Marjorie Taylor Greene Compares Covid-19 To Cancer, Here’s The Twittersphere Response

On Saturday morning, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in contrast Covid-19 and most cancers in a four-tweet thread. There was at the least one itty bitty drawback with the thread: Covid-19 and most cancers will not be the identical factor.

Certain Covid-19 and most cancers each begin with the letter “c.” However so does cummerbund and camel. They’re additionally each well being points however so is strolling corpse syndrome. Nonetheless, as you possibly can see within the following first two tweets of the thread, Taylor Greene introduced Covid-19 and most cancers collectively like scorching canines and peanut butter:

Taylor-Greene began the primary tweet by saying, “Each single 12 months greater than 600,000 folks within the US die from most cancers.” OK, that’s roughly true. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), “in 2021, an estimated 608,570 folks will die of most cancers in the USA.” To this point so good then. No point out of house lasers, medical brown shirts or a June 31, 2021, deadline.

The second line her tweet acknowledged, “The nation has by no means as soon as shut down.” Okay, that’s sort of true as nicely. However isn’t that like saying, “The nation has by no means as soon as lined everybody utterly in spaghetti sauce?” It’s a real assertion however doesn’t appear to observe from the primary assertion about most cancers deaths.

The third line provided somewhat extra of the identical, “Not a single faculty has closed.” Once more, that is true. However how may closing colleges assist combat most cancers, particularly when most cancers charges are usually a lot decrease amongst school-aged youngsters. It’s not just like the extreme acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) the place school-aged youngsters are very more likely to carry and unfold the virus to one another throughout faculty after which deliver dwelling the virus to contaminate their relations. Closing colleges can thus forestall colleges from turning into cauldrons to additional gas the unfold of SARS-CoV-2 and the pandemic. In contrast, closing colleges due to most cancers deaths can be akin to placing a stick in your eye. It might serve no goal besides trigger much more issues.

Her first tweet concluded with “And yearly, over 600,000 folks, of all ages and all races, will proceed to die from most cancers.” Sure, her tweet had already stated one thing like that. So why repeat that? Does this have something to do with closing colleges? Until Taylor Greene is by some means suggesting that most cancers spreads just like the Covid-19 coronavirus, via the air and informal contact?

Yikes, airborne transmission of most cancers from spending simply quarter-hour with somebody with most cancers? If most cancers had been to unfold as shortly because the SARS-CoV-2, our society can be in critical, critical bother. You’d see some actually critical rest room paper hoarding then. Seems like author Thor Benson would don’t have any issues going into lockdown mode if that had been the case:

Certain, air air pollution, tobacco smokes, and different airborne substances might result in most cancers. However usually that takes many months and even years of publicity. Was Taylor Greene suggesting that there may by some means be most cancers superspreader occasions like what occurred on the White Home with Covid-19 in 2020?

Earlier than you bounce to conclusions about how most cancers could also be unfold actor, Angela Belcamino reminded everybody that issues with pores and skin most cancers don’t get fairly that jumpy:

Many responses on Twitter to Taylor Greene emphasised that most cancers shouldn’t be contagious. That’s largely correct. You aren’t going to get most cancers by staying in the identical room for an hour with an individual who has most cancers. To be honest, although, there are cancers that may be triggered by infectious pathogens. For instance, human papilloma virus (HPV) an infection could cause cervical, anal, penile, and oropharyngeal most cancers. And HPV may be transmitted by way of intercourse, which by the way in which shouldn’t be the identical as sharing a bus with somebody. There isn’t any proof that HPV can float within the air just like the SARS-CoV-2.

The second tweet in Taylor Inexperienced’s thread acknowledged that “Since #COVID19 monitoring has began, 780,000+ folks have died in 22 mo within the US, however greater than 1 million nonetheless died of most cancers. Extra have died in 2021 from covid than 2020 despite Gov mandated widespread vaccines, mass public masking, & trillions spent.”

It’s true that over 780,000 folks within the U.S. have already died from Covid-19. Actually, reported Covid-19 deaths are in all probability underestimates since not everyone seems to be getting examined for Covid-19. Nonetheless, it’s not clear although why citing the variety of most cancers deaths would make the massive variety of Covid-19 deaths any higher. Wouldn’t that be like telling an individual, “don’t fear about your own home being on fireplace as a result of it’s sitting on quicksand?”

The primary half of the second line in Taylor Inexperienced’s second tweet is appropriate in that extra folks have died in 2021 than 2020 from Covid-19. Nevertheless, the second half of the second tweet ought to immediate you to day, “maintain on a second.” Deaths have been increased in 2021 in all probability partially as a result of the pandemic has been occurring somewhat longer in 2021 in comparison with 2020. Whereas the pandemic didn’t actually decide up within the U.S. till March 2020, this 12 months the pandemic was already in full swing as of January 1, 2021. Furthermore, folks appeared much more diligent with social distancing and face masks sporting earlier on through the pandemic in 2020. By means of a lot of 2021, particularly after mid-Could, face masks use has turn into much less and fewer widespread though the pandemic has continued.

The supply of vaccines is one huge factor that’s completely different about 2021 in comparison with 2020. The Covid-19 vaccines in all probability have already saved quite a few lives. The issue although is vaccination charges haven’t but been excessive sufficient to make an much more dramatic distinction. As of December 3, less than 60% of the U.S. population has been totally vaccinated in opposition to Covid-19, nicely beneath the 80%-plus herd immunity thresholds which might be wanted to interrupt the transmission of the virus. Coupling these too low vaccination charges with untimely rest of different Covid-19 precautions like face masks sporting has led to the Covid-19 demise state of affairs of 2021.

Many individuals are remaining vaccine-hesitant maybe as a result of they don’t totally understand the specter of the Covid-19 coronavirus and the advantages of the vaccine. Persevering with with Taylor Greene’s suggestion that Covid-19 could also be like most cancers, the next tweet suggests that folks can be fairly keen to get most cancers vaccine if provided one:

Now there isn’t a vaccine in opposition to most cancers. One exception is the HPV vaccine, which may in flip minimize down your threat of HPV-caused cancers like cervical and anal most cancers.

Taylor Greene’s third and fourth tweets within the thread had been brief on medical data as nicely:

As seen above, Taylor Greene claimed that “Covid predominately targets overweight & older folks.” The Covid-19 coronavirus doesn’t “goal” anybody specifically. It doesn’t weigh you or ask you your age earlier than infecting you. When you have a nostril or mouth and a respiratory tract, you will get contaminated. In case you don’t have such physique elements, you might be a ficus plant. Whereas these with weight problems or those that are older could also be extra more likely to have extra extreme outcomes from Covid-19, everyone seems to be in danger for Covid-19 badness.

Taylor Greene additionally asserted that ivermectin is saving lives with out the proof that that is the case. As I’ve lined beforehand for Forbes, ivermectin might assist take away parasitic worms out of your physique, there simply isn’t sufficient scientific help for its use in opposition to Covid-19.

In case you couldn’t inform from her most cancers references, Taylor Greene shouldn’t be a medical physician or a scientist. Subsequently, adapting the phrases of Alanis Morissette’s music, isn’t it ironic that she was tweeting that “it’s time to take a special strategy based mostly on the information” and “cease the politically pushed mass hysteria.” It’s time for the U.S. to take a special strategy and have politicians cease tweeting about how one can take care of Covid-19. Actual scientists, medical docs, and public well being consultants needs to be main the way in which and never politicians. On the very least, it needs to be individuals who could make it very clear that Covid-19 and most cancers will not be the identical factor.