COLUMN: Bad news and good news
The bad news is that the virus is resurgent in Middle Georgia. I actually disagree with Gov. Brian Kemp on the mask issue. I think he should mandate them statewide if only to stop local businesses themselves having to be the bad guys.
It is true that in February and March our national healthcare experts said only sick people and first responders needed them. But the virus was new and there was a lot about it we did not know because the Chinese lied. We now know that most people who get it will be asymptomatic, never knowing they have the virus, but they can spread it. We also know the most contagious people are pre-symptomatic COVID-19 sufferers. Those people do not yet have any symptoms, but will get symptoms.
With influenza, people are most contagious when they have symptoms and know they are under the weather. With COVID-19, people are most contagious before they develop symptoms. By presuming everyone is transmitting the virus and having everyone wear masks, we can stop its spread.
A few months ago, a man flew from China to Toronto. He coughed the whole way and tested positive for COVID-19 upon arriving in Canada. But he had worn a mask the whole trip and no one else on the plane got the virus. In Missouri, two hair stylists tended to over 100 clients. Both stylists were positive and, at the time, highly contagious. They and all their clients wore masks. None of the clients got the virus.
Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Slovenia, have gone back to work, sporting events are happening, and kids are heading back to school because they imposed mandatory masks when in public. It is not just that the data is there, the real world evidence is now there. On a daily basis though, I have people sending me YouTube videos and articles from supposed scientists claiming masks are not effective.
What is happening is people who think this is no big deal are finding those who confirm their biases and tell them what they want to hear. We have people around here who genuinely think COVID-19 is a plot to stop the re-election of President Trump. People believe all sorts of crazy things. But the real world data is on the side of wearing masks. I have a nagging suspicion we are seeing active and planned disinformation campaigns targeting people.
The United States is performing badly and we are being bested by places like Taiwan and Slovenia. The only thing they did differently was mandate wearing masks. That should tell us something. Instead, people find internet quacks who tell them what they want to hear. In twenty-four hours, I had three separate people text or email me that they know people who know people who registered for COVID-19 tests, did not actually take the test, then got positive results back. Not a single correspondent can provide me names or documentation, but they swear it is true.
But, there is good news too. The CEO of Navicent Healthcare is retiring. I suspect I should put quotation marks around retiring. Her two major accomplishments were a costly rebranding of the noted Medical Center of Central Georgia into the ridiculous and made up name Navicent and partnering the organization with Atrium Health. Atrium has been under a federal investigation for using its size to drive up healthcare costs. The departure of Ninfa Saunders is good news for Middle Georgia.
Erick Erickson is host of the Erick Erickson Show on News-Talk 940 WMAC