I guess you could say “better late than never.”
In a recent revelation, The New York Times has made a candid admission regarding the accuracy of COVID-19 death statistics, acknowledging that a significant portion of reported “Covid deaths” were not directly caused by the virus.
Greg Gutfeld from Fox News had some fun with the news…
“This week, the New York Times quietly admitted the CDC has been over counting COVID deaths from the start. According to their data from their own website, about one-third of recent COVID deaths attributed to COVID were actually caused by something else.
“The actual overstatement of COVID deaths fluctuated between ten and 30%. But there was never any understatement. Only over. Isn’t that weird? It’s never the other direction.”
“The CDC now has less credibility than the White House coke dealer.”
The Times’ article cited both CDC data and a study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases to support their claim that almost one-third of the officially recorded COVID deaths fell into a category where the virus was present at the time of death but was not the underlying cause.
This admission comes after years of fear-mongering and raises questions about the accuracy of the numbers presented to the public.
The acknowledgment by The New York Times stands in stark contrast to its past stance on the matter.
For years, the publication, along with other major news outlets and Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci, discredited anyone who questioned the validity of COVID death statistics as radical right-wing conspiracy theorists.
Back in 2020, the Times strongly criticized former President Trump when he suggested that the reported number of COVID deaths was exaggerated, asserting that “most statisticians and public health experts” refuted his claim and arguing that the actual death toll was even higher than officially recorded.
Fauci had also publicly dismissed Trump’s suggestion, claiming that it had no factual basis. However, subsequent investigations have revealed instances where unrelated deaths, such as traffic fatalities and gunshot fatalities, were added to the total count of COVID deaths, raising further doubts about the accuracy of the data presented to the public.
Even in Italy, a country that was initially reported to have one of the highest COVID death counts in the world, recalculated its COVID-19 figures in 2021. The revised data indicated that only a mere 2.9% of pandemic deaths could be exclusively attributed to the virus, further highlighting the complexity and challenges of accurately attributing deaths to COVID-19.
While the acknowledgment by The New York Times is commendable, it also raises concerns about the public’s trust in media and official sources of information during the pandemic.
Many individuals who had already questioned the accuracy of COVID death statistics were often shamed or labeled as conspiracy theorists. The acknowledgement by the Times validates the concerns of those who were skeptical, emphasizing the importance of transparent and accurate reporting during a crisis.
In conclusion, the recent admission by The New York Times regarding the overestimation of COVID deaths brings to light the need for more rigorous and transparent data collection and reporting.
Moving forward, it is crucial for media outlets and health authorities to be forthright in presenting information to the public to ensure trust and credibility during times of crisis.
Or, as Mr. Gutfeld would say, they will continue to have about as much credibility as a coke dealer.