Could this ad raise men’s vaccination rates?

Could this ad raise men’s vaccination rates?

An Italian study shows that men testing positive for COVID-19 have three times the likelihood of suffering erectile dysfunction compared to those without a positive test. SCRIPT: 30-SECOND VACCINE SPOT (ED) Interior, casual restaurant. A man, mid-40s, good-looking but not strikingly so, slightly balding, sits at a restaurant table opposite an attractive woman, brunette, several…

Why we should use ads to scare the crap out of vaccine resisters
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Why we should use ads to scare the crap out of vaccine resisters

Those who are not afraid of COVID-19 are behaving irrationally. It’s time to use emotional and graphic advertising to change their minds about vaccination. It worked for smoking; it will work for COVID. Content warning: today’s post contains graphic and disturbing images. If these scare you more than COVID, please get your priorities straight. We…

Biden claimed Facebook is killing people. Facebook’s response missed the point.
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Biden claimed Facebook is killing people. Facebook’s response missed the point.

On Friday, President Biden said social media platforms including Facebook are “killing people” with misinformation about COVID-19. Facebook’s response: “It’s not us, really.” Facebook’s statement is classic deflection; I’ll deconstruct it for you. On July 15, Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, made a public statement about virus misinformation, which he called “an urgent threat…

Six people got blood clots after taking the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Time to panic?

Six people got blood clots after taking the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Time to panic?

If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for COVID-19, should you be worried? The leaders of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the FDA issued a statement this morning suggesting a pause in the administration of the J&J vaccine. As they wrote: CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases…

How tragic is the COVID-19 pandemic compared to other causes of death?

How tragic is the COVID-19 pandemic compared to other causes of death?

Today I undertake a morbid and probably misguided analysis of the depth of the COVID-19 tragedy in America, examining the number of years of life lost. Trigger warning: this post discusses causes of death including suicide. Why would I undertake such a task? We are all reeling from the shocking numbers here. Half a million…

The LA Times fumbles its coverage of the scary new Coronavirus strain

The LA Times fumbles its coverage of the scary new Coronavirus strain

A new, not very well understood strain of coronavirus is circulating in California. In its article about it, the LA Times did a very good job of combining fear and uncertainty into a confusing mix that creates more heat than light. Given the amount of misinformation spreading about the virus from conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers,…