Editor’s note:
In the interest of transparency and accuracy, we’re updating our post.
Important context on that viral Walensky clip from this morning https://t.co/0uUrVnImad
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) January 10, 2022
This thread from James Surowiecki does provide some context that was missing from the clips that have been circulating:
This is a lie, one that is getting picked up and repeated by right-wingers and Covid skeptics across social media. Walensky was talking only about deaths in vaccinated people, not Covid deaths generally. She was referring to this new CDC study.https://t.co/A7YPANKQOs https://t.co/qAQ5wnLFRN
— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) January 10, 2022
Having said that, while it's totally irresponsible for people like Travis to retail this lie, Walensky made it far too easy, as usual, for people to misinterpret what she said, because she was not clear. Don't say "75% of deaths." Say "75% of deaths in vaccinated ppl."
— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) January 10, 2022
Walensky seems genuinely unaware that there's an information war going on, in which antivaxxers and Covid skeptics will misuse any poorly phrased or unclear or overstate comment to cast doubt on the effectiveness of the vaccines or the seriousness of Covid.
— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) January 10, 2022
Walensky seems like a good person and she has great credentials as an infectious-disease doctor. But public messaging is a huge part of the CDC Director's job, especially during a pandemic. And she has been absolutely terrible at it.
— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) January 10, 2022
The study Walensky was referring to offers incredibly strong testimony in favor of vaccination: out of 1.2 million ppl who got vaccinated between 12/20-10/21, only 36 died of Covid, and only 189 got severely ill (78% of whom had four or more comorbidities). Why not just say that?
— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) January 10, 2022
Having said all this, Good Morning America screwed over Walensky by the way it edited her comments. If you watch the full section of the clip, she said something before the 75% line, presumably to explain the numbers. But GMA cut it. pic.twitter.com/Ymvdrsn30P
— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) January 10, 2022
While we’re not inclined to defend Dr. Walensky, given her record of lacking of transparency and competence, we believe that she does deserve to have her remarks taken into context.
Our original post appears below.
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We could sit here for hours trying to come up with a single reason why we should still be listening to anything CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky has told us. But it would be a complete waste of time.
Stuff like this is why:
“What the vaccines can't do anymore is prevent transmission."
CDC Director Walenskypic.twitter.com/s3BjMVBOub
— DrScott (@drscott_atlanta) January 9, 2022
“Anymore”?
"aNYmoRe"
— g-off (@LucksGeoff) January 10, 2022
That’s actually from last October summer, but it’s been making the rounds again recently, because it’s still very relevant.
CDC director Rochelle Walensky says that the vaccine *cannot* prevent transmission. So why are all these Pro-Vaxxers saying that it can? pic.twitter.com/8aaDTh8N3T
— Anthony Brian Logan (ABL) 🇺🇸 (@ANTHONYBLOGAN) October 2, 2021
It’s relevant because Rochelle Walensky is still trying to pretend that so many critics of Democrats’ and government bureaucrats’ COVID approaches haven’t been right all along.
We must protect people with comorbidities from severe #COVID19. I went into medicine – HIV specifically – and public health to protect our most at-risk. CDC is taking steps to protect those at highest risk, incl. those w/ chronic health conditions, disabilities & older adults.
— Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH (@CDCDirector) January 9, 2022
An extremely dumb comparison that she only chose because of the sociopolitical subtext.
Sheesh. The CDC can't even say that it's good news that covid is mostly dangerous to already at-risk people without having to apologize. https://t.co/KK4HqOo1kf
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) January 10, 2022
How thoughtful for Dr. Walensky to finally acknowledge — albeit extremely clumsily — something we’ve known pretty much since the beginning: that comorbidities can increase the likelihood of severe COVID illness.
How nice for the CDC director to pop by the Sunday shows yesterday and confirm everything that was called a conspiracy theory 3-6 months ago
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) January 10, 2022
No, seriously. Walensky is behaving as though this is brand new information:
🤡🌎 CDC director: "The overwhelming number of deaths, over 75% occurred in people who had at least 4 comorbidities" pic.twitter.com/gWGs2zHUBX
— Clown World Today 🤡🌎 (@cwt_news) January 9, 2022
Welp.
FOUR COMORBIDITIES. FOUR. https://t.co/Tn6Evhb9jO
— Erielle Davidson (@politicalelle) January 10, 2022
FOUR. Over 75% had at least four comorbidities. That’s pretty significant, no? That’s the kind of information that should have been put out there a while ago, no?
you mean people who already had issues died…not healthy people….SHOCKING https://t.co/1WBOOoc2nV
— Charles (@repub9989) January 10, 2022
CDC Director: "Over 75% of deaths coming from people who were unwell to begin with".
— Gary Summitt (@GarySummitt1) January 10, 2022
The polling must look terrible for the left to be saying this. https://t.co/98RpaaMczt
— Physics Geek (@physicsgeek) January 10, 2022
There may be something to that theory, actually.
The CDC director just said over 75% of “covid deaths” occurred in people with at least four comorbidities. Since Biden can’t shut down covid, suddenly all this data is getting shared publicly. pic.twitter.com/NKvproy3lx
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 10, 2022
They knew this in 2020. Mds I know told me things like “we had a guy hit by a bus marked as a COVID death because he also had COVID, but I can’t say anything”
Dems/Media capitalized to move their narrative. Now trying to unwind to save Joe/Dems who has failed at doing anything. https://t.co/5laHeZU56K
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 10, 2022
Walensky’s little revelation only lends credence to the theory that Democrats and the government have been using COVID to maintain and tighten their grip on the public’s lives.
I mean what are we doing here at this point. This has been a joke https://t.co/vLLgrkSgXe
— Ed Gary (@FreeEdGary1) January 10, 2022
Well, we’re not laughing.
AGAIN: It took the @CDCDirector 2 years to tell you what I told you in the beginning! How many lives did you wreck with all of your lies? https://t.co/wLW3470PHo
— ThinkFreedom (@ThinkFreedm) January 10, 2022
Good Lord, these liars stole 2 years of our lives. https://t.co/srnJwPWACT
— SarahLee (@sarailola) January 10, 2022
And they’re still not ready to back down.
The Great Covid Gaslighting is upon us https://t.co/nIQbDXIcYD
— Alec Sears (@alec_sears) January 10, 2022
So Conservatives were right. Again.
Maybe just start listening to Conservatives and bypass all the smoothbrain bullshit? https://t.co/SfuJNxQxiO
— Eric Spencer (@JustEric) January 10, 2022
A strategy so crazy, it just might work.
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