An Abundance of Experts

I am truly amazed, no, I am stunned, by the dramatic increase in the number of people in this country who suddenly are experts in all things Covid.

These people must be closet epidemiologists, virologists, physicians and public health experts. After all, they know for a fact that masks don't work to slow the spread of the virus that causes Covid-19. One woman on NextDoor proclaimed that wearing masks actually causes the virus to mutate. Another person claims, without proof or sources cited of course, that millions of people have died as a result of being vaccinated against the virus.

Still others exclaim that the vaccination changes one's DNA, or makes women infertile (that wouldn't be such a bad thing if it kept these science deniers from procreating). And what about those who say they won't get vaccinated because they don't know what is in the vaccines? Would they know even if they were told? For those interested, you can get more information about 'ingredients' in the approved Covid vaccines at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/covid-19-vaccines-us.html#Appendix-C  Some anti-vaxxers said they wouldn't take an 'experimental' vaccine. Now that the Pfizer vaccine has received full FDA approval, with the Moderna vaccine expected to receive full approval soon, what lame excuse will these people come up with?

Do these doubters know what is in the hot dogs they eat, or the Twinkies or corn dogs or other fake foods they enjoy? Do they never question why they believe a politician rather than someone with years of study and experience in public health or medicine?

There is disagreement even among public health and medical experts about this virus and how best to control it. The experts are still learning about the virus. There is a reason it is called the novel coronavirus. It is a new virus, and out knowledge of this virus is evolving as the virus itself mutates.

Let's face it: We aren't going to eliminate the virus that causes covid-19, any more than we have eliminated the myriad of viruses that cause the flu or the common cold. So the best we can hope for is to control it. With so many armchair experts weighing in on the pandemic, I wonder why we haven't been able to get it under control yet?

There is a general consensus among most real experts (not those who heard from the third cousin of a friend's uncle) about how best to respond to this massive, worldwide threat to life and public health. 

So how about we stop listening to the armchair experts who think the pandemic is fake and covid is no worse than the seasonal  flu? Perhaps we all need to listen to the experts and do what they recommend.