Purposely, misquoting the popular quotation — “There are three kinds of falsehoods, lies, damned lies and West Virginia Covid-19 statistics.”
West Virginia’s Covid numbers lie because they strongly suggest that vaccination against the disease is without value or worse, harmful.
On Tuesday, April 26, the DHHR reported 81 Covid hospitalizations statewide. More than half, 41, were listed as fully vaccinated. If this statistic is NOT a lie, vaccination against the disease is no better than not being vaccinated.
A closer look at the DHHR data reveals that 22 of the hospitalized were in ICU. Half (11) were fully vaccinated and half were not. If true, what is the value of having been vaccinated? The lying DHHR Covid number declares that there is no value.
An even closer look at Tuesday’s DHHR numbers show that 12 individuals, statewide, were listed as being on ventilators. Of the 12 patients on vents, seven were fully vaccinated and five were not vaccinated. If these numbers are true, it is reasonable to conclude that vaccination is either worthless or, worse, harmful.
The DHHR Covid number are correct and the numbers do not lie. That said, to suggest that vaccination against Covid-19 was worthless is a misuse of numbers.
Here’s why. The Covid-19 that has 81 West Virginians receiving hospital care is not the Covid-19 that resulted in 6,845 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. The Covid-19 strains which produced most deaths are no longer in circulation. The vaccine made it necessary for the virus to mutate or die out. The virus became more contagious but less harmful.
The DHHR Covid-19 numbers do, however, suggest that past and present vaccines are totally ineffective against the strains now in circulation. Currently (as of April 26 reporting), there are 36 active cases in Putnam County. This number is up from the 11 cases reported on March 26. Putnam’s active case numbers hit a seasonal high of 477 during the first week of February.
The current numbers tell a different story than that which the numbers of six months ago told. Current numbers suggest that it is a lie to claim that vaccinations and booster shots have any value against the Covid-19 strains which continue to trouble Putnam County and West Virginia and beyond.
Montani Semper Liberi (Mountaineers Are Always Free). Embrace the truth and be free.