The information provided in this article and video counters the preventative measures that were taken nationwide. State and federal governments and most universities imposed mask mandates and social distancing as ways to prevent the spread of covid-19 and, thus, lower the number of fatalities and infections. Merritt informs her audience that the government’s measures were unnecessary as areas that took the least amount of preventative measures actually ended up being better off in the long run. For example, five out of the six countries with the lowest death rates did little to respond to the pandemic. I believe the reason for the difference between the measures that were taken is due to misinformation.
Merritt mentions that Fauci praised New York for its excellent covid-19 response, but this area also had the highest death rate. Praising New York for its response is illogical if considering all data. Furthermore, extreme measures were deemed necessary despite no evidence of them successfully reducing covid-19 and its disastrous effects. Quite contrarily, data was collected indicating that measures such as masks, social distancing, and quarantine caused more deaths in the long run. False information was also spread in the promotion of mask mandates. Masks have been proven not to block covid particles as these particles are .125 microns and can easily go through surgical masks, construction masks, ect. In addition to perpetrating ineffective methods, effective methods of prevention/ treatment were ignored. Regarding covid, hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine were portrayed as ineffective methods of treatment. However, there is much evidence of these drugs’ success when treating covid-19. Strangely enough, these cheap and effective treatments were not only promoted to be insufficient but were even portrayed as controversial, unethical, and illegal. The portrayal of these drugs as such prevented doctors from treating their patients in the way that they saw most fit. The massive spread of misinformation is what caused the whole nation (including Bucknell and other universities) to shut down and adopt methods that may not have been the most effective.