Tucker Carlson says there is no scientific justification for coronavirus quarantine and staying at home

xeni · April 28, 2020, 12:52am

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/04/27/tucker-carlson-says-there-is-n.html

‘The virus just isn’t nearly as deadly as we thought it was’

Michael_R_Smith · April 28, 2020, 1:06am

49113 deaths in the USA as at 26 April.

Sounds like a lot to me,

anon15383236 · April 28, 2020, 1:09am

Tucker Fucker, overpaid trolling schmuck.

tenor-1

sla29970 · April 28, 2020, 1:14am

Those who refuse to study the history of the 1918 epidemic are doomed to repeat it?

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nonpharmaceutical interventions implemented by US cities during the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic.

H Markel, HB Lipman, JA Navarro, A Sloan, JR Michalsen, AM Stern and MS Cetron, JAMA, Aug 2007 08

A critical question in pandemic influenza planning is the role nonpharmaceutical interventions might play in delaying the temporal effects of a pandemic, reducing the overall and peak attack rate, and reducing the number of cumulative deaths. Such measures could potentially provide valuable time for pandemic-strain vaccine and antiviral medication production and distribution. Optimally, appropriate implementation of nonpharmaceutical interventions would decrease the burden on health care services and critical infrastructure.To examine the implementation of nonpharmaceutical interventions for epidemic mitigation in 43 cities in the continental United States from September 8, 1918, through February 22, 1919, and to determine whether city-to-city variation in mortality was associated with the timing, duration, and combination of nonpharmaceutical interventions; altered population susceptibility associated with prior pandemic waves; age and sex distribution; and population size and density.Historical archival research, and statistical and epidemiological analyses. Nonpharmaceutical interventions were grouped into 3 major categories: school closure; cancellation of public gatherings; and isolation and quarantine.Weekly excess death rate (EDR); time from the activation of nonpharmaceutical interventions to the first peak EDR; the first peak weekly EDR; and cumulative EDR during the entire 24-week study period.There were 115,340 excess pneumonia and influenza deaths (EDR, 500/100,000 population) in the 43 cities during the 24 weeks analyzed. Every city adopted at least 1 of the 3 major categories of nonpharmaceutical interventions. School closure and public gathering bans activated concurrently represented the most common combination implemented in 34 cities (79%); this combination had a median duration of 4 weeks (range, 1-10 weeks) and was significantly associated with reductions in weekly EDR. The cities that implemented nonpharmaceutical interventions earlier had greater delays in reaching peak mortality (Spearman r = -0.74, P < .001), lower peak mortality rates (Spearman r = 0.31, P = .02), and lower total mortality (Spearman r = 0.37, P = .008). There was a statistically significant association between increased duration of nonpharmaceutical interventions and a reduced total mortality burden (Spearman r = -0.39, P = .005).These findings demonstrate a strong association between early, sustained, and layered application of nonpharmaceutical interventions and mitigating the consequences of the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic in the United States. In planning for future severe influenza pandemics, nonpharmaceutical interventions should be considered for inclusion as companion measures to developing effective vaccines and medications for prophylaxis and treatment.

See also this nice set of graphics of the data in that paper from National Geographic

bishophicks · April 28, 2020, 1:17am

Is he saying the disease got less deadly over time? I mean, in my state cases were doubling every couple of days, then every 4-5 days, then every week, now less than every 2 weeks. Deaths also increased rapidly and are now increasing at a lower rate. All while everyone was staying home as much as possible. But TC is suggesting perhaps that our behavior had nothing to do with it, so it must be that the disease changed? Do these people even pause to think about what they’re going to say for even one second to see if it makes ANY sense?

Brainspore · April 28, 2020, 1:20am

And apparently Carlson is the “reasonable” one next to Hannity.

KathyPartdeux · April 28, 2020, 1:21am

He could really help convince people by riding the subway to work every day. Without a mask.

rob_dobbs · April 28, 2020, 1:24am

Holy crap, is that a prototype of the new CSA flag in the graphic behind him?

Carbonman · April 28, 2020, 1:26am

There are over one million confirmed COVID-19 cases in America since the first case was confirmed 13 weeks ago. By the time the end of April arrives there will be over 59,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the United States over a 2 month period (Feb. 29 - Apr. 30). This is in spite of infection control measures that have largely shut down human activity around the world. Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity should shut their traps, especially since neither of them have infection control, pandemic training or experience.

Edit: There are now 60,495 deaths in the US as of midday April 29th. I guess I was being optimistic on survival rates.

rob_dobbs · April 28, 2020, 1:33am

I hear Gunnison avoided the 1918 influenza by locking down the entire town for four months. No word on whether they had an Applebee’s, or if anybody’s roots were imperiled.

d_r · April 28, 2020, 1:59am

Good catch! Could that possibly not be intentional?

Elmer · April 28, 2020, 2:03am

This is the equivalent of falsely shouting “fire” in a theater, and Schenck v. United States is very clear that not all speech is protected under the First Amendment. The families of every victim of COVID from here on should sue Fox “News” into oblivion.

David_Richards · April 28, 2020, 2:09am

Man, the placement of those chains across the map is… so… interesting- where have I seen that before…?

Ratel · April 28, 2020, 2:13am

Hate to be pedantic, but, “Cucker Tarlson”.

LDoBe · April 28, 2020, 2:16am

Tucker Carlson is constutionally unable to think. Nobody wants to see him shit himself on air trying to have a thought.

smulder · April 28, 2020, 2:20am

“nice” is not quite the word

Scientist · April 28, 2020, 2:33am

that’s just science
loguscases

ok, and a little:
ThankfulReliableCardinal-size_restricted
magic!

CongenitalOptimist · April 28, 2020, 2:38am

Exactly. I think they should also send all of his elderly relatives on a cruise. Maybe that might change their perspective.

someguy · April 28, 2020, 2:46am

Oh, there’s a new flag for commuinity supported agriculture? Cool!
<click’s link>
Oh.

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Tucker Carlson says there is no scientific justification for coronavirus quarantine and staying at home

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