Why so many people in NJ are still afraid of COVID-19

No health or social issue of our lifetime has caused more division and fear than the current pandemic. Almost all of us have either had the virus or know someone close to us who has. It's no joke. For many the virus kicks their ass and for others it was like a mild cold or nothing at all. Should we still be as fearful as we were in the beginning of all of this? NO! It's not as deadly as we feared back in March.

Early on, with little real data the World Health Organization estimated the fatality rate of COVID-19 was a terrifying 3%. Some even promoted a figure as high as 5%. Now that more testing has been done and more positive cases have been identified, the number is closer to .2 to .3%. Those numbers were compiled by highly credentialed, reliable medical, research professionals with no agenda, but scientific accuracy.

So many members of the media are complicit is spreading fear and panic. Whether it brings them more clicks and ratings or a bizarre sense of power and importance, it's irresponsible and dangerous. Now, almost a year into the crisis many don't want to admit they overreacted or overly hyped the danger.

Here in New Jersey, it also doesn't help that three times a week the Governor goes on TV for over an hour like it's still day one of a new pandemic. His highlighting of people who have passed away WITH COVID-19, only serves to instill more fear into the public and disrespect the memory of those he's pretending to honor. We will look back on the press briefings in years to come with bewilderment and disbelief at his histrionics.

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is an MD and a tenured professor of medicine at Stanford University and a highly respected researcher. He received so much push back from his research because it didn't follow the agenda of fear mongering and panic inducing hysteria that we're getting from the majority of media and even the medical profession. He claims many docs and medical professionals are afraid of losing their jobs or damage to their reputation if they dare to say that the danger of this virus is not equal to the bubonic plague.

You have to look a little harder to find sober voices and real data than what's being peddled in conventional and social media. Most of us would rather watch something mindless and entertaining on Netflix than sit through an hour and twenty minutes of virus talk, but it's worth the time to find the truth.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy. Any opinions expressed are Dennis' own.