Call To Arms Against Vaccine Misinformation ‘Superspreaders’
The Aspen Institute calls for new regulations on social media platforms, stronger, more consistent rules for misinformation purveyors and new investments in authoritative journalism and organizations that teach critical thinking and media literacy.
AP:
Report: 'Whole Of Society' Effort Must Fight Misinformation
Misinformation is jeopardizing efforts to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges, be it climate change, COVID-19 or political polarization, according to a new report from the Aspen Institute that’s backed by prominent voices in media and cybersecurity. Recommendations in the 80-page analysis, published Monday, call for new regulations on social media platforms; stronger, more consistent rules for misinformation “superspreaders” who amplify harmful falsehoods and new investments in authoritative journalism and organizations that teach critical thinking and media literacy. (Klepper, 11/15)
The Boston Globe:
On Podcasts And Radio, Misleading COVID-19 Talk Goes Unchecked
On a recent episode of his podcast, Rick Wiles, a pastor and self-described “citizen reporter,” endorsed a conspiracy theory: that COVID-19 vaccines were the product of a “global coup d’état by the most evil cabal of people in the history of mankind.” “It’s an egg that hatches into a synthetic parasite and grows inside your body,” Wiles said on his Oct. 13 episode. “This is like a sci-fi nightmare, and it’s happening in front of us.” (Hsu and Tracy, 11/15)
Meanwhile in Texas and Alaska —
CBS News:
Texas Doctor Suspended For Spreading COVID-19 Misinformation And Refusing To Treat Vaccinated Patients, Hospital Says
A doctor has been suspended from treating patients at a Houston hospital for spreading COVID-19 misinformation online and for refusing to treat patients who were vaccinated, a hospital representative said. Dr. Mary Bowden had recently joined the medical staff at Houston Methodist hospital, a representative for Houston Methodist Hospital told CBS News via email, and was suspended before she had ever admitted a patient at the hospital. (O'Kane, 11/15)
AP:
Alaska Doctors Seek COVID-19 Misinformation Investigation
Alaska doctors plan to ask the State Medical Board to investigate concerns about the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and treatments by other physicians. Merijeanne Moore, a private practice psychiatrist, said she drafted the letter out of concern over an event about COVID-19 treatments that featured prominent vaccine skeptics in Anchorage last month, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Moore said Saturday that nearly 100 doctors had signed the letter and more could before she plans to submit the letter on Tuesday. (11/16)
Worries over vaccine hesitancy in flu season —
Modern Healthcare:
Vaccine Hesitancy Could Lead To 'Twin-Demic' Of Flu And COVID-19
Influenza vaccinations are lagging behind what doctors would like to see during Michigan's first two months of flu season, leading some experts to worry that the conditions are ripe for a "twin-demic" with COVID-19. "It's one of the things that I worry about in this phase of the pandemic," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state's chief medical executive. "As a physician, I worry that (COVID-19) is still causing disease, morbidity and mortality, but people either could get infected with multiple respiratory pathogens at the same time." (Greene, 11/15)
