Did anyone else’s heart sink when you heard about the new COVID variant? Mine sure did. I wasn’t surprised when I heard the news. I felt numb as I know we are in for a challenging period, partially because the colder months are quickly approaching and Omicron has already been identified in numerous countries globally. Echoing the words of a science-fiction movie, “the alien(variant) in amongst us” resonated with many people.
Fraudulent individuals like Dr. Wakefield’s damage against vaccinations is still felt over 20 years later. Despite not having social media to spread his agenda quickly, his legacy continues. Fast forward to the present, with the ability for content to go viral in just minutes, false information is dangerous. We have a mixture of individuals with prestigious degrees, and those without a high school diploma are sprouting countless unfounded details; it is becoming harder even for the most discerning individuals to figure out the truth.
In my article July 2021 article, “Please join me and respectfully fight COVID misinformation,” I wrote the following:
My friends who are reading this, my colleagues in the medical professions, my fellow civilians of this planet, please heed my words. This pandemic is far from over. As long continue to battle with misinformation, ignorance, and frankly selfishness, this pandemic will take a life of its own. The challenge is people think that they can go online and earn their “medical degree” and become “acclaimed scientists” in just a short amount of time.
This battle is far from over, and I stand by my original words. Omicron is amongst us, and there are many holes in our global defense of this pandemic. So many countries didn’t have access to vaccinations, as wealthier countries arguably stockpiled on the vaccinations, leaving many struggling countries vulnerable. So many countries do not even have access to the basics of human survival. This is not acceptable.
I have heard people say that the “vaccine agenda causes many of these diseases.” I beg to differ. Until, as a world, we learn to share resources and work to reduce the gaps between the have and have nots, the problems we are seeing will continue. Until health care decisions are not made based on political motivation or financial motivations, globally, we will do better. Until the world embraces holistic care, where everyone has personal responsibilities, as well as a societal responsibility, the situation we are in will continue to escalate. A healthier world with has a focus on preventative care would be key to us moving past COVID-19 and beyond.
Tomi Mitchell is a family physician and founder, Dr. Tomi Mitchell Holistic Wellness Strategies. She can be reached on Twitter @DrTomiMitchell, Facebook, Pinterest, and Clubhouse.
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