No, COVID-19 did not go away.  As a mater of fact, it’s worse.  As we head into the new year, COVID is raging on.  Why?  Why can’t we stop the pandemic? 
 
As I have been stating for several weeks now, I believe, that the problem is the misinformation and out-and-out lies that are being spread across the nation and even around the world. Politicians politicize the pandemic while other people fail to understand the problem. 

For more on the dangers of misinformation, read: 

Misinformation Encourages COVID to Spread

How Dangerous Is Misinformation?
 
 
We Can’t Stop COVID because of Politicians.

​Peter C. Herman, Professor of English at San Diego State University, has offered a different opinion that I think we should listen to and consider.
 
In Newsweek this week, Professor Herman states,
 
“Five Republican-led states—Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, and Tennessee—have extended unemployment benefits to anyone who loses their job because they refused a COVID vaccine.”
 
In other words, certain Republicans are rewarding people for refusing the vaccine.
 
“This is insanity. In the midst of an uptick in a deadly pandemic, it is absolutely ludicrous to give people an incentive to refuse to [take] the vaccine. And if you tell me that benefits do not incentivize behavior, allow me to direct your attention to the many Republicans who have spent their careers arguing that unemployment incentivizes laziness.”

 
Just Because Someone Makes a Bad Decision, You Can’t Call It Insane.
 
As a psychologist, I understand Professor Herman’s frustration, but I must remind all of us, that no, this is not insanity. When we are frustrated with someone or something, we all have a tendency to say, “that's insane.”  I definitely agree that encouraging people to NOT take the vaccine is very, very bad.  Yet, it’s not insane.
 
Let’s turn to clinical psychologist Dr. Ryan Howes, Ph. D. for a definition.  Insanity is a
 
“…mental illness of such a severe nature that a person cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot conduct her/his affairs due to psychosis [having lost contact with reality] or is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior.”
  
Dr. Howe's article in Psychology Today is easy to read, and I hope you'll go and read the entire article.  It's both entertaining and enlightening.
 
We need to quit confusing bad decisions with mental illness.  Perfectly sane people make bad decisions every day.  If you need an example, I consider anyone who has refused to take the COVID vaccine or going out in public not wearing a mask to be a person who is making a bad decision. Yet, that person is not insane.
 
It is clear that such bad decisions are making COVID-19 spread and continue to spread across the nation and around the world.
 
 
We Can’t Stop COVID Because People Keep Making Bad Decisions.

Making a bad decision or encouraging someone to make a bad decision is not an example of insanity, but bad decisions are causing COVID to spread and get worse—which means more people are getting sick and dying.  Look at the numbers. As CBS News reports:
 
“As the Omicron variant continues to sweep across the U.S., especially in the Northeast, unvaccinated people of all ages are at increased risk — including children. The U.S. is averaging 260 pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations a day, up nearly 30% from last week. 
 
Health officials say pediatric hospitalizations in New York City rose nearly five-fold from the start of December. Almost all of those children were unvaccinated.”

 
What Is Causing People to Make Such Bad Decisions?
 
There is no question that bad decisions are fueling the spread of COVID-19?  So, why are people willing to believe misinformation?
 
I think the real problem is that politicians are willing to risk someone else’s life so that they may gain a few more votes in the next election.  No, it's not insane, but it is also not how one human being should treat another.  Let's look at some facts.
 
Herman was correct when he wrote that Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, and Tennessee are adding legislation that will in fact give people unemployment benefits if they lose their job because they will not get the COVID vaccine.
  
Herman is also correct when he says that such legislative action by conservative states will make COVID continue. 
 
The fear and the misinformation that some people are spewing out about the COVID vaccines is actually killing people and allowing COVID to continue to spread and change into new variants.  Yes, every time you refuse the vaccine or refuse to wear a mask, you are helping COVID-19 continue to spread and kill people.
 
Look at Donald Trump, who recently was asked if he had been vaccinated and received his booster shot.  Trump said, "Yes…."  Bill O’Reilly also said, "I got it too…."

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Bill's Post: Trump Asked His Supporters to Take the Vaccine 
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We Can’t Stop COVID because People Are Treating a Medical Problem as if It Is a Political Question.
 
COVID-19 kills.  Not getting vaccinated leads to the spread of COVID-19 and can kill.  Therefore, Professor Herman is correct when he says that encouraging people not to get the COVID vaccine is contributing to the spread of COVID-19 and the death of more people from COVID.  Providing financial incentives to not get vaccinated is definitely contributing to the growth and continuance of COVID-19.
 
As Professor Herman states in his article,
 
“…not so long ago Republican states cut unemployment benefits because, they thought, they encouraged people not to find jobs. 
 
“Republicans claim that they want to make the COVID vaccine a matter of choice…. But if the pathway to safety is indeed "paved in freedom," why stop with COVID vaccines? There are many other government mandates that stand in the way of freedom.
 
“Seatbelts, for example: Most states have mandatory seatbelt laws (New Hampshire is the exception) for adults. All states mandate that children must be buckled in.  …why not make seatbelts subject to parental choice as well? Shouldn't we trust parents to know and do what's best for their children?
 
“Each state also requires that children receive various vaccines (polio, chicken pox, measles, mumps and rubella) before entering kindergarten.
 
“Moreover, by their logic, if getting a vaccine is a matter of choice, shouldn't hospitals and health insurance companies have the choice to refuse treatment to people who get sick because they refused the vaccine? Shouldn't they have the freedom to prioritize breakthrough cases and other, non-COVID related illnesses and diseases?
 
“Republicans, after all, are supposed to favor holding people accountable for their behavior. Should an increasingly rare ICU bed go to someone who acted responsibly? Or irresponsibly?
 
“In their drive to oppose any and all Democratic policies, Republicans are leading their followers to an early grave. Truly, the Republican Party has turned into a death cult.”
 
Yes, Professor Herman strays a little heavily into the world of opinion, but he does clearly label his piece as “opinion.”  I would have to agree that rewarding people for refusing to take the COVID vaccine is truly wrong.  It will just prolong the coronavirus pandemic and cause more people to die.  I truly do not see how you can justify such an action.  It's time to stop playing politics with people's lives.  We need to care about one another.  We need to help each other.  We are supposed to be an educated society; it's time that we prove it.
 
Professor Herman’s article is well written, and I hope you'll read it and think about what he says.

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For more on political control, read

Exactly Who Is in Control of Your Life?
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We Cannot Stop the Coronavirus Pandemic Because People Will Not Believe the Truth. 
 
The truth is that the COVID vaccine is safe, even for children.
 
Yes, I know that a popular TV network had someone on the air this week saying that the vaccine is not safe for children.  That is wrong.  Such statements are misinformation and will cause many children to get sick and even some will die. 
 
Check medical sources for medical facts.  We want to remember that COVID vaccines are safe and effective.  Look at the facts.  Look at how many people have safely taken the Covid vaccine.
  
You must also get your booster shot, especially with omicron spreading across the nation.
 
Don't listen to information from politicians, social media, or even your favorite radio or TV host.    Search for the truth. 
 
Get the facts, and no, there are no “alternative facts.”  There is only one set of facts.  When you reinterpret or distort the facts, you are spreading misinformation.  Misinformation kills people.

Just last month Governor DeSantis was bragging that Florida had COVID-19 under control.  Unfortunately, that is just not true. 

 
“COVID-19 is once again soaring in Florida,” reported the Tampa Bay Times: 
 
“There were 29,568 new cases identified from Dec 10-16, according to the weekly report the state released late Friday. There were 13,530 cases reported in the previous seven-day period. That’s a jump of 118 percent in one week....
 
“The daily average went from 1,933 cases per day last week to 4,224 cases per day this week.”

  
The claim that COVID is over or even under control is absolutely false, and it’s not just in Florida.

 
“The US is now averaging 118,717 new Covid-19 cases each day -- 40% higher than a month ago - according to data from Johns Hopkins University, and 1,326 Covid-19 deaths are being reported each day on average. That's a 12% increase compared to a month prior. Coronavirus hospitalizations also continue to climb, having now trended upward for more than two months as hospitals across the country face staffing shortages. According to US Health and Human Services, 67,306 are hospitalized with Covid-19, 40% higher than a month ago. Beds in intensive care units are 78% full, and one in five of those patients are Covid-19 patients.”

 
No, these are not “alternative facts.”  This is the reality of what is actually happening in our country right now.  As I have said before, “alternative facts” do not exist.  There is only one factual truth.  Yes, we can have different opinions, but we do not have different facts.  People who claim that they have “alternative facts” are simply spreading misinformation.  It is true that we can perceive and interpret facts differently, but different interpretations do not change the facts.  Different interpretations and distortions of the actual facts are a form of misinformation.  If you are actually reporting facts, they will be the same as what others report.  If you are reporting opinions or perceptions, each person’s opinions and perceptions are different, but the facts do not change, just because we have different opinions or interpretations of the facts.
 
We need the truth—the facts.
 
When you distort or interpret facts incorrectly, that’s misinformation.  Instead of continuing to read or spread misinformation, we need to change. 
 
This Christmas, we need to stop fighting and arguing about whether we should or should not get vaccinated or wear masks.  The answers are obvious. 
 
We need for everyone to be vaccinated.
 
Yes, the COVID vaccine is safe, and it saves lives. 
 
Researchers from Yale University and the Commonwealth Fund found that the vaccine saved approximately “… 279,000 additional deaths due to Covid-19 -- about 46% more than there were -- and as many as 1.25 million additional hospitalizations if there were no vaccinations.” 
 
 
So, yes everyone needs to get vaccinated.  It’s not about “freedom,” “personal choice,” or “control.” Every single person who isn’t vaccinated is potentially exposing every other person in their community, neighborhood, family, or group because unvaccinated people are allowing COVID to continue to grow, spread, and change into new variants.  When people refuse to get vaccinated, they are actually supporting COVID-19 because they allow the pandemic to continue.  Yes, when you are unvaccinated, you are encouraging COVID to spread.  Don’t take my word for it.  Read the report.

 
U.S. Public Health Director Annette Rodriguez gave a very timely warning this last week in our area reminding everyone to put their masks back on.  It’s a warning that everyone should listen to:  
 

"I've seen a lot of people around the community who have stopped wearing a mask, you really need to put those masks back on because Omicron is probably already here, we just haven't identified it…."
 
 
Give the gift of life, this Christmas: get vaccinated.  Make sure you get your booster as well.  You are not fully protected unless you have received your booster.  Also, don’t forget your mask.

I usually host a Christmas brunch at my house.  Of course, this year, I cannot.  A friend who usually attends my brunch has requested a picture of Saint Lucia.  I top my Christmas tree with a Saint Lucia beaded ornament.  The beaded ornaments, called "Christments" (Christ + ornament), are from three books that I wrote. 
 
As written in the Around the World section of my book, The Christment Tree, Volume 3,
 
“In Sweden, St. Lucia day on December the 13th is the day that truly opens the Christmas season. Lucia is the “Queen of Light” and her festival was originally celebrated on one of the darkest and shortest days of the year….  Today, St. Lucia has become the symbol of hope and plenty…. Saint Lucia is placed on top of the Christmas tree to remind us of those who are hungry throughout the world.”
 
She is definitely one of the harder Christments to make, but again, just read and follow the directions and patterns in Book 3.
 
For the children, there are very simple letters to make.  As shown on the cover of Book 3, there are complete instructions and patterns for writing the words “Peace on Earth.”  Yes, we definitely need peace this year and always. 
 
You may also write the word LOVE with beads and letters.
 
The Christment Tree, Volume 1 provides patterns and instructions for writing LOVE that even 5-year old’s can follow.  When I list an age group for a project, it means that I have actually tested the project with children of that age.

Omicron is already making headway in the United States, and misinformation abounds.  Misinformation about omicron is everywhere, like this post on Telegram that went out to more than a million members claiming that “…vaccines had caused the omicron variant….”   
 
As Gerrit De Vynck explains in the Washington Post,
 
… nearly two years into the pandemic many people are feeling fatigued. They may be even more susceptible to believing fake information about the coronavirus after the seemingly endless cycles of travel bans, lockdowns and the need for more vaccines and booster shots….
 
I encourage you to read this Washington Post article.  As this article explains, “we may need to change our behavior….” because absolutely nothing seems to be slowing down the spread of misinformation.  If anything, misinformation is growing. A second article that you may also want to read teaches you how to identify misinformation.  This is an excellent article and worth your time to read.
  
I’ll have more to say about this article later.  Today, I want to look at the research on omicron and the misinformation being spread about this research.

 
What do we know about Omicron?  The truth.
 
On Tuesday, the media reported on a study from South Africa that indicated that the Pfizer COVID vaccine is not as effective with omicron.  Yes, social media went wild. 
 
“Why should we get the vaccine if it's not effective?  I told you it wouldn't work.”  The list of comments goes on and on and on.
 
On Wednesday morning, research was clarified.  Pfizer reported on a study that showed that the Pfizer COVID vaccine is effective against omicron if you have had your booster.  Albert Bourla, the CEO at Pfizer, stated during an interview on the “Today” show with NBC that
 
"Three doses against omicron are almost equivalent to the two doses effectiveness we had against the ... original variant…."
  
I hope that you will read this article and watch the video.  The interview is very well done and clarifies the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine against omicron. 
 
Don’t believe what you read on social media.  Search for the truth.
 
 
Read Carefully.
 
The Pfizer research report is not a contradiction.  It is new research.  The South Africa study only tested people who had received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine; therefore, the South Africa research reports on the effects of two doses of Pfizer.  The Pfizer report on Wednesday, gives the results of a study from people who had received three doses of the Pfizer vaccine--the booster.
 
What the research tells us is that if you have taken your booster shot, you have a high likelihood of being protected against omicron.  If you have only taken two doses of Pfizer, then no, you do not have strong protection against omicron.  So, go get your booster shot.
 
These are not “alternative facts” or “alternative research” as some people are reporting on social media.  These two studies tested two totally different groups of people. 
 
The South Africa group tested only people with two shots of the Pfizer vaccine; therefore, their results give the effect of only two shots of Pfizer with the omicron virus. 
 
The Pfizer study researched not only people who had taken two doses, but also people who had had three doses (the booster).  The Pfizer study found similar results for people who had only had two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, but when they tested people who had had three doses, the results were quite different. 
 
You must read scientific research studies carefully.  You must read exactly what the study tests.  Then, you must read the results carefully to see exactly what it tells you.
 
Both of these studies are good. They're just testing two different things.  Neither study contradicts the other.
 
If you read only the South Africa study or use only the South Africa study to support your opinion that vaccines do not work, then you are spreading misinformation.  You are not looking at all the facts.  You are separating out one tiny portion of the research and ignoring the total research picture.  These are not “alternative facts;” your facts are just incomplete.
 
Search for the truth.  Don't be misled by social media and politicians who are basing their upcoming campaigns on fear and anger.
 
Give the gift of life this Christmas.  Get vaccinated and don't forget to wear a mask.  If you’ve been vaccinated, get your booster shot.  Let this be a truly Merry Christmas for everyone.

Earlier: Don’t Believe Misinformation and Lies:  This Christmas, Give the Gift of Life.

Marcus Lamb, a televangelist, just died from COVID-19.  He didn’t believe in vaccines or masks, and he took ivermectin.  Unfortunately, he died.  Misinformation kills.
 
Misinformation can, and has, killed people during the coronavirus pandemic, and misinformation will keep killing as long as misinformation is allowed to spread and lead people astray. 
 
Misinformation is also killing young people. 
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Read:  Misinformation Kills:  Has Your Child Been Vaccinated?  Or, Are You Waiting?
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So, how do we stop misinformation from killing people? 
 
We can stop misinformation from killing people by teaching people to search for the truth, evaluate what they read, and by helping people comprehend and understand what they are reading or hearing.
 
Let’s look at an example. 
 
Governor Ron DeSantis and his supporters have been plastering the airwaves, social media, and TV news claiming that Florida has been more successful than “blue” states in controlling COVID-19.  But is that actually true? 
 
Remember, “alternative facts” do not exist.  Alternative facts are make-believe, or what some people might call out-and-out lies or distortions. 
 
Facts are true—can be proven.  Perceptions and opinions are merely based on what a person thinks.  Perceptions are not necessarily true—often they are not.  Opinions are frequently biased; they usually are. 
 
What we are looking for is the truth—something that can be proven.
 
Let’s look at some facts.
 
Yes, Florida is experiencing a low case rate right now, but does that necessarily point to success? No, it does not. 
 
As Nicholas Reich, professor of biostatistics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst said,

"It's not appropriate to evaluate success in controlling the pandemic by looking at one snapshot in time….  Sure, Florida is having quite low case and hospitalization rates right now, but they only got there after enduring one of the most intense periods of COVID infections, hospitalizations, and deaths that any state has seen yet…Those aren't indicators of successful pandemic management overall."
  
Before Governor DeSantis and his supporters brag, they must look at the total picture.  If you are going to claim that you have found the answer to controlling COVID, you must actually produce proof over time.  I would be thrilled if Florida had discovered an answer to the pandemic, but it’s just not true.  Don’t fall for political propaganda.  Search for the truth.
 
In Newsweek’s Fact Check article, Ed Browne points out that

•  [Florida] “… is the joint seventh-worst-affected state in regard to overall death rates per 100,000 people throughout the COVID pandemic as a whole….
• “…has reported the 15-highest COVID case rate per 100,000 people throughout the pandemic as a whole….
• “… [had] one of the biggest summer spikes in the country, making Florida one of the harder-hit states in overall case counts….

If we are using our comprehension skills and not just believing whatever is said by a group of politicians, we should begin to question what DeSantis and his supporters are saying. 
 
Propaganda is defined as information of a biased or misleading nature that is used to promote or publicize a particular political cause, candidate, or point of view.  Propaganda is never accurate. 
  
Jennifer Dowd, associate professor of demography and population health at the University of Oxford, reminds each of us that:
 
"All parts of the country that were on fire with Delta this summer are currently low and vice versa. We truly do not know why it has moved around like this regionally from the beginning of the pandemic but it has been a consistent pattern of flare-ups followed by periods of relative quiet."
 
"But another wave will almost surely crash back into Florida, where vaccination rates are lower than many places in Europe that are currently seeing spikes…."
  
So, yes, it sounds good at first to say, that the state’s numbers are lower than anyone else’s, but is it true when you look at the total picture?  Who do you blame when the next spike occurs? 
 
Have DeSantis and his supporters really controlled COVID, or are they just selling more propaganda?  Sounds like propaganda to me.
 
This one example shows how carefully reading, evaluating, and truly understanding what is being said makes a big difference.  If we just listened to the sound bites or social media tweets, we might believe the propaganda being distributed by DeSantis and his supporters. If we look at all of the facts, we see a totally different picture.
 
I hope that you will read the full Newsweek article because it is a good example of how to analyze what is being said.  The article also shows how information and facts get distorted into misinformation.
 
Is there a way to teach people how to evaluate what they read?
 
I talked earlier about a team that is developing a video game to teach adults how to tell the difference between what is actually true and what is not true. 
 
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For more information about the video game, see: How Dangerous Is Misinformation? 
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I’m still waiting to read their final report.  It will be interesting to see if they can indeed teach adults to correctly determine true information from misinformation and lies.
 
How Can We Teach Comprehension and Critical Reading?

I have for years been successful teaching children to read for details and to evaluate and understand what they read.  When you train children to read for details, their comprehension scores increase, their understanding of the material that they read is much better. 
Let’s look at an example.  Since we are all scurrying around getting ready for Christmas, I decided to use a Christmas example.
 
One program that I use this time of year is my Christment Workshop.  A Christment is an ornament made from beads and chenille stems. As shown in the picture, the Christment tree tells the story of Christmas.  Children (even 4-year-olds) can make an ornament.  My books provide step-by-step directions, patterns, and pictures.  Each ornament is graded by skill level needed for completion, so that all ages can be included.
 
Following step-by-step directions is one of the best ways to build comprehension skills.
 
Yes, you actually help students learn to comprehend what they are reading when they apply what they read to a hands-on project.  Almost any hands-on project works.

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For more information:  Reading Comprehension
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Christments are easy to make, and the children love making them.
 
These simple ornaments may be used at home by families, in the classroom by teachers, or even in assisted living facilities with seniors who are working on building their skills.
 
I’ve even used the beaded candle ornaments from the Christment books at my reading clinic.  Candles are not necessarily related just to church.  The children practice reading, following directions, and comprehending what they are reading as they make the candles.  And yes, we have fun as well as learn.
 
My group made simple candles and took them home to hang in their bedroom window as a suncatcher.  The candles of course also work on the Christmas tree.  The point is that you are teaching comprehension skills.  These are skills that all children, teens, and evidently even adults need to learn.
 
Don’t Believe Misinformation and Lies:  Get Vaccinated.  Yes, the vaccine is safe.

And Don’t Forget to Wear a Mask.  Boosters are important too.
 
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For more about my Christment tree books and other publications, click: 

Elaine Clanton Harpine's Books
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This is a simple Christment candle that even a 4-year-old can make.  Children string the beads and shape to the pattern in The Christment Tree Pattern Book, Volume 3. Children read and follow step-by-step directions to complete the project. 

This candle is also easy to make, but it has a few more steps to follow.  The challenge is perfect for elementary age children.  Children simply follow the directions and patterns in The Christment Tree, Volume 2. 

Teenagers enjoy making this candle.  However, several elementary age children have followed the step-by-step directions in The Christment Tree, Volume 1, and made this candle as well.  The idea is to teach comprehension by following directions.