General surgeon describes coronavirus misinformation as ‘urgent threat’

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The delta variant is fueling a rapid increase in new COVID-19 infections nationwide. For the first time in months, the US is again reporting more than 1,000 new cases every hour. This comes as fewer people are being vaccinated.

In his first consultation, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a stark warning Thursday in an effort to combat misinformation that the COVID vaccine is dangerous. Murthy said the misinformation circulating on social media is driving hesitation about vaccines, especially among young people, who are increasingly being hospitalized due to the delta variable, especially in the south

“False health information poses a serious threat to public health,” the warning said. “We know enough to make sure that disinformation is an urgent threat, and that we can and must confront it together.”

“Amidst all this information, many people were also exposed to health misinformation: false, inaccurate or misleading information according to the best evidence available at the time. The misinformation caused confusion and led people to reject COVID-19 vaccines and public health measures such as masking. physical distancing and the use of unproven treatments.”

General Surgeon Dr. Vivek Murthy on July 15, 2021. Susan Walsh/AFP

The country’s vaccination rate continues to slow. Daily vaccinations have fallen by more than half in the past month alone, and now the CDC expects an increase in coronavirus-related hospitalizations across the country. A Kaiser Family Foundation study found that two-thirds of those surveyed believed at least one of the many myths circulating about vaccines.

In what looks like the early days of the pandemic, the New York Yankees were forced to postpone Thursday’s game after several players tested positive. In Los Angeles County, where new cases have more than doubled in a week, a new indoor mask mandate will go into effect at midnight Saturday, whether or not a person has been vaccinated.

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Across the South, hospitalizations are rising among every age group. Daily cases in Tennessee have doubled over the past two weeks, yet the state has halted vaccination campaigns for teens and scaled back the promotion of vaccines. The children there will be back in school in a few weeks. Some parents are eager to vaccinate their children while others do not.

Mimi Pullman, of Nashville, has three teenage boys who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID. However, Pullman said her children have had other vaccinations in the past.

“My problem is the lack of long-term safety data. As a parent, you try to make the best decisions with the facts and information we know, and we don’t provide enough information that can change your life,” she said.

Meanwhile, Tonya Graham’s son Chase is immunocompromised and relies on herd immunity for protection. “Every time you have a ‘not me’ situation, you say, ‘That’s fine, it’s okay for Chase to get critical.

Nashville Public Schools will not require students and staff to wear face masks when school begins here in a few weeks.

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