Dr. David Gorski previously coined the phrase “everything old is new again” to describe how disinformation agents plagiarized “old school” anti-vaccine balderdash to minimize COVID. These techniques were dishonest, but effective. As a result, people died of COVID, and MAHA doctors were catapulted to power.
However, with the geniuses who “would have” perfectly controlled COVID in charge, the headlines read:
- 4 Times As Many Measles Cases In A Few Weeks Than Us Typically Averages In A Whole Year
- Measles Hits ICE Family Detention Center in Texas
- Measles Is Causing Brain Swelling in Children in South Carolina
Competent leaders would use their authority and soapbox to promote the MMR at every opportunity. MAHA leaders are not doing that, and we are allowed to judge them on their silence now. Instead, they have been recycling COVID myths, which were themselves recycled from pre-pandemic anti-vaxx myths, to minimize measles and fear monger about the vaccine. Here are 6 examples.
1. People Die With COVID/Measles, Not of COVID/Measles
To minimize COVID then and measles today, disinformation agents spread the myth that people died with the virus, not from the virus.
2. Only Sick Kids Die
To minimize COVID then and measles today, disinformation agents spread the toxic myth that only unhealthy children died from them, though death is not the only bad outcome from either virus.
3. It’s All Going Away
To minimize COVID then and measles today, disinformation agents prematurely claimed the worst was over, and it was all going away.
4. The Vaccine is Dangerous
To minimize COVID then and measles today, disinformation agents treated vaccine side effects, both real and imagined, as a fate worse than death from a virus.
5. Doctors Are to Blame
To minimize COVID then and measles today, disinformation agents claimed that incompetent doctors were to blame for the death of their patients.
6. Infections Are Beneficial
To minimize COVID then and measles today, disinformation agents claimed that these viruses have potential health benefits. In his essay and video, I Am Going To Mask Because I Want To Get Fewer Colds & Other Flawed Ideas Dr. Vinay Prasad said:
It is natural to be infected repeatedly with respiratory viruses— if we got fewer infections what would that mean for auto-immunity for cancer? We have no clue. We have no idea if we would actually live longer or healthier lives trying to dodge seasonal runny noses and coughs.
Once again, everything old is new again, again. The circle of disinformation is complete, and we are still just getting started. And, I can’t help but wonder if we could have avoided everything that’s happening with measles today had more people cared about COVID disinformation back then.