid-19 cases that this laxity has caused.
Early in the protests, major media outlets made much of an open letter signed by almost 1,300 health professionals, infectious diseases professionals and community stakeholders advocating for the massive protests and the millions of people who have attended such events over the last few weeks.
Of course “1,300 health professionals” sounds impressive; until you are reminded that there are over 18 million health professionals working in the U.S. today.