The World is in Crisis. Where You At, Skeptics?
We've reached a moment of truth and need all hands on deck. Some hands are conspicuously missing.
The year, 2024. There’s an ongoing global pandemic, rapid climate degradation, mass extinction and war. We ain’t in good shape as a species and our societies are beginning to crack under the weight of our extractive culture and failure to control infectious disease.
Science is what informs us about these crises and it also informs us about what we can do about them. I consider myself a realist and not a fatalist or cynic, so rather than dwell on the things that we can’t change, or things that have come to the point that they can’t be reversed, I’d like to look at some things we still have control over.
First, we can begin with the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a situation that was mishandled by all levels of government and public health. Currently we are in the second largest surge of the pandemic…so far. Hospitals are overloaded. Covid-19 now spreads largely unchecked globally. Two key mistakes made were: not following the pandemic plans we had in place, and not recognizing that SARS-CoV-2 is airborne.
Another huge misstep by governments and public health authorities was not recognizing the limitations of current Covid-19 vaccines. None of the products on the market stop transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This means. like it or not, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) are necessary. But, in our continued theme of fucking-shit-up-royally we politicized one of the best tools we have in our arsenal to help stop transmission of airborne respiratory viruses - respirators (mostly referred to as masks.)
Science, particularly physics, tells us how N95 and other respirators work.
Dunderheads however, demand randomized control trials for an area of study where they are not appropriate.
They also deny the harm from repeat Covid infections and pursue policies that favor economics over public health.
The other pressing global crisis bearing down on mankind is climate change. Greed, hubris and a fundamental disconnect from the planet that sustains us are some of the root causes, and a lack of action on the part of world governments drives it. Dunder heads deny it, and waste everyone’s valuable time with their pseudoscience.
We could really use some heroes right about now to fight alongside us. So, what are the gatekeepers of all things science doing with their influence and platforms? We already know what they are doing about climate change…
But what about the continued spread of Covid-19? What are they are doing to educate their followers about how Covid spreads and how we can protect each other? Have they informed the public of the risk to their health from repeated infections? Are they asking our government leaders to take Long Covid seriously and fund treatment and prevention?
Let’s examine a few well known Skeptics and find out!
David Gorski, Steven Novella, and Science Based Medicine
Here’s a couple of guys who are well known for their outspokenness against all manner of pseudoscience and Dunderheads everywhere. Surely as physicians Dr. Gorski and Dr. Novella will stand together with us to call for universal masking in all hospitals, yes?
Unfortunately, while I would not classify these guys as being Covid deniers, what I have been able to find from them is lukewarm advocacy - at best.
Gorski wrote about aerosol transmission shortly after the beginning of the pandemic (the one that is still ongoing, but we’ll get to that in a bit.) In it he says that, “Basically, most of the evidence for airborne spread is either anecdotal or inferred,” and “The question of whether COVID-19 can spread by aerosol remains without a definitive answer.”
But then he goes on to quote from aerosol scientist Kimberly Prather and her co-authors who said, “Aerosol transmission of viruses must be acknowledged as a key factor leading to the spread of infectious respiratory diseases. Evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 is silently spreading in aerosols exhaled by highly contagious infected individuals with no symptoms.”
He concludes by saying we should act as though this is the case and we should keep doing what we’re doing, makes a nod to upgrading indoor air standards, but like, DON’T BE ALARMED, MAN.
That’s the extent of posts on SBM about aerosol transmission of Covid. And I can tell you that we aren’t much better off today than we were in early July, 2020 when it comes to having some kind of minimum standard for indoor air.
In fact, we are at the point where we have excellent evidence that this works very well to reduce Covid transmission as Dr. Novella points out in a recent article in SBM. Steve looked at a study where “universal masking, eye protection, symptom screening protocols, and routine testing within healthcare settings” were found to reduce nosocomial infections.
In this article he refers to the pandemic in the past tense. “during the COVID pandemic” and “I knew these new measures would never go away, even once the pandemic of (sic) officially over.” He explains that his hospital relaxed precautions, but brought them back, and that the “silver lining” to the pandemic is that people have now learned valuable lessons like, “how to access and use masks when appropriate. There is also more social pressure not to go out into the public when one is sick, coughing and sneezing. Hand hygiene is also important.”
DUDE. WHAT FUCKING PLANET ARE YOU ON?
*chorus of wet coughing in the background*
I don’t know about you, but I am totally underwhelmed by the amount of energy spent by SBM editors in promoting and supporting basic public health protections while seemingly endless reserves are being used to go H.A.M. on Dunderheads. We have ONE post on airborne transmission of Covid but there are THIRTY TWO PAGES of results for fucking homeopathy for cripes sakes.
Jonathan Howard
A contributor to SBM, Dr. Jonathan Howard (aka JoHo) is author of the book We Want Them Infected about my good friends, the GBD Bros. I have not read it, but assume it says much of what needs to be said about the malodorous propaganda turd dropped in October 2020 by western Massachusetts based front group American Institute for Economic Research called the Great Barrington Declaration.
This is an example of something that genuinely needed attention, (unlike that 825,973,643,825th post on homeopathy) and I am glad to see that happen. BUT, the thing I notice about guys like JoHo, is that they will happily go after disinformation coming from people like Jay, Martin, Sunetra and Jeffrey, and contrarians like Marty Malarkey Makary but they are real quiet when it comes to say, the CDC Director or Anthony Fauci.
But most damning for JoHo as far as I’m concerned, is his attitude toward the chronically ill, best evidenced in his book Cognitive Errors and Diagnostic Mistakes: A Case-Based Guide to Critical Thinking in Medicine. Here is an excerpt from it published on Edward McSweegan’s website:
Motivated reasoning is an emotional mechanism that allows people to avoid uncomfortable cognitive dissonance and permits them to hold implausible ideas, such as that Bigfoot exists, or scientifically refuted ones, such as that vaccines cause autism.
Motivated reasoning is most likely to occur with longstanding beliefs that have a strong emotional component and with beliefs that have been declared publicly. With such core beliefs, little effort is spared to discredit contradictory information and avoid unpleasant cognitive dissonance. We might like to think that we base our beliefs on the facts. However, just as often, our willingness to accept facts is based on our beliefs.
I witnessed a fascinating example of such motivated reasoning during my residency. One weekend when I was working in the hospital, I received a message that there was a support group for patients suffering from chronic Lyme disease, a medically dubious diagnosis.
I had no particular interest in going, but there were sandwiches, so I ran there as fast as I could. It was fascinating to hear multiple patients describe how they had taken ten negative tests for Lyme disease before one finally came back positive.
In their minds, the ten negative tests were wrong, while the one positive test was correct. In other words, they knew they had Lyme disease and were going to keep testing themselves for it until they got the diagnosis they were already certain they had.
I similarly encountered patients who have gone to multiple doctors, a practice called doctor-shopping, searching for one who will give them diagnosis they already “know” they have. These patients are certain they have multiple sclerosis (MS) and will search until they find a doctor who confirms this.
His attitude towards another chronic and misunderstood infection and accusing people suffering with it of malingering and doctor shopping should really give any Long Covid patients pause when considering who is and who isn’t truly fighting on their side.
This is an example where it’s not immediately apparent unless you really sit with it long enough, that when push comes to shove, JoHo is more likely to be found at brunch with Bob Wachter than he is to be found testifying at a hearing for Long Covid, or holding up a sign for bringing back masks in health care.
SciMoms
The SciMoms, who consist of of 50% scientists, 0% medical professionals and are 100% fake skeptics, have a whole FAQ section on their website dedicated to Covid-19.
It’s aged about as well as those cloth masks they have on in their cover photo.
A few excerpts:
The virus spreads mainly from person-to-person contact and is easily spread through sneezing, coughing, and even talking. However, the virus can also spread through surfaces. When an infected person sneezes, coughs, talks, or touches a surface, they may transfer some amount of infectious virus to that surface. If someone else touches the surface while the infectious virus is still present and then subsequently touches their face, the virus might then transfer to their mouth, nose, or eyes (more on this in the section on fomites below). While both the CDC and WHO have said that this is not the major way that SARS-CoV2 spreads, under the right conditions, spread through surfaces is possible.
That’s what they are leading with.
They do talk about airborne transmission much further down but make it seem as though it’s not super likely, tells you droplets vs. aerosols are really for scientists to worry about,
While these questions are very important for scientists, for most people, focusing on whether the virus is spread through droplets or fine aerosols isn’t particularly helpful. These details won’t change the recommendations to wash your hands, wear your mask, and watch your distance.
but then say that,
If the virus is also spreading partly through airborne transmission, we may need to implement additional precautions to reduce risk in scenarios where airborne spread is possible (generally crowded indoor spaces).
and,
The question of whether SARS-CoV2 is transmitted through the larger droplets or airborne transmission of fine aerosols is mostly important for determining what precautions to take. Wearing surgical or cloth masks can slow the spread of droplets. On the other hand, to prevent long-range airborne transmission, a respirator with a tight seal and better filtering than a cloth mask, like an N95, may be necessary. (emphasis mine)
So, that’s not at all confusing. And it only gets worse…
Alarming news stories abound about people getting COVID-19 for a second time. However, the data suggest this is unlikely and quite rare. SARS-CoV2 appears to behave like other viruses in this regard. While it might be possible for the virus to reinfect someone, this is unlikely to occur shortly after the first infection and also unlikely to make them sicker the second time because of the adaptive immune system. (emphasis mine)
…and worse.
So far, the data show that the genome of SARS-CoV2 is mutating quite slowly, at half the rate of influenza and a quarter of the rate of HIV.
It looks like SciMoms have largely abandoned making any updates to this FAQ, and have joined the legions of vaxxed and relaxxed livin’ like it’s 2019 again.
SciMoms are going with the flow (of pestilence filled indoor air.)
Timothy Caulfield
My favorite Canadian Tuxedoed Anti-Goop babe, Tim Caulfield is a Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, a Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, and Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta.
Tim has written the books, The Cure for Everything: Untangling the Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness and Happiness, Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?: When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash, and Relax, Dammit!: A User’s Guide to the Age of Anxiety. He is co-founder of the science engagement initiative #ScienceUpFirst and he also has a cancelled Netflix show.
Timmy is a busy boy!
Busy making fun of Gwyneth Paltrow who had the good sense to mask up on a flight early in the pandemic…
Busy loving up on front groups like the Genetic Literacy Project…
And busy living it up like it’s 2019…
You just know he’s the dude who tells you how many times he’s been vaccinated when you ask him to put on a mask. Like, buddy, I don't need you to tell me your medical history I just need you to cover up your aerosol-generating pie hole.
Unbiased Science Podcast
Oh, come on you know we had to go here, LOL.
These two are the epitome of mainstream self-styled Skepticism with their Instagram Science Influencer brand that’s a flashy mix of arrogance and ignorance. Care to buy some Teflon pans?
Their podcast began at the beginning of the pandemic, and they talked about Covid-19 a lot. Some stuff they got right, and some stuff they got wrong.
The newly invented idea of “immunity debt” is something they did get right in this video, while their take on immune harm from Covid infection is a perfect example of not only how they get it wrong, but how they react when they get called out.
In response to the now deleted video on Twitter, a medical doctor (the kind who sees patients) had this to say
Others chimed in with similar criticism, but the UnbiasedSciPod hosts took offense and responded with this post
As you might have guessed they never did respond to this criticism and the video still remains on their YouTube playlist. Of course in the last year, more information has been published in the scientific literature about the affect of Covid-19 on the immune system. The UnbiasedSciPod has not discussed this.
Their take on airborne transmission is similar to what we saw with the SciMoms.
They tell their audience that they mostly don’t mask because they are so confident in protection from vaccines from hospitalization and death, but will occasionally wear masks (after the Bob Wachter 57 point risk assessment I’m sure) to protect from “droplets.” And if you thought she just misspoke, here it is again - “Primary, droplet transmission. Person to person via droplet transmission.”
What about Long Covid? Oh well, “the vaccines are a great tool to protect against that.”
These ladies are all about putting their money where their maskless mouths are.
Skeptics are not likely to stand up with those of us who recognize that we are in the midst of a mass-disabling event. They will not be the ones fighting alongside us, demanding mitigation of Covid-19 so that everyone including the most vulnerable, has safe access to public transportation and necessary services.
Why would they if they don’t even bother to protect themselves and make sure their own events are inclusive?
The enemy of my enemy might be my friend, but they are clearly not my ally.