On March 8th, an online video was uploaded to BitChute featuring individuals identifying themselves as Canadian medical professionals who question widely held facts about COVID-19 and related government health protocols. The video also promotes some remedies that have been deemed dangerous by health authorities.
The Canadian group of COVID skeptics mirrors a similar international organization created in summer 2020 called the World Doctors Alliance and the German COVID-19 Extra-Parliamentary Inquiry Committee whose members cast notorious doubts about the existence of the COVID-19 virus.
BitChute is described by the Anti-Defamation League as a “a hotbed for violent, conspiratorial and hate-filled video propaganda, and a recruiting ground for extremists.” The video has been removed from YouTube for violating its terms-of-service.
While debate about government policy regarding COVID protocols and responses is perfectly healthy, those debates should centre on facts.
When facts are reinterpreted to fit personal views or are otherwise absent from discussions, the threat of spreading misinformation increases. This can undermine rational decision-making in Canadian society.
When individuals who identify themselves as medical experts, and elected officials, cast doubts about facts that have been researched by experts and incorporated into our health protocols, we risk causing greater harm to our society through greater transmission of the virus.
Misinformation also blurs the line between truth and outright lies. Many of the claims made in the Canadian video contain grains of truth around which various narratives are then wrapped. They include the reliability of COVID PCR tests, which the individuals in the video claim, produces false positives. While every test can produce some errors, experts agree that the PCR tests are accurate.
Some of the claims made in the video include:
- PCR tests are unreliable, and most positives are false
- Every test can produce some errors
- PCR test is considered accurate by experts
- No one is dying from COVID-19 otherwise we’d see a spike in the graphs
- Statistics Canada says that around 25k die on average per month in Canada
- As of March 17th, 22,554 people have died of COVID in Canada.
- There is no asymptomatic spread (before you have symptoms)
- False – the Journal of the American Medical Association says that at least 50 percent of all spread is from people who are asymptomatic.
- That means we need to be wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.
- We have achieved herd immunity
- There is no evidence to suggest that we have achieved herd immunity.
- Children should be allowed to run around freely and can ignore medical protocols
- Yes, the symptoms can be less severe in children.
- While children seem to have lower rates of infection they can spread the virus.
- Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto advises wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and cleaning hands.
- Vitamin C and fresh air will protect you
- Taking vitamin C and getting exercise and fresh air is a great idea generally, but vitamins and exercise will not give you any immunity from COVID
