Has anyone else heard these growing rumors?

[misanthrope]

Stories usually concern someone who made an appointment for a COVID-19 test but then opted not to take the test, either they got tired of waiting or just didn't report. Then they claim they were later notified of a positive result on the test they never took.

I have been initially skeptical. The rumors are circulating in conservative states or from others I know who are conservative. The stories are obviously being passed around by them as a way of further casting doubt on the spread of the disease and data. It seems an offshoot of allegations of hoaxes and conspiracies.

Anyone else catching wind of these tales?

[Indykatie]

2. Why Repeat These Obvious Hoaxes From Your Conservative Acquaintances?

Remember the thousands of Russian trolls from 2016 that posted misinformation 24/7? They never went away and are working even harder in 2020 to help Trump. I would suggest ignoring these wild stories if the person repeating it can't produce some evidence.

[marybourg]

3. That actually happened to a neighbor of mine with a Pap smear

about 40 years ago. There was a reasonable explanation offered, which I no longer remember. But these tests are organized very differently, and I doubt these stories are true. But reading DU, we get to know all the latest r.w. propaganda, before most of the publicans. I wish I could think of why I need to.

[OneGrassRoot]

4. I've seen that a LOT...

shared by Trumpers. One is a FEMA employee who says every time someone has multiple tests, each one is tallied as a new case. She also said the common Trumper complaint that people dying of other causes are listed as COVID for $$ purposes.

[Mariana]

14. Those two lies have been going around since March.

They get real snotty when you ask for evidence that this bullshit is true.

[OneGrassRoot]

19. It has evolved to being one of THEIR friends...

Trump cultists are so belligerent that they are hopeless, imo.

Trump injects so much chaos and confusion into everything that the reaction to this pandemic -- which is understandably confusing in and of itself -- a real clusterfuck. So much info and disinformation and new information is flying around that even those who aren't Trumpers feel overwhelmed and confused and don't know what to believe.

But the bottom line of wearing masks and social distancing is just that -- the bottom line. It's common sense, so it's only the cultists not doing that.

But they're always going to come up with something to dispute numbers that make Trump look bad.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

5. My suggestion is don't participate in social media bullshit.

Why do people even pay attention to one example of anything, and particularly without complete context and background?

If one searches the internet, you can find one or more examples of almost everything imaginable happening (short of nuclear explosions) almost every day and the right-wing and other conspiracy-minded folk promote such things for the sole purpose of dividing and confusing the general public.

Simple solution: stop believing most everything you see on social media......

How you can help: Saturate sites promoting the bullshit with proven, verifiable FACTS.

[canetoad]

6. Good comment

Social media will be the downfall of civilised society.

[BigmanPigman]

7. I don't get it either.

Why go to a place where you already know the participants' agenda and you know it is BS? I don't feel like giving myself a heart attack which is what would happen if I did do that. I can't even stand to hear "ITs" voice on the news.

[misanthrope]

11. It's not from social media

which technically this forum is. I heard it first in a phone call with my sister. Yes, she's far more conservative than I am but she's not a jerk about it -- she agrees that people should be wearing masks as a matter of conscientiousness toward others -- and was genuinely curious why this happened to someone she knew.

The next time I heard it was from someone I know who lives in Florida, a Never Trumper who isn't given to hyperbole.

I raise the question here because if these are legitimate cases, then even if they are outliers I'd like to know the reason for them. I thought it possible someone else might have encountered something similar, or maybe seen something on the news or heard an official explanation or anything along those lines.

[BigmanPigman]

12. I read tons of info from

many sources throughout the day and I haven't heard of this yet. I read all the articles posted as reference on twitter from well informed liberals and this is a new issue to me. I am sure it is another GOP rumor. I expect tons more between now and Inauguration Day.

[DeminPennswoods]

16. My local paper had a story about this

https://www.timesonline.com/news/20200709/bernstine-bartolotta-say-untested-residents-told-they-have-covid-19

It's unclear how much is rumor and how much is actually true, but both state reps are asking DoH and the Aud Genl to investigate.

[Kaleva]

18. Calling for investigation into comments made on social media

[DeminPennswoods]

21. At least they are asking the DoH and auditor general

to verify these claims.

[Kaleva]

17. The stories are from social media

Can you verify your sisters claim? Or your Never Trumpers friend's claim? I think not. And I highly doubt either your sister or friend can prove it either which makes it suspect.

Ask for the names of the people who said they got reports of being positive even though they didn't go to get tested. If they had appointments but didn't go, where was the time and place of the appointments. Ask for copies of documentations such as letters and emails from the testing facilty.

[cwydro]

22. This. Thank you.

What nonsense.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. Nope. Have not seen that.

Perhaps I'm sheltered by not doing all that much social media. Oh, and have you bothered to double check with Snopes?

[SiliconValley_Dem]

9. hahahahaha. good one

[duforsure]

10. Undermining the facts

For denial is a tactic they use often now. The truth is their biggest enemy, because the truth keeps their propaganda from working as well.

[Awsi Dooger]

13. If you hear something truly idiotic just laugh at them

Everything tilting low and not high on coronavirus is idiotic. Keep that in mind and you'll never go wrong. The positive test numbers are higher than reported. Everything is higher. Deaths from coronavirus are being falsely attributed elsewhere, far beyond the other way around.

I've laughed at right wingers and infuriated them since March on sports sites by telling them their hand carried deflective details mean squat. Just allow me to take the over and you'll be playing the fool every time. Best example was two weeks ago when they blanketly insisted the Florida death numbers would not rise despite the heightened positive numbers. I hate to be "winning" on something like death numbers but it was incomparable stupidity when they insisted there would be no correlation.

[live love laugh]

15. Another right wing lie. nt

[stopbush]

20. Nope

[Iggo]

23. Nope.

Ridiculous.

[BusyBeingBest]

24. I have seen it everywhere, even in comments sections

of travel blogs I read. As a former health care worker, I guarantee this never fucking happens. Nobody is making up fake lab results using real people. So fucking dumb and illogical, if health departments wanted to fake the numbers all they have to do is...fake the numbers. Fucking clowns can't even make up a CT that passes the smell test.

[SlogginThroughIt]

25. Neat RW talking point

[pwb]

26. Somebody said Ha?

A lot of people are saying is trumps favorite lie.