I’m writing this not knowing the interest level. As a writer, the standard operating environment is one of never knowing what the interest level is for what you are composing, until it is published. Thus, nothing new here. Sure you can research, but that still leaves you with incomplete information. I do feel that while my situation will not be unique, my perspective will be unique enough.
With all the unreliable narratives currently in the field, I’m not sure that anything better than an incomplete information level, is even possible. Last night our president in wanting, kept harping on the Hydroxychloroquine. The first thing I find when I do research is: Hydroxychloroquine combined with metformin in the absence of COVID-19 infection causes death in mice.[1][2][3] The discrepancy between these two results is large enough that I’m probably going to have to rely on some kind of Fact Checker service[4] [5] [6] for my information on this subject.
I am Homeless and affected by a stroke, and currently living in a shelter in San Diego, which may be put under quarantine today since one of us tested positive. He's in the other building, but it is here. Whatever it is, it's here.
Within three weeks this thing has gone from hoax to high chance of death for me — my lungs are scarred from a previous fight with viral pneumonia (seven actually, within a two-month period a few years ago), resulting in COPD, lack of usage in one of the lungs, and the required use of an O2 condenser. From my reading, I seem to be the preferred meal ticket for this COVID-19 strain.
I don’t wish to simply regurgitate the news. I don’t believe that would be helpful. What I would like to make clear, is that reading the news (or listening) is a struggle. We never know what is helpful and what will kill us right now. We can’t rely on the people taking care of us being well-informed either. I’m a qualified researcher who once did research for Google. I know how to find answers, but the time consumption, lack of clarity in instructions, and the amount of misinformation even on simple straight forward questions like masks (wear them?[7] Don’t wear them?[8] They are useless?[9] They save lives?[10]) is daunting.
I’m motivated, however. Motivated, and a bit worried that there aren’t enough respirators — which I will definitely require if I contract this virus… i think…
I may just be writing this for myself. But since I have this blog area on here, I’ve decided to make this Homeless perspective, public.
About this News situation.
Right now there are a few hashtags trending on Twitter, which are requests for the news media companies to stop airing our president Live.
Can you imagine that actually happening? Well, it is, actually… One service reported that “CNN offered a protest in refusing to air Trump's press conference live, betraying both the public and journalistic integrity”. Can’t see how that is possible, since no “NEWS” has come out of the White House for some time.
Also, I can’t quite fathom what — not wasting time with the live broadcast, and publishing the condensed, “what you should know” version afterward — has betrayed — except the president’s ego. Which is silly, I know. He always sounds more intelligent after editing than he does Live. Forty-five minutes of rambling, and contradicting claims edited down to five minutes of “what I should know about” always makes people sound intelligent.
Personally, myself and many of my homeless companions, appreciated CNN for not airing even more misinformation. It was interesting, watching the recorded version of the broadcast later, and finding out that his lawyer recently invested in a large block of stock from a company which is a primary supplier of Hydroxychloroquine, and also discovering that the side effects of that drug make the COVID-19 sound preferable.
Solutions?
Sure. You want answers, well the homeless have them. We might not fully understand the question, but like our president, that will never stop us from supplying an answer for you.
Actually, I do have some questions about some possible solutions. Asking the right question can solve a problem better than an answer, sometimes.
For example: Don’t we have consumer protection laws for products? Isn’t this the whole point of the FCC? Isn’t the NEWS a product? We pay for it, right?
If the NEWS being sold to us is not accurate, then why are these companies able to label their product, the News? News, by definition, is timely, and accurate. Without both of these qualities, the stories are little more than idle gossip at best — panic causing incitements at the other end of the spectrum — but not the News. As my sixth grade teacher told me, “It’s not a News article if you tell people how to feel about the event.” Saying this or that is good or bad, negates to purpose and quality of the story.
I believe that CNN was really the only service who did not betray me, or their public and journalistic integrity by not airing the new misinformation from the White House, Live. That doing so was the only answer for the quandary of not betraying the thousands of people hash-tagging on Twitter, and the millions of viewers who didn’t have to be confused by the president’s new scam to make money with his office. A LIVE news cast should be “informative with new information.”
May you and yours be safe and well, and may all blessing bloom.
-- out
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[1] "Fatal toxicity of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine with ...." 4 Apr. 2020, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.31.018556v1. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.
[2] "COVID-19: More Hydroxychloroquine Data From France." 30 Mar. 2020, https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/927758. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.
[3] "Researchers warn that possible treatment for coronavirus may ...." 4 Apr. 2020, https://www.fr24news.com/a/2020/04/researchers-warn-that-possible-treatment-for-coronavirus-may-be-toxic-to-hydroxychloroquine-when-used-with-diabetes-medication.html. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.
[4] "A 100% COVID-19 cure? No, chloroquine ... - PolitiFact." 23 Mar. 2020, https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/mar/23/facebook-posts/100-covid-19-cure-no-chloroquine-effectiveness-onl/. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.
[5] "Fact Check: Trump Pitches Drug Not Approved for Coronavirus." 6 Apr. 2020, https://www.nbcboston.com/news/coronavirus/fact-check-trump-pitches-drug-not-approved-for-coronavirus/2103063/. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.
[6] "AP FACT CHECK: Trump pitches drug unapproved for ...." 5 Apr. 2020, https://www.startribune.com/ap-fact-check-trump-pitches-unapproved-drug-for-coronavirus/569398652/. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.
[7] "C.D.C. Weighs Advising Everyone To Wear a Mask - Slashdot." 31 Mar. 2020, https://science.slashdot.org/story/20/03/31/1858255/cdc-weighs-advising-everyone-to-wear-a-mask. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.
[8] "New face mask guidance comes after battle between White ...." 3 Apr. 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/04/03/white-house-cdc-turf-battle-over-guidance-broad-use-face-masks-fight-coronavirus/. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.
[9] "Expert explains why face masks won't protect you from ...." 26 Feb. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ses_g_j9tk. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.
[10] "Wearing masks can save lives - National Post." 3 Apr. 2020, https://nationalpost.com/opinion/raiyan-chowdhury-on-covid-19-wearing-masks-can-save-lives-public-health-officials-must-be-clear-about-this. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.