In autumn, the incidence and mortality from COVID increased rapidly. This fall, the situation is different from the situation in 2020. On the one hand, a more dangerous strain of Delta is spreading. On the other hand, vaccines have appeared in the world. They reduce the risk of disease and, if infected, prevent severe disease and complications associated with COVID-19.
In this article you will find the answer to the question of how the myths about COVID contribute to the spread of the disease and the introduction of quarantine.
Myths about COVID and sad statistics
Let’s consider this topic on the example of Ukraine, a country where there are many myths and a very low percentage of vaccinated people.
At the beginning of the epidemic, Ukrainians from Wuhan were evacuated to the city of Novi Sanjari. Residents threw stones at buses for fear of infection.
It was then considered dangerous to even pet cats. People walked the streets in gas masks and said that the windows should be closed in the morning because the city was sprayed with antiseptics at night.
Due to the lack of masks (masks you can buy here), some people began to sew them themselves and update their knowledge of chemistry to make an antiseptic from those substances that could be bought at the pharmacy.
Many of us were honestly at home: we often cleaned and ordered food online.
It seemed a little more and we would defeat the threat. But, unfortunately, this did not happen.
Nowadays, some people ignore the basic rules of hygiene, refuse vaccinations and even devalue the very threat of coronavirus. Unfortunately, the original and naive myths about COVID-19 have been replaced by others – more dangerous and scary.
According to official data, more than 54,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Ukraine in a year and a half. These figures will be clearer if considered in a specific context.
According to the State Statistics Service, before the start of quarantine, about 1,000 people died of respiratory diseases every month, including about 500 people from SARS and pneumonia.
In 2020, 20,709 Ukrainians died from COVID-19. Compared to previous years, the number of deaths from respiratory diseases increased by 34% – 16,705 people in 2020 against 12,488 in 2019.
COVID-19 in 2020 became the third most common cause of death of Ukrainians.
The second is oncology – 10.7%.
The most common cause is cardiovascular disease – 66.1%.
In just eight months of this year, 35,125 people (officially registered) have died from COVID-19.
More Ukrainians are already dying as a result of Covid than as a result of road accidents, drownings, fires, poisonings and murders.
Against the background of such events in society, including in the media, there is a certain devaluation and reduction of the threat.
From the beginning of the pandemic, the media has reported on the reduction and devaluation of the threat. It has taken many forms, from a complete denial of the disease to a comparison with the flu, a comparison of mortality from Covid with an accident, and the idea that we should all get sick. As a result, the disease spreads and mortality increases.