Ron Johnson Wastes a Perfectly Good Morning Giving a Platform to More Debunked Conspiracy Theories about Vaccines
This morning, in a bizarre and long-winded conversation, Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin invited some of the same people who spoke at the anti-vaccination Defeat the Mandates rally on Sunday to spout the same dangerous rhetoric on display there.
While people audibly coughed from time to time in the background, the largely discredited group, some of whom were fired or forced to resign due to their anti-science stances, repeated conspiracy theories and lies which have led to vaccine hesitancy, prolonging the pandemic and causing unnecessary suffering.
By giving a platform to these so-called “experts” who traffic in conspiracy theories and lies, Senator Johnson is hurting his own constituents. During the meeting, he even floated the idea that early shutdowns led to more infections due to people being in their homes.
Below are some of the most egregious examples of the kinds of lies pushed throughout the discussion:
Peter McCullough
“I am telling you as an epidemiologist: the vaccines are causing these fatal and nonfatal events to a large degree.”
Dr. McCullough is not an epidemiologist, but a cardiologist who was fired from his position for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. While COVID-19 vaccines can cause adverse effects in extremely rare instances, they have been deemed safe and effective by the FDA after undergoing rigorous clinical trials. To date, more than 530 million doses have been administered in the United States.
“We learned early on that the virus isn’t spread from asymptomatic people.”
Health experts agree, asymptomatic individuals can spread COVID-19. The World Health Organization states, “infected people can transmit the virus both when they have symptoms and when they don’t have symptoms.”
Harvey Risch
“Early hydroxychloroquine use dramatically reduces the risk of hospitalization and death…This is scientific proof.”
The FDA has determined that hydroxychloroquine is not proven to be safe or effective for the treatment of COVID-19, stating concerns over “serious heart rhythm problems…blood and lymph system disorders, kidney injuries, and liver problems and failure.” In 2022, the FDA doubled down on their 2020 warning stating, “hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have not been shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing COVID-19.”
Pierre Kory
“Ivermectin has been shown to literally solve the pandemic.”
The example provided by Pierre Kory about the use of ivermectin in India has been disproven, finding “There is no scientific evidence showing that ivermectin led to a reduction in the spread of the virus in Uttar Pradesh.” Additionally, the FDA has been clear, stating that ivermectin “has not [been] authorized or approved…for use in preventing or treating COVID-19 in humans or animals…Currently available data do[es] not show ivermectin is effective against COVID-19.”
Paul Merick
“You are more likely to die from Tylenol than ivermectin.”
Tylenol has proven to be an extremely safe medication over the past 70 years when used as directed. The FDA has continually stated that ivermectin has never been proven to be a safe or effective treatment against COVID-19.
Robert Malone
“[The vaccines] are not completely safe.”
While COVID-19 vaccines can cause adverse effects in extremely rare instances, they have been deemed safe and effective by the FDA after undergoing rigorous clinical trials. To date, more than 530 million doses have been administered in the United States.
David Wiseman
“Boosters are the equivalent to heroin addiction.”
The CDC has consistently reaffirmed the effectiveness of COVID-19 booster shots, particularly with the emergence of the Omicron variant, stating “booster shot[s] increased the immune response in trial participants…With an increased immune response, people should have improved protection against getting infected with COVID-19…clinical trials also showed that a booster shot helped prevent severe disease.”
Dr. Ryan Cole
“We are finding the people who have been getting the shots are getting Omicron. The vaccines are actually negatively affecting, meaning you’re actually getting Omicron at an enhanced, higher rate.”
COVID-19 booster shots decrease the likelihood of infection, serious illness, and death, and have been deemed an essential tool in combating the Omicron variant. The CDC has published data showing unvaccinated Americans over 50 are roughly 45 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who have been fully vaccinated and boosted.