Do you, personally, know anyone who thinks the coronavirus pandemic is a 'hoax'?

[NurseJackie]

Discussion question: Do we have an ethical responsibility to convince them otherwise? Or should we just let nature take its course and hope that they don't spread it?

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POLL QUESTION: Do you, personally, know anyone who thinks the coronavirus pandemic is a 'hoax'?

59 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes, I do.
	41 (69%)
	No, I don't.
	12 (20%)
	Maybe, I'm not sure.
	6 (10%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[underpants]

1. I don't know if my co-worker thinks it's a hoax

but she definitely posts stuff about FREEDOM and anti-mask garbage.

[marybourg]

2. No, but I know people who think it's "hyped".

[NurseJackie]

3. Yes... same for me. And (not surprisingly) they're younger.

I guess the "I'm going to live forever" mentality still hasn't given-way to the reality that "everyone dies" and "it can just as easily happen to you".

[PatSeg]

22. I have to wonder

how I would have reacted if it had happened when I was very young. I do recall feeling pretty invulnerable and my beliefs were still in an early developmental stage. I suppose it would depend on where I was getting my information.

[marybourg]

43. I live in a senior community.

[NurseJackie]

44. Well, that's just sad. I'm surprised, but I guess I shouldn't be.

You don't have to be young to be dumb, I guess. (I knot that I'm getting forgetful, but even at my age... I'm thankful to still have my memories and critical thinking skills.)

[Dem2]

4. My half-nephew

He's a flat-earther, anti-vaxxer and otherwise low information dimwit.

[denbot]

5. I'm a long haul trucker.

They are some of my coworkers, and among the drivers I interact with..

[stillcool]

6. a-holes are everywhere, and no doubt

they're here, but everyone wears a mask, so it's hard to tell. They're just not that obvious. I've made quite a few masks, and given them away, even to UPS drivers, and people are very appreciative. One guy I see does not wear a mask but it's not because of the 'hoax' part, it's the rugged, white, male image he tries so hard to live up to. Better dead, than be seen as a wimp. Even if it's in his eyes only.

[SamKnause]

7. I have 2 family members who think it is no worse than the flu.

They are both nurses.

[NurseJackie]

8. Yikes!

[Blue Owl]

10. Same here

My relatives are not medical professionals, but they are Q-Anoners...

[smirkymonkey]

23. That's - pretty scary.

[PatSeg]

24. That's what blows my mind

People who work in the medical field and believe its like the flu.

[Green Line]

9. I don't know anyone who thinks it's a hoax

But my tenant, who is an RN, believes in Herd Immunity.

[PatSeg]

25. Whoa, that's horrifying!

[Whiskeytide]

28. I know several medical professionals that ...

... feel the same. The concept does generally work - it’s what a vaccine provides - so I get why they feel that way. But they also recognize that the cost is too great without a vaccine. I hope your tenant understands that as well.

[Wounded Bear]

11. Not "personally" but I still have some internet skeptics I hear from...

most moved to the "over hyped" model.

[msongs]

12. friend - if jesus wanted us to wear masks we woulda been born with them nt

[sheshe2]

19. And.......

I wonder if they feel the same way about underwear, clothing and perhaps condoms.

[KentuckyWoman]

13. Not a hoax but overhyped by the news. They mask up and don't grumble.

The Trumpers all believe it is serious but they think the hype is ridiculous.

[ProfessorGAC]

14. Not Any Longer

Some guys at the course were thinking it was no big deal, blown out of proportion, just trying to make PINO look bad, blah, blah, blah.
Then 2 guys that play in the Thursday senior scramble got sick, one enough to spend a week in the hospital, and that talk stopped.
Also, one of them had a daughter in law get pregnant. Suddenly, masks and sanitization were important.
Finally, a guy who used to be a member & moved to AZ got it & died.
Nobody talks about it being fake anymore.

[NurseJackie]

16. The death of a loved-one...

... or one's own death... will certainly shut them up!

[Arazi]

15. Yes. He won't listen to reason. Fervent dittohead, MAGAt, 2A nutter, evangelical Christian

He works outside and so does most of his circle of friends and family. His wife has always homeschooled their kids.

So they aren't exposed to lengthy amounts of time indoors like retail, healthcare, schools etc where he might catch it or transmit it to their acquaintances.

Insists it's no worse than the flu

[LiberalArkie]

17. I do not think I know any who thinks it is real.

[Solly Mack]

18. Yes, a global hoax meant to undermine Trump. AND - Even if it is real, the danger has been

exaggerated and the deaths inflated. All to undermine Trump.

As well as...

Socialists want to force socialized medicine on people. (that's why the Covid "hype" )

Socialists want Americans to be "obedient" to "big" government and to take away freedom. (wearing a mask)

The Press talks about Covid-19 for the ratings. They are scaring people to make money.

I told them "I'll stick to science and facts" and they said "You need to listen to Trump and God". (and in that order)

All that from one person. Months ago.

I do think it the ethical choice to make - to warn others of danger.

But - You can only point out the light is red so many times before they crash into another car because of their own negligence - and even then they blame the other driver.

After that, it's not rubbernecking - it's watching in horror as the surreal drama plays out to its bitter end.

It's all just so tragic and absurd. You feel anger and sorrow. The anger usually wins out. At first. You grow weary from the ignorance. The denial. You say "Fuck it". But the dying, the sheer number of deaths - it's horrifying. Stupefying.

[NurseJackie]

20. Horrifying... yes.

You say "Fuck it". But the dying, the sheer number of deaths - it's horrifying.

Horrifying... yes. I have lost the will to even argue or debate. My attitude is "go ahead and die". I hope it acts fasts so they don't get a chance to spread it to others.

They are exhausting!

[Solly Mack]

29. You know those cowards that kill their family or other people and then try to kill themselves

but somehow manage not to finish the job?

That's who the deniers remind me of.

Murdering others through their actions and beliefs but all too willing to run to the hospital to get medical treatment for the "hoax" that is killing them.

I'd much rather people who want to commit murder/suicide opt for the suicide instead. The suicide is tragic but the murdering of others is a tragedy.

[PatSeg]

27. And don't forget that the vaccine

is just a way to insert microchips in people's bodies so they can control them. Apparently, that is a rather common conspiracy theory floating about.

[Solly Mack]

32. I've heard that one just not from the person I was speaking with a while back.

No real vaccine talk at the time, but since then, yeah - lots of that going on.

People can be a quandary.

[PatSeg]

36. I heard the microchip one indirectly from my daughter's father

and it rather blew me away, as I'd always considered him a pretty smart guy. Later he was having some computer problems and he dialed it back big time. Apparently, he just needed to be unplugged for awhile. As far as I can tell, he didn't get his computer fixed or replaced, so maybe he needed a break.

[Solly Mack]

41. Unplugging has its benefits. I've gone months. Checked the news but only for minutes

and not constantly. Sometimes you just have to clear the noise. All of it.


But I'm not sure it helps everyone. If you unplug from the web but live in a real life echo chamber - like-minded people chomping at the same wackadoodle bit - it's not really unplugging, so to speak.

[PatSeg]

45. That is true

In my ex's case, he is a bit of a recluse and aside from his horse and 10 or 12 dogs, he doesn't interact that much anymore with other living beings. I think the isolation makes people much more vulnerable.

[William769]

21. Yes.

All my brothers & sisters. Six in all.

[Initech]

26. Yup - my MAGA neighbors are all in on the hoax theory.

[PCIntern]

31. A few of my patients

Most know better than to start in with ME, however I have a few

[Whiskeytide]

33. The guy that owns The Broken iPhone Store ...

... in Mobile AL is one.

https://mynbc15.com/news/local/customers-at-local-iphone-repair-shop-claim-owner-is-not-allowing-masks-in-store

I met him once. Not a pleasant guy.

[LanternWaste]

34. Three individuals.

The college-educated, atheist son of a friend (who is also a flat-earther and holocaust-denier), an elderly evangelical aunt who is offended that I believe the planet is older than 6,000 years old, and a Jewish co-worker who also thinks the election has been stolen.

Try as I might, it's been impossible to infer any real common denominators between them, but they each of them believe it's an honest-to-goodness hoax, and two of them seem to actually believe the vaccine is an attempt at mind-control.

As much as I've tried, they are firmly wed to this dogmatic view, and call peer-reviewed evidence to the contrary presented to them "fake propaganda." I do believe I have a responsibility to dissuade them of these fallacious beliefs which directly harm other people, but I've since given up.

[NurseJackie]

35. That's frustrating. I know what you mean...

... in similar situations with people who are married to irrational beliefs, I just give up. Some people can't be saved in spite of themselves.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/beloved-san-bernardino-county-pastor-who-was-leading-outdoor-services-dies-from-covid-19/2474759/

[PatSeg]

37. That is pretty diverse

Its hard to know what makes some people more vulnerable than others to the propaganda, but obviously you can't argue with anyone who calls everything "fake" if it disagrees with what they believe. It reminds me of debating with fundamentalist Christians who back up all their assertions with "The Bible says". Case closed, the scriptures have spoken. That is their refuge whenever they don't have any evidence or reason to back up their claims.

[BlueDawn]

38. Yes, I know quite a few.

Some of my husband’s coworkers.
Some of my neighbors.
My mother.
My sister.

Sad, but true.

[AaronCross]

39. Yes, yes I do

Mostly coworkers and some friends...

[KWR65]

40. My Neighbor is convinced that because Trump's Illness was so short that it is a hoax.

[NurseJackie]

42. Is your neighbor a MAGAt? Or just lacking critical thinking skills?

I knew if he survived (and I hoped he wouldn't) that it would fuel the "just a flu" crowd.

[KWR65]

57. I've never asked him but he has three us flags and a big usa sign across his door. Let sleeping dogs

lie I always say.

[NurseJackie]

58. That's a good policy!

[spinbaby]

46. I don't know any, but have run into them

I live in western Pennsylvania Trump country, so our local Facebook group—which is supposed to be for stuff like traffic jams and lost dogs—is jammed with wingnut conspiracy theories including various virus theories. I’ve also encountered a man loudly complaining that the virus isn’t real while refusing to wear a mask IN A MEDICAL WAITING ROOM. No one did anything about him.

[OriginalGeek]

47. I graduated high school in 1981

from a fundamentalist christian school. I'm happily surprised there are maybe 3 folks who don't think it's a hoax. The rest are rabidly denouncing the tyranny of the fascists governors making them wear masks and bragging about not doing it whenever they can.

In the last 2 years the first 2 people from my graduating class have died (non-covid related) but I am expecting that number to rise pretty sharply and pretty quickly and very covidly.

[Hekate]

48. The words "hysteria" have crossed her lips. "No worse than the flu," and "So many have died of other

...conditions they already had.”

I wish I was not related to her, but there you have it.

[MosheFeingold]

49. Well I got it and recovered

I was particularly worried because I am well over 90 and had pneumonia last year.

It was unpleasant.

My son is a medical doctor, treats COVID patients, and presumably brought it home somehow, despite pretty extreme precautions.

(Or I got it at the local Wal-Mart, despite all reasonable precautions.)

Regardless, I had some astute personal care. Vit D, C, Zinc and pretty high dose aspirin was the regimen for me, as it looked like I was having a bit of a clotting problem.

I had fever for a couple of days, was extremely sleepy the entire time, and then it went away. Oxygen level never dropped.

Maybe four days of actual sickness, a day of "gonna get sick", and four more days of "well, that sucked."

I did have one bizarre effect -- related to the clotting issue. COVID TOE. This is a disgusting symptom and apparently very common. My big toe and the toe next to it swelled up and became truly disgusting and bloody.

Everything is fine now, but I still have scabs on my toes.

[NurseJackie]

61. I'm so very sorry to hear that! I'm glad you're improving.

I hope you continue to heal. Stay safe.

[MosheFeingold]

63. Thank you

It's been over for a while. No long lasting effects (excepting the gross toe).

Back to walking for an hour each day and lifting weights in the garage 3X a week.

For me, yes, I've had worse flus. The H1N1, in particular, was rough. And whatever I had last year, was way worse. Took me months to stop coughing.

But the thing is, it's a crap shoot. Which is the issue, I suppose.

We did EVERYTHING right, took it seriously, and it didn't matter what we did.

If it's going to get you, it's going to get you.

People don't like that lack of control.

[cry baby]

50. A guy down the street from me thought that....until he got covid.

To his credit, he apologized to his family for saying that after they all got sick.

[Laelth]

51. I have heard a couple of people say that the cases are over-reported.

But I have heard none call it a hoax, and this is in rural East Texas.

I have seen tons of people ACT like it’s a hoax (probably 50% mask compliance in this area at this time), but I haven’t actually heard anyone announce that they think the pandemic is a hoax.

-Laelth

[NurseJackie]

52. The "over reported" argument reminds me a lot of Trump's claim...

... that the numbers would go down if we just stopped testing!

Argh!

[Laelth]

56. Yep. It's the "over-hyped just to make Trump look bad" argument.

But the hoax argument is fading, I think. Too many people have died from it. Too many KNOW people who have died from it, and the long-termers are ever-present.

-Laelth

[cwydro]

53. I don't know anyone like that.

I live in a red county, but the interactions have had with people have not shown me anything like that.

[NurseJackie]

54. The hoax believers run the full-spectrum... not much rhyme or reason. And...

... no predictable or consistent patterns. I'd have expected a red-county to be more trusting of the Trump misinformation.

[cwydro]

55. I've stayed in so much that my interactions are very limited.

But I’ve had several meetings at my bank, and the bankers/advisors are very aware of it.

No idea of their political leanings though, except for one woman on the phone, ugh. She was an obvious trumpette, but still was worried about the virus. Go figure.

[Xolodno]

59. I know a few....

...and they all believe its some global conspiracy "to control you". When I ask, "control what?"....its "to control you!". Makes no fucking sense. Add to that, two of them are college educated, one being in biology. Just because your educated, doesn't mean your not stupid.

[NurseJackie]

60. That's the truth... I've seen many stupid people with college degrees.

[electric_blue68]

62. If any of my relatives are thinking that...

and that might be only a very select few (though I'm pretty sure they believe it's real, I don't think they're anti-vaxers).

I haven't heard from them - so I don't know...
and it's not like we're going to get together like we normally do.

FU cv19, drumph his enablers, big partiers, and Non-maskers!

(even if they'd done their best maybe we'd still be staying home, but at least, there'd be a hell of a lot less ill, and dead people here in The States!)

.All of my friends, aquaintences I'm in contact with believe it's real, do the proper precautions. Thank goodness!

[electric_blue68]

64. Good luck to you all dealing w these people! : (

[AwakeAtLast]

65. Yes, and one of them died from it.

One of his last Facebook posts was about wearing a mask made you a sheeple.

[NurseJackie]

70. I can only describe it as "suicide by Covid". They get what they (apparently) want...

... but leave behind grieving family and friends and loved ones.

[Bettie]

66. Both of my idiot brothers

their wives, and about half the people in my town.

Many of the in-laws think it is just a seasonal cold going around.

[mtnsnake]

67. Yes, I've run into several of them, including my next door neighbor

who told me all along that we'd never hear another word about the virus after the election was over.

[Meowmee]

68. There are plenty I am sure in my area

A repair at my home- made fun of me on day 2 for wearing goggles and claimed not many have died from covid. Another took off masks while using a jackhammer and lied about how many were there. A doctor basically made fun of me for wearing goggles and so have people in stores. Costco near me lets people in with bandanas only which we know are pretty much useless, that has to change.

[mercuryblues]

69. Yes

My brother (not my favorite one) Despite our father just dying from Covid, he still believes it is nothing more than a cold. It was pneumonia that killed him.