When the pandemic dawned upon us only a few scientists knew what was going on. Moreover, the information was incomplete and sometimes inconsistent. We turned to whatever sources we could find without always checking their credibility. On March 21, 2022 The Guardian asked could false narratives cause a million deaths. It’s a frightening thought!
How False Narratives Could Have Caused a Million Deaths
The Guardian takes the right approach in our minds by not vilifying individuals. Instead, it asks what were those narratives and how can we manage things better the next time round?
The first false narrative according to The Guardian was the pandemic was only a problem for poor countries. Therefore wealthy countries delayed emergency measures until horror stories filtered through from Italy.
The second false narrative that could have caused a million deaths according to The Guardian was this. A significant group of opinion-makers insisted COVID-19 was mild, some even believed it was a hoax. Some 30% of people surveyed thought the pandemic was over shortly before Delta arrived.
What Can We Do in Future Next Time Round?
There surely will be a next time. Pandemics have occurred in every phase of history. Perhaps we should stop regarding them as random events beyond our control? The Guardian believes viruses jump to us when we come in contact with wild animals. If this is true, then pandemics begin when we deforest, or follow risky farming practice.
The deadliest false narrative is believing we have no choice but to wait for the inevitable, and then trust medical science to sort it out. The two greatest scourges of our century have been COVID-19 and global warming. Scientists have warned for a half century deforestation cannot continue. Any wagers on when it will stop?
Breaking News
Questions About COVID In The New Normal
China Locks Down More Cities Against COVID
