I have noticed that a lot of people are still using expressions related to the current health crisis that are, like, so 2021. So I present to you today the TOP 5 PHRASES THAT SHOULD BE ELIMINATED FROM THE COMMON VERNACULAR:
5. “I am doing this not for me but for you.” – BS! Unless your name is Mother Teresa or Gandhi, please stop pretending to be a superhero selflessly looking out for the rest of society. Like almost all humans, you are looking out for yourself and your family.
4. “COVID-19 is just like the flu.” – Nope. COVID is a nasty killer, particularly of people with weak lungs and/or hearts, and has killed a lot more folks than any recent flu. COVID-19 is definitely not the flu
3. “It is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” – A lot of recent data indicates a negative VE (vaccine effectiveness) against infection, meaning vaccinated are spreading just as readily as unvaccinated, or more. The best missed prediction: disease severity 50% lower than we predicted
2. “It worked for polio and smallpox, so it works for COVID.” – Every virus is different. For some there is no vaccine, and for some, the vaccines are not very effective. Yes, there have been great victories for vaccines – Vaccines – a historical perspective, but the mRNA vaccines are new technology, and we are all still learning about their effectiveness. The COVID mRNA vaccines have proven effective in reducing severe outcomes among those who are infected. However, their effectiveness wanes rapidly, and they are not very effective in limiting spread of the Omicron variant. Anyone who suggests that this is a black/white scenario and that the current vaccines are the only way back to normal is not very well informed.
1. “Trust the science.” – Just about everyone who uses this expression has no understanding of what science is all about. If you still like to pull this one out in a debate, read Science – there is method to the madness and Manipulating science – activism and advocacy… then please stop making a fool of yourself.
