COVID toll hits 3K

Except for technicalities like type font, this is what the headline at the top of the page of the February 1, 2022, Missoulian looked like. The article went on to explain that,

“Missoula County added 126 new COVID cases on Monday, bringing the active total to 3,303. Montana has surpassed 3,000 total COVID deaths, according to state data.”

“OMG, we’re all going to die! Be Afraid!! BE VERY AFRAID!!!!“

Now, I do not know if the 3K reference was to the number of persons who tested positive for Covid (you must take a test to know if you are sick), to the number of persons who have died statewide since the whole thing began two years ago, or to both. What is quite sure, though, is that this headline was presented to bolster The Narrative, which is visibly crumbling and disintegrating. True believers in the Cult of Covid will deny that this is happening, but everyone else can readily see it—if they have their eyes open. There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.

(Just to unpack this a little. There are nearly 1.5 million people living in Montana. Covid has been our nemesis for two years. This means that only 1, 500 people out of 1, 500, 000 (1 out of 1000) died from Covid in each of those two years. Assuming that the average lifespan is 80 years, then 1 out of 80 (37,500) persons would have died anyway in those years, probably including many of those who actually contracted the virus and perished as a result. 3000 vs. 37, 500. What the heck are they so afraid of?)

Of course, the Missoulian will claim that the article was only reporting the “facts” and they produced statistics to prove the point. In fact, most of the article was taken up with numbers and statistics, many of them generously provided by Missoula City-County Health Dept. officer D’Shane Barnett, who cannot keep his “facts” straight.

From the article cited.

“…Barnett told the Missoulian last week that since Nov. 1, the COVID death rate for unvaccinated individuals is roughly 4.3 times higher than for those who are vaccinated.”

Contrast this with an article which came out on February 06 about a rally in support of the Canadian trucker’s convoy against the “vaxxine” mandates, sponsored by Face of Freedom and Western Montana Liberty Coalition. As an aside, I was quoted, not unfavorably, in this article.

“The Missoula City-County Health Department recently released some statistics on the differences between unvaccinated residents and vaccinated residents.

For Missoula County residents who tested positive for COVID-19 during a 90-day period starting on Oct. 16 last year, unvaccinated people died from COVID-19 at a rate 15.45 times higher than their vaccinated peers.”

What the heck? In the space of 5 days, the ratio of deaths between jabbed and unjabbed individuals went from 1:4.3 to 1:15.45? This is almost as unbelievable as Stephen Hawking’s stated belief that the entire universe was once smaller than the smallest part of an atom. Almost, but not quite. Hawking, R.I.P., at least believed his religion and I respect him for that. Barnett is only spouting figures to promote his power-grabbing, political stance in favor of totalitarianism.

The obvious question here is which ratio is true. The bigger question is, if he cannot make up his mind, then why should anyone believe anything else that he says. I mean, roughly 4.3 (actual wording) is not anywhere close to 15.45 (actual wording).

Please do not tell me that I am taking things out of context. These are listed in the Missoulian and are available for anyone to see. Plainly, someone got their wires crossed. The short is smoking badly and fuses are tripping. Surely, Barnett could have done better than that. The reporters ought to get their stories to square. The editor ought to chew them out big-time. The paper ought to fire the editor.

Now, being the kind of person who tries to allow those of differing opinions to defend themselves when they make wild, inaccurate, off-the-wall statements like those above, I am more than willing to offer Barnett a chance to sort out the confusion and clarify this. If he can, which I doubt. My opinion, for what it is worth, is that he has nothing to go on and will only muddy the waters further. Of course, I could be wrong and might see his response posted on publicly within the next week, but I expect that pigs will fly first.

Will the Missoulian look at this and post a retraction? “OOOOPS! Guess we blew that.” Probably not. The pigs really will fly.