Items

• 
  2021-03-01

  Skeptic's flawed analysis of pandemics over a century using data that ignores population growth and globalization.

  The attached image was used as evidence in an article for pandemic skeptics to make a "realistic risk assessment" of their danger during the COVID-19 pandemic in an article originally published in March 2021. The image utilizes only the mortality rate of England and Wales over the last century to visually "show" that COVID-19 is just a "blip" on the map. They are seemingly hinting through an image that this pandemic is fake news compared to world wars or influenza, using data to propagandize skepticism. What is misleading about this data is that they are using numbers of today against nearly one hundred years ago and are not contextualizing the numbers at all. At first glance one can see the overall mortality rate is going down. Of course, this is due to improved science, sanitization, water, and medicine over this time period. We must not also forget that this rate has gone down because the number of people in England and Wales, as in all life on our Earth, has increased. Like all math problems, the larger the denominator the small the rate. For example, if 100 people died out of a population of 1,000, the mortality rate is 10% (100/1000x100). But, if 100 people died in a population of 10,000, the mortality rate is only 1 percent (100/10000x100). Trying to compare numbers in a situation where the world population is much different and globalized, is not an equal comparison. I believe this is misleading persuasive propaganda that skeptics used to make COVID look like not a big deal. However, the risk factors have much more to do with your age, location, health history, interaction with other people, and how your surrounding areas respond to a pandemic, none of which is contextualized in this vague graph.
• 2021-01-11

  covid origins

  At the first thought of the virus, I wasn't sure what to think. I heard many things like "Covid came from China" and "Covid has always been around but it just got worse now" and other things like, "Covid is fake". I thought that Covid wouldn't be as bad. and that it would be something like the flu. when more and more people started dying, I realized how bad it actually was. I believe that Covid has always been around in the world. That maybe its been in our air forever and something happened for it to get to this point. Covid is not fake. it is very much here, and in the air. I also believe that Covid started in a certain point of the world and was brought to a heavily populated area and spread from there.
• 
  2020-04-30

  "The Coronavirus Conspiracy Boom" - The Atlantic Monthly

  The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated socioeconomic and political shock has created fertile grounds for the dissemination of conspiracy theories. In an article for the Atlantic Monthly, political scientists Joseph E. Uscinski and Adam M. Enders provide an overview of why conspiracy theories have developed and spread, and how they are being exacerbated by political polarization, groupthink, group identity, and misinformation. The authors also examine the different types of COVID-19 conspiracy theories, showing that certain kinds of conspiracy theories are associated with political identities and exacerbated by conspiratorial statements made by politicians.
• 
  2020-03-30

  The impact of Covid

  Let me share with you the story of my COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. The outbreak in the United States came after our school's spring break. At that time, we were instructed to attend classes online, and we were unprepared to the rest of the semester. And it has also been accompanied by the cancellation of many campus activities. The quality of the course is compromised. Both professors and students are severely tested because the new teaching modality has never been used. The professors ponder how to teach and design exams online, and the student tries to adjust to the new studying environment. What'sWhat's more, as students, we lost all kinds of group discussion activities, presentation and face-to-face experience in class. Online courses are always less convenient than face-to-face ones. But as students, we have to overcome it. Another thing that is affected by the epidemic is the mindset. I can imagine the COVID-19 will break out in the United States because it's a very contagious virus. It isn't the flu, but it is a virus. In the early stage of the outbreak, many people had very wrong misconceptions about the coronavirus. This misconception is more deadly than the COVID itself. When I walk down the street, most people don't wear masks because they think they don't need to wear masks. One passer-by even told me that masks were useless for the virus. I am so shocked by their mindset. It is the first time I can actually feel that the COVID is less lethal because people who don't believe masks can save a life are really trying to challenge COVID with their lives.
• 
  2020-04-01

  “It really hasn't. I believe in God. I'm a Roman Catholic."

  “It really hasn't. I believe in God. I'm a Roman Catholic. A lot of people are likening covid-19 to the book of Revelations which really it doesn't apply. What this has taught me as a person... I still believe in God as a result of this. My belief is even stronger. I don't think this is something that God has sent his wrath to kill the majority of people in the United States or that it's causing… It’s causing people a lot of anguish. I will say that because people have… as a society we have become so reliant on freedom. It really kind of has taken us a step back and if you want to look introspectively at yourself in your beliefs this is teaching everyone or it should be teaching everyone what’s important in your life.”
• 
  2020-04-01

  “Covid-19 has affected my beliefs in the way that..."

  “Covid-19 has affected my beliefs in the way that it has made me strengthen my faith and I am a Christian and believe in Jesus Christ.” “No.” “Covid-19 has affected my participation in my religious community by social distancing not being able to gather in prayer and congregate for worshipping.” “Yes, my religious community helps with passing out lunches to the kids of the community that are underprivileged and don't have access to any lunch nor breakfast because they're closing up the schools.”
• 
  2020-04-15

  A Virus That Hits All Faiths Tests Religion's Tie to Science

  This article talks about how many places still are continuing their religious gatherings despite everything going on because of the relief it can provide. It mentions how some places are following their religious belief and going to their religious sites because the virus can be combated with belief and if something were to happen that would be the best place to die. While places like the U.S. have transferred their religious services to online ones or just stoped them many people in other places are still meeting up like nothing is going on and the virus won't get them becasue they are in a safe place.