As we’ve pointed out repeatedly in the last few days and weeks, a sizable segment of the U.S. media has been more than happy to draw coronavirus outbreak comparisons between the U.S. and China without adding a disclaimer that the numbers from the latter can’t be trusted (China all but admitted as much this week). Examples of the media automatically believing China’s initial claims can be seen here and here and here — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
During President Trump’s Tuesday evening coronavirus briefing, Dr. Deborah Birx, in a very polite way, reminded everybody — especially the media — that China lied from the outset. At that point the World Health Organization believed China’s claims, and other nations initially followed the WHO’s guidelines based on those claims.
Dr. Birx just nailed it.
EVERYONE thought it wasn’t that bad because China’s numbers made it look that way.
China LIED.
— RBe (@RBPundit) March 31, 2020
Dr. Birx says we were missing a significant amount of data from China. Sad she has to explain this obvious point to reporters, who have been citing Chinese data or data compared to China's numbers as accurate.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) March 31, 2020
Dr Birx making it clear that China's face-saving numbers messed up the expectations for the early response.
— Jay (@OneFineJay) March 31, 2020
This is a real narrative-buster, which is why the media won’t exactly be featuring Birx’s response here:
“The medical community interpreted the data from China that this was much more like SARS bc you had 50k out of 80 million” – Dr Birx
If you have to blame someone, blame China.
— Nash (@nashvegas__) April 1, 2020
Shorter Birx: China lied, people died pic.twitter.com/4ehGZbKF5R
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) March 31, 2020
We’re only guessing that the MSM will avert their eyes and ears and keep reporting China’s initial numbers as total fact.
A Chinese propagandist saying the “Trump govt failed to draw lessons from other countries, leading to this situation” is just outrageous.
Tonight Dr. Birx explained just how damaging China’s lies about the virus were to *every other country’s ability to respond.* pic.twitter.com/wqJwGH2Vjl
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) April 1, 2020
The American mainstream media has trusted communists for over 100 years now.
— Erik Charter (@charter_erik) March 31, 2020
Because our media sucks https://t.co/FtpiuB6jiK
— Renee????? (@rcouch65764513) April 1, 2020
To say many “journalists” and media outlets haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory lately would be an understatement.
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