according to Martin’s “Reply” in last week’s publication (TPN 22 Jan). So let’s check some facts.

India is NOT taking Bill Gates to court for killing tens of thousands of young girls. Vaccination trials (for HPV not Covid-19) some years ago were indeed cancelled after local media reported the death of seven girls taking part. The Indian Government later determined the deaths were unrelated to the vaccine. One girl drowned in a quarry; another died from a snake bite; two committed suicide by ingesting pesticides; and one died from complications of malaria. The other two causes were not determined. This story has been circulating for over ten years and gets bigger every time it is repeated.

Young footballers are most definitely NOT dropping dead on the playing field because of vaccination. Yes there are similar stories all over the internet, and several web news channels that thrive on fake news (it’s good business) but it doesn’t take long to find out how these stories grow from nothing to a major conspiracy.

And has the Covid-19 virus been isolated? It all depends what you mean by isolated. A virus cannot live in isolation, neither can it be grown or observed like bacteria but it has definitely been identified (through genetic sequencing), as have all its variants.

And yes, healthcare workers all over the world are included in the numbers of those misled by the fake news media. It’s sad but is evidence of nothing. I can find no facts relating to 40,000 such workers in Denmark but even that would, if true, represent only 0.7% of the population. Compare that with the 3% of Americans who believe they are being governed by lizard people. Of course it’s true, it’s on the internet.

I must admit I did find the anagram amusing. But why “Media Control”. Since when did the media keep quiet about anything. I am not a fan of the BBC but I can say they try NOT to promote fake news. It is just as likely to be a hidden reference to “Doctor Melina”, a medical researcher in Australia. And, on the subject of Australia, active cases in Queensland stand today at 85,000. That’s a few more than zero (although I admit is has been rising quickly). As Martin says, “when will people open their eyes and see what is really happening”. Let’s just stick to the facts even if this does often mean ignoring the rubbish that the internet keeps peddling.

Martyn (Budens)