EDITORIAL: Research COVID carefully, don’t fall for misinformation

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/09/2020 (1759 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A recent report out of Dauphin, Manitoba of a doctor sharing incorrect information and conspiracy theories should make us all stop and think about the way we assess critical information.

While the credibility of the source should always be part of the process we undertake in deciding whether or not the information is reliable, this is a reminder that not all is what it seems to be.

Dr. Blair Hrabarchuk, an internal medicine physician who practices in Dauphin said the use of masks does not help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. On his Facebook page he’s also written such gems as alleging the government’s response is an effort to radically alter society.

In a Winnipeg Free Press article, he’s quoted as writing: “This is not about a virus. It’s never been about a virus. We are experiencing the first steps toward creating a totalitarian society”.

He alleges that “mainstream media” and health agencies are corrupted and biased. He goes on to say “the powers that be” want to control people with fear and he claims, all upper case letters of course that “I for one WILL NOT BE CONTROLLED WITH FEAR!!!”

There are telltale takeaways and signs that one can quickly spot to be able to see the cracks in his case, and these are signs that are found in many of the people who pedal conspiracy theories and those that get hooked.

First of all, it’s important to realize that even educated people, those who are considered smart enough to get a university degree and even become a medical doctor can be fooled.

But no matter their field of expertise, these type of people share some common tells.

Take for instance the all caps exclamation of not living in fear. That itself is a fear response. Those who really aren’t fearful, don’t feel the need to scream that.

He and others who share this particular ignorant response love to share videos they find on YouTube. While that in itself doesn’t guarantee they’re made up, it’s a good indicator there’s something amiss if that’s the only source. At least one of the videos was fact-checked by Facebook and labelled false information.

His claim that masks don’t stop transmission is also based on a faulty premise, and is not one a doctor should in normal circumstances fall for.

He, and other mask opponents like to talk about the size of the novel coronavirus particle itself, which is about 125 nanometers, a size that fits rather easily through the holes in the material that makes up a mask. What they fail to consider is that the particles don’t travel alone, they travel on the respiratory droplets that come from our mouths. Those particles are big enough to be stopped by the mask.

Another thing to consider when gauging whether or not to trust someone, is who they trust and distrust. Usually a doctor would have credibility based on his job.

But this doctor uses phrases like “mainstream media”. When anyone uses a general phrase to avoid any possibility of fact-checking, that’s a red flag. Saying “mainstream media” or “Big Pharma” are dead giveaways that not all is as it appears. Suggesting different media outlets have the desire and the capability to conspire on dozens of issues at once is rather silly.

He also makes a blanket statement that three-letter health agencies are corrupted. So what he’s saying is to trust him because he’s a doctor, but urges people not to trust other agencies made up of doctors because they are somehow corrupt. He even takes on reputable medical journals like the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The fact that no medical organization agrees with his unfounded beliefs should raise a huge red flag.

Also hot right now is the misquoted study that revealed that six percent of COVID-19 deaths happened to people who had other health issues.

That has been turned into a rallying cry for dummies, who’ve turned that into, “only six percent of COVID-19 deaths are from the virus itself”.

In a widely circulated meme, Dr. Carrie Diulus said it best.

“I have Type 1 diabetes. I am healthy enough to run ultramarathons,” she writes. “If I get attacked by a bear and the ICU has trouble managing my blood sugar while caring for my bear attack wounds… and I die… the bear is the cause of my death.”

There are many signs we need to look for when assessing the truthfulness of information and perhaps the last one that stands out in the case of Dr. Blair Hrabarchuk, is one that’s common to many who share conspiracy theories.

It’s their reluctance to consider discussing them in person, with someone who’s informed enough to present a challenge.

Case in point for Hrabarchuk was his refusal to even return phone calls to The Winnipeg Free Press.

Perhaps he should consider that if you can’t stand up for what you believe in, maybe you should just sit down and shut up.