This is getting old…and aggravating. So on Monday, August 24, 2020, the CDC quietly changed their recommendations for testing those with COVID-19. Previously, anyone with possible exposure or concerns about having COVID-19 with or without symptoms was recommended to have a test. Now, guidelines state that there are loose, poorly informed testing recommendations which require certain situations for testing, not universal testing for any possible cases. This doesn’t seem like a big difference, but it is. These changes are recommending that virtually only those with symptoms get tested. Why is this a problem? Words are dangerous.

We know that a large percentage (almost 50%) of those who transmit COVID-19 are asymptomatic or presymptomatic. If we are only recommending people to be tested if they have symptoms, we will slow down testing, falsely lower numbers, and the disease will continue to spread (possibly even faster than before because contract tracing will be impossible if asymptomatic individuals are not tested per recommendations). Every medical provider I have talked to about this as well as multiple public health experts and medical organizations are speaking out against these changes which undermine basic public health measures and clinical science. What is even worse is that these changes were made unannounced without any press release statements, update notifications, or dissemination through other public channels. One can only surmise that this was done for political motivations to “help the numbers.” Words are dangerous.

I know this sounds like paranoia or political bias, however, these recommendations have NO root in science or evidence. In actuality is quite the opposite. So the only remaining theory is that when Trump said “slow the testing down please” at his Tulsa rally, he really wasn’t kidding. This comes on the heels of the Whitehouse changing the collection of hospital data by the CDC to the US Department of Health and Human Services. It also follows the recent emergency use authorization of convalescent plasma in which the president and Dr. Hahn of the FDA touted false mortality improvement numbers without sound clinical evidence. Words are dangerous.

The institutions of medicine and science are beginning to fall apart. Political motivations are running this pandemic, not science or medicine. A man with VERY little understanding of either has derailed what could have been a prompt and comprehensive response to this pandemic since the initial reports 7-8 months ago. At this point in time, I don’t know if the CDC can be trusted by clinicians after their hushed changes slipped under the radar with no scientific backing and the FDA promoted a therapy with little to no evidence of efficacy. These may seem like small things but when added together, they result in a sense of incompetency and distrust on behalf of all scientists and medical providers. If we as clinicians know that this is not backed by science and we continue to do what we can to help our patients remain safe and improve survivability using ACTUAL science, why should you be worried then? Words are dangerous.

This is simple. Complacency and lack of precaution. If Donald Trump and his circle of fools are out there promoting unproven therapies, backing the My Pillow guy with his sham supplement, slowing down testing making the cases appear lower, saying the pandemic is a success, and continue to defy public health measures such as hosting a live RNC event with about 2000 closely sitting individuals without masks, people will feel falsely reassured. We saw this when people were told by the president that he wasn’t going to wear a mask or falsely claimed hydroxychloroquine was a miracle cure and that he was taking it. This created a rift in the general public. Skeptics and conspiracy theorists have been birthed by his words alone. I guarantee all the “Chads” and “Karens” around the internet, protests about masks, and insane press conferences with quack doctors never would have happened if it weren’t for this divide created by the federal administration. COVID-19 deniers would not be ignoring public health experts and defying their recommendations or state mandates/policies. None of this would have existed to the magnitude it does if it wasn’t for the words of the highest position in the US government; a chasmic divide was created. You can say this is a political rant all you want, but I can assure it’s not. This is stemming from a place of frustration, from someone who understands the science and medicine. Sure I’m not some public health expert or world-renown infectious disease specialist. I’m not a virologist or researcher. I am a medical provider with a strong background in science and research who is able to critically think, apply the scientific method, and scrutinize evidence and information with an appropriate lens. I have nothing to gain from any of my claims or opinions. I don’t make money from this website and I have no other disclosures. Words are dangerous.

It doesn’t matter what your political party is or who you think should win the election and why. What should matter to you is that you are being lied to and mislead about a disease which could possibly threaten your life. Many of you reading this are likely not within the age range or do not have co-morbidities which put your life at risk from COVID-19, but that does not necessarily mean you are safe. Countless reports of healthy individuals have been reported with dire outcomes or serious illness at the least. We are seeing that even individuals who do not have symptoms can develop concerning changes in the heart and lungs. This is a disease we have never seen before. It may be from a family of viruses we study and know about, but it is behaving differently. People forget that COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. That is the “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.” Severe acute respiratory syndrome. SEVERE ACUTE. SEVERE. This isn’t killing droves of children or young adults. There are far worse diseases that exist in our world. Previous pandemics have claimed a lot more lives. BUT…. We don’t know what the long term effects of exposure to this virus may cause. This is a sneaky virus. You can spread it without ever knowing you had it. We may find out five years from now that millions of people now have a chronic lung or heart disease they never would have developed if it wasn’t for COVID-19. We don’t know these things. And THAT is why you should worry. Cases are nearing almost 6 million infections nationwide. Projections are stating that we may see over 300,000 deaths by the fall. We don’t know what flu season is going to look like. I worry. Not for me…for the world. We are shunned by almost every other country in the world because of our poor handling of the virus. We have more daily deaths than most other countries combined. Daily case rates are surpassing all developed countries. We lead the world in deaths and cases. We are certainly number one but should not be proud of that ranking…. All of this. The nightmare most of us are living (not those who refuse to believe the gravity of the situation) is because of words. I don’t think I’ll wear one… It will just go away… Fake news… Deep state… I’m taking it myself… Slow the testing down… HOAX… There are many more words that have been uttered by the president and his administration which are too many to list here, but also, many that have been said behind closed doors I’m sure. Words are dangerous.

Once again, I beg of you to take this seriously. Our way of life and the world around us is at risk. If we do not get this pandemic under control, it will continue to wreak havoc on those we love, those we care about, and those we don’t even know. Facts are under attack and nowadays it’s hard to know what source to use. Media outlets have bias, the internet is full of misinformation and trolls, our government task force is laughable on most accounts, and now the FDA and CDC are ignoring science and evidence in favor of political motivations. Reputable experts are being exiled and shunned by some in our country because of conspiracy and fear-mongering. Doctors claiming to be experts touting miracle cures and misinformation are now using the internet as a megaphone for misinformation. I would love to tell you where to get reliable information but honestly, I don’t know anymore. I can read and interpret studies and data, but not everyone can. Information and truth are under attack. It is time for veracity to be established. Truth be upheld with evidence and data. I will continue to do my best in educating the public on the truth and what science and data exist in the moment. Always remember that words that are said or unsaid definitely matter. Words are dangerous…

Be safe and stay well.