Op-Ed: The reality of COVID-19 does not jive with Trump's misinformation

BY KAREN GRAHAM 

The U.S. has already recorded over 7.8 million Covid-19 cases, and 215,000 deaths, and even though President Donald Trump chooses to dismiss the numbers - the deadly virus is real, and it is not disappearing, as Trump claims.

A total of 31 states in America are seeing an upward trend of new Covid-19 cases — and the pandemic could get worse, based on the latest forecast from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington. The university's widely-used model projects another 181,000 deaths in the United States by February.

The nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, showing deep concern.  told CNN's Jake Tapper on Monday: "I hope these numbers ... jolt the American public into the realization that we really cannot let this happen -- because it's on a trajectory of getting worse and worse. And that's the worst possible thing that can happen as we get into the cooler months."

Dr. Fauci also explained very clearly, that health experts are not pushing to put the country into a lock-down, saying, "Let's get that off the table. We are not talking about shutting down. We're talking about simple public health measures." And it is something that has been said over and over - "Universal wearing of masks. Keep physical distance. Above all, avoid crowds and congregate settings," Fauci said.


Top government scientist Anthony Fauci said he has "never publicly endorsed any political candidate" after Donald Trump released a reelection ad that seemed to show him praising the president's response to the coronavirus pandemic
SAUL LOEB, MANDEL NGAN, AFP/File

Former CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser said it's up to all Americans to make sure grim projections don't become reality.

"What we do matters," he said. "If we follow the lead of CDC and do the things that are working around the globe, in terms of wearing masks and social distancing and washing hands and investigating cases, ensuring people have what they need to isolate and quarantine, we can have a very different trajectory and we can get this in control."

The virus, according to Trump

Thankfully, not everyone in this country has become brain-numbed by President Trump's constant lies and misinformation concerning what he calls "the China virus," a very derogatory term. But then again, it may be that he just can't figure out how to pronounce the word "coronavirus."

But Trump die-hards are now being told that after recovering from his bout of the coronavirus, not only is he cured, but the virus is finally disappearing.
"It's going to disappear, it is disappearing," Trump said to hundreds of supporters of the black conservative “Blexit” movement – founded by controversial political commentator and activist Candace Owens – who gathered on the White House lawn for what was billed as an official event, according to Forbes.

Trump's comments came out after the CDC reported 58,000 new cases of the virus on Friday, the highest single-day count since August. And just to keep his supporters riled up, Trump again accused Democrats, incorrectly, of wanting to “lock everything down,” telling supporters “we’re not gonna let it happen.”

Trump is also proclaiming to his adoring worshipers that he has been cured of the deadly virus, according to Politico. “I beat this crazy, horrible China virus,” Trump claimed in a wide-ranging, 30-minute phone interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.”

Trump also claimed he was now immune from the virus, a rather dubious statement, seeing as scientists are still in the dark as to how immunity is conferred and how long it lasts. And just to make sure he got the message out, he also followed up his Fox News appearance with a tweet: “A total and complete sign off from White House Doctors yesterday. That means I can’t get it (immune), and can’t give it. Very nice to know!!!”

Twitter later labeled the post as a violation of its rules forbidding the spread of “misleading and potentially harmful information related to COVID-19.”
It is easy to see why so many Americans are becoming shell-shocked - especially with the constant barrage of lies and misinformation being put out by the Trump Administration, and the truth be told, Trump is the biggest perpetrator of "fake news" in the country.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/politics/op-ed-the-reality-of-covid-19-does-not-jive-with-trump-s-misinformation/article/579408#ixzz6aiccUq1A