May 14, 2021

Sandra Smith asked Dr. Nicole Saphier (radiologist, not epidemiologist) whether it was important for President Joe Biden to set an example that he feels safe taking his mask down for indoor meetings.

"I can argue both sides of that," Saphier said.

She said it would be good for Biden to take off his mask to show he trusts the vaccine.

"But I can also tell you that he's of that age in a vulnerable population and we have noticed that in the clinical data, if anybody is going to lose the effect of natural immunity or even the vaccine-induced immunity, it is more of the elderly people. And if he wants to be overly cautious and continue to wear the mask, to each his own. I truly think anyone who wants to wear a mask can wear a mask.

"The science is we don't have to wear a mask and we have gotten down to the level of risk that has been deemed accessible for decades and we are getting down to a level, a fluid level. We've never been wearing masks daily for flu-level hospitalizations and new cases and deaths, so no, I don't think the general population needs to be wearing masks. But again, anyone who wants to wants to wear a mask can wear a mask but as long as they communicate with the people why they are wearing a mask. They can't just say I'm wearing a mask out of habit, I'm wearing a mask because that's the CDC recommendations when it is not the CDC recommendations. You have to be fully transparent, you have to be truthful, and if you do that, then I think you can gain the American trust."

"Let me ask you a question, because that's the kind of guy I am, what if people who haven't been vaccinated say everyone else is going without a mask and I will just go without one, too?' " John Roberts said.

"That's a fair question," anchorblonde Sandra Smith interjected.

"Again, to each his own at this point. We have reached a level where you have nearly 60% of adults who have received at least one dose of the vaccine," Saphier said.

"When you couple that with the people who are unvaccinated, maybe up to half of them have some form of natural immunity. We really have reached that threshold where we are either quickly approaching or we are at herd immunity (Ed. note: No, we haven't), which is why you have seen hospitalizations just tank, they have just gone down, and we have gotten to a very safe place.

"Now because of that, that means that people should be able to go around with or without a mask whether you are vaccinated or not. That was the whole purpose of herd immunity. We don't have to get to 100% of people vaccinated, the goal is to get enough people with immunity to protect the community, and because we have so many people with either vaccine-induced or natural-induced immunity to keep the rest of the people are safe as well.

"I still implore as many people as possible to go get the vaccine because the vaccine is prudent to keep people out of the hospital and avoid severe disease and death."

"Dr." Saphier is the author of a new book called "Panic Attack," in which she attacks the "rigid" medical establishment "captured" by Anthony Fauci. She graduated from the for-profit Ross University of Medicine in Barbados and is a well-known specialist in breast imaging, according to Wikipedia. She's good at that specific job!

But not a virologist, and not an epidemiologist. What she is, is a right-wing true believer of the 1% tax bracket variety. Which is probably why she equates natural immunity with vaccine immunity as if they're equally protective. It is a right-wing talking point. Dr. "Follow The Science" apparently doesn't know they're not the same. It's also a little strange that she doesn't know that we need 70% of the population to be vaccinated to come anywhere close to herd immunity. (FYI: In a survey post-CDC statement, epidemiologists say we should keep wearing masks at public indoor events.)

Or, like a lot of wingnuts, she simply ignores anything she doesn't want to believe. Here, read this explanation from actual experts of why she's blowing smoke.

The part I can't quite figure out is, why does Fox News keep pushing dangerous vaccine misinformation? Why do they actually want people to die?

Can you help us out?

For nearly 20 years we have been exposing Washington lies and untangling media deceit, but now Facebook is drowning us in an ocean of right wing lies. Please give a one-time or recurring donation, or buy a year's subscription for an ad-free experience. Thank you.

Discussion

We welcome relevant, respectful comments. Any comments that are sexist or in any other way deemed hateful by our staff will be deleted and constitute grounds for a ban from posting on the site. Please refer to our Terms of Service for information on our posting policy.
Mastodon