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Did COVID-19 Vaccines Cause 17 Million Deaths?!

Did researchers discover that COVID-19 vaccines were “causally linked” to 17 million deaths?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-01-09 : Refreshed for the revival of this claim on social media
Originally posted @ 2023-10-03

 

Claim : COVID-19 Vaccines Caused 17 Million Deaths!

People are sharing an article by The Epoch Times which claims or suggests that COVID-19 vaccines did not save lives, but instead, resulted in 17 million deaths in 17 countries!

Here is an excerpt of The Epoch Times article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts:

Researchers Find COVID Vaccines Causally Linked to Increased Mortality, Estimate 17 Million Deaths

Recommended : Did FDA + CDC Hide Data On Failing COVID Vaccines?!

 

Truth : COVID-19 Vaccines Did Not Cause 17 Million Deaths!

In this article, I will go through some of their points, and show you what the facts really are!

Fact #1 : It Was A Self-Published Report

First, let’s start by pointing out that the paper in question (PDF download) is not a published scientific report, but a self-published report by Correlation Research in the Public Interest.

As far as we can tell, it has not been submitted to any scientific or medical journal for publication. Even if a scientific report has not been peer-reviewed, it would be available as a pre-print.

Fact #2 : It Has Not Been Peer-Reviewed

There is also no indication that this report has undergone even the basic peer review process. In fact, The Epoch Times confirmed this at the end of their very long article.

It’s important to note the scientific report has not yet been peer-reviewed. Articles that are ultimately accepted by peer review are often revised prior to publication, indicating potential for improvement.

In other words – subject matter experts have yet to inspect their data and findings, never mind verify and authenticate them. Perhaps this should have been mentioned right from the start?

Fact #3 : World Mortality Dataset Covers 103-124 Countries

The World Mortality Dataset (WMD) is a public database maintained by two researchers – Ariel Kaplinsky and Dmitry Kobak, that has been tracking the mortality rates of 103 countries since January 2021. They later expanded their data to cover 124 countries.

It is peculiar that Correlation Research in the Public Interest would focus only on 17 countries, out of 103-124 countries in the World Mortality Dataset. Why not look at ALL countries covered by the WMD data?

Recommended : Did Japan Order Investigation Of COVID-19 Vaccine Deaths?!

Fact #4 : There Was No Causal Link To Vaccines

The World Mortality Dataset is a big and critical tool for tracking all cause mortality for many countries around the world. However, it is ultimately just a database of all-cause mortality.

There is no way it can be used to demonstrate the causality of any particular cause of death. After all, it only tracks all-cause mortality! It doesn’t differentiate between death from a car accident or a fall, from death from COVID-19, or death from a vaccine injury.

Hence, if you go through the long Correlation Research report (180 pages!!), you don’t see an actual causal link between those spikes in deaths, and COVID-19 vaccines (or any other potential cause of death).

Fact #5 : Eurostat Data Shows Vaccination Reduced Excess Mortality

Perhaps the reason why the European countries were left out of this Correlation Research report is because the Eurostat data showed a strong correlation between high COVID-19 vaccination rates and low excess mortality.

In this chart provided by @dobssi, you can see that the 2021 excess mortality is much lower in countries with high vaccination rates, than countries with low vaccination rates.

Interestingly, two of those highly-vaccinated countries are Australia and New Zealand, both of which had low excess mortality rates in 2021.

The Eurostats data appear to show that Australia has only a small spike in excess death, while New Zealand actually had LOWER excess deaths after vaccinating its population. Imagine that…

Recommended : Why Adverse Events of Special Interest Are NOT Side Effects!

Fact #6 : Those Countries Have Seasons

The report claim to look at 17 equatorial and Southern Hemisphere countries because they have “no summer and winter seasons”, so there won’t be “seasonal variations” in their mortality patterns.

But the truth is – countries in equatorial and southern hemispheres have at least two seasons, instead of four seasons typically seen in the Northern Hemisphere.

Take Thailand, for example – a tropical country that evokes images of sandy beaches and warm weather. Well, Thailand actually has three seasons:

  • a wet season that runs from May to October,
  • a cool season that runs from November to February, and
  • a hot season that runs from March May

Its capital, Bangkok, itself experiences wide variations in temperature throughout the year – from as low as 21°C in the winter, to as high as 37°C in the summer.

And how exactly does proximity to the equator affect the SARS-CoV-2 virus or the COVID-19 vaccine??

Fact #7 : Those Countries Have Different Vaccination Rates

It is hard to understand why those 17 countries were chosen out of 103-124 countries in the World Mortality Dataset. Especially when they have different vaccination rates.

Yes, the report states that these countries comprise 9.1% of the global population and 10.3% of all COVID-19 vaccine injections. That gives us the impression that they are all highly-vaccinated countries.

That’s really not the case. These countries have very different vaccination rates, ranging from 44% to 97%!

Country 1 Dose ≥ 2 Doses
Argentina 14% 77%
Australia 2% 95%
Bolivia 60%
Brazil 6% 82%
Chile 2% 90%
Colombia 12% 72%
Ecuador 85%
Malaysia 2% 84%
New Zealand 1% 95%
Paraguay 56%
Peru 6% 83%
Philippines 79%
Singapore 1% 92%
South Africa 46%
Suriname 3% 44%
Thailand 5% 78%
Uruguay 5% 83%

If they did not select those countries for their high vaccination rate, then why choose those countries and not the dozens of other countries located near the equator?

Why not pick large countries like Indonesia or India? Why not pick small countries like Brunei or Maldives? Why pick South Africa when there are many other African countries much closer to the equator?

Did they cherry-pick those countries because their data fitted the narrative, or was it something else?

Recommended : New Study Proves Pfizer mRNA Vaccine Causes Turbo Cancer?!

Fact #8 : World Mortality Dataset Study Identified COVID-19 As Cause

The two researchers who maintained the World Mortality Dataset (WMD) actually published a peer-reviewed study in the eLife journal, on 30 June 2021.

Unlike this Correlation Research report, this was an actual peer-reviewed study, published in a journal and the NIH National Library of Medicine. It was also written by the two people who knows the WMD database best – the very people maintaining and updating it!

Both Ariel Kaplinsky and Dmitry Kobak used their WMD data to look at the impact of COVID-19 on the all-cause mortality from 103 countries, and here was what they found:

We found that in several worst-affected countries (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico) the excess mortality was above 50% of the expected annual mortality (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico) or above 400 excess deaths per 100,000 population (Peru, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia). At the same time, in several other countries (e.g. Australia and New Zealand) mortality during the pandemic was below the usual level, presumably due to social distancing measures decreasing the non-COVID infectious mortality

Summing up the excess mortality estimates across all countries in our dataset gives 4.0 million excess deaths. In contrast, summing up the official COVID-19 death counts gives 2.9 million deaths, corresponding to the global undercount ratio of 1.4.

In other words – many people were likely being killed by COVID-19 infections, which appear to be undercounted by some 40%.

To be clear – their data do not show COVID-19 vaccines causing those deaths, never mind 17 million deaths!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did African Migrants Just Destroy Historic Alcazar Library?!

Did African migrants just riot and destroy the historical Alcazar Library in Marseille, France?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : African Migrants Just Destroyed Alcazar Library!

People are sharing a video of the historical Alcazar Library burning, after being allegedly destroyed by African migrants who were rioting in France.

Stew Peters : The Alcazar Library in Marseille is the largest library in France, containing an archive of one million historically significant documents.

African migrants just TORCHED it.

Christian Pilgrim : WATCH: Rioters have burned down the largest library in France.

The Alcazar library in Marseille included an archive of one million historically significant archives.

VVC Watch : The Alcazar Library in Marseille is the largest in France, containing an archive of one million historically significant documents. African migrants just TORCHED it. #vvcwatch

Some also claim that the video shows the National Library in Paris on fire, not the Alcazar library.

Recommended : Is This The Last Video Of Titan Sub At Titanic Wreck?!

 

Truth : African Migrants Did Not Destroy Alcazar Library!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : People Were Rioting Over Nahel Merzouk

First, I should quickly point out that the June 2023 riots in France had nothing to do with migrants in France, whether they are African or otherwise.

People in France were not rioting over migrant rights, but rather, the death of Nahel Merzouk – a 17 year-old French youth of Moroccan and Algerian descent, who was shot and killed by the police in Nanterre on 27 June 2023.

That morning, two Paris Police Prefecture motorcycle police officers saw Nahel Merzouk driving a Mercedes-Benz A Class AMG with a Polish licence plate at high speed in a bus lane.

They tried to flag it down, but Nahel continued to flee, committing several traffic offences in the process. But he was eventually forced to stop due to traffic congestion.

That was when the two police officers got off their motorcycles and ordered him to turn off the engine. When Nahel started to pull away again, one of the police officers fire a shot at him because he claim Nahel was about to run him over. The car continued for a distance before crashing into street furniture.

However, a 50-second video was later released, showing that neither police officers were in danger of being run over by Nahel. A passenger in Nahel’s vehicle also testified that the police officer hit Merzouk with the butt of his gun several times, and the third buttstroke made Nahel release the brake pedal, causing the car to move forward as it was an automatic car.

Those revelations caused a great public outcry and outrage, that quickly turned into protests and riots in many parts of France.

Fact #2 : Rioters Attempted To Set Alcazar Library On Fire

On the night of Thursday, June 29, 2023, rioters attempted to set the Alcazar library in Marseille on fire. They broke some of its windows, and tried to set its entrance on fire.

However, the rioters did not succeed in entering the Alcazar library, or set it on fire. Its entrance was only lightly torched. It was boarded up the next day.

There is also no evidence that the rioters who tried to set the Alcazar library on fire were migrants, or Africans.

Recommended : Is This President Macron Dancing With His Wife 30 Years Ago?!

Fact #3 : Viral Video Is Of Manila Central Post Office Fire

The video that went viral on social media does not show the Alcazar Library on fire. Rather, the video showed the Manila Central Post Office (MCPO) which caught fire on Sunday, May 21, 2023.

The fire started in its basement at 11:41 PM that night, but firefighters had trouble controlling it. It was finally controlled at 7:22 AM on May 22, and finally put out at 6:33 AM the next day, on May 23, 2023.

18 persons were wounded in the incident – 16 firefighters, a fire volunteer, and a civilian. 300 million pesos worth of assets, including national identification cards were destroyed or damaged.

Even worse was the loss of the heritage building. The Manila Central Post Office was a 97 year-old building which was a “classic example of Western architecture that existed between two world wars“.

Fact #4 : French National Library Not On Fire Either

Claims that the video shows the French National Library in Paris on fire are also false.

Elodie Vincent, a spokesperson for Bibliothèque nationale de France, confirmed in an email that the French National Library was unharmed during the Nahel protests and riots.

I should also point out that the French National Library is the largest library in France, not the Alcazar Library.

Recommended : Does Viral Video Show France Pension Riot Damage?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Another Fake Video

This is just another example of fake videos misappropriated to create controversies. Here are some other recent examples you may have seen recently:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Philippines Issue Arrest Warrant For Bill Gates?!

Did a Philippines court issue an international arrest warrant for Bill Gates for premeditated murder?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Philippines Issued Arrest Warrant For Bill Gates!

People are sharing a NewsPunch article, which claims that a Philippines court issued an international arrest warrant for Bill Gates for premeditated murder!

It’s rather long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Bill Gates Arrest Warrant Issued in Philippines For ‘Premeditated Murder’ Linked To Vaccine Roll Out

A Philippines court has issued an international arrest warrant for Bill Gates, as part of an investigation into the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out in the territory.

Recommended : Died Suddenly : Anti-Vaccination Movie Lies Exposed!

 

Truth : Philippines Did NOT Issued Arrest Warrant For Bill Gates

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : NewsPunch Is A Fake News Website

Like Real Raw News, NewPunch is a FAKE NEWS website that capitalises on making shocking but fake stories to generate page views and money.

It was founded as Your News Wire in 2014, before being rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news spread on Facebook that year.

Their articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should NEVER share anything from NewsPunch. Here are some of their fake stories that I personally debunked earlier:

Fact #2 : Philippines Court Did Not Issue Arrest Warrant For Bill Gates

To be clear, there is no active arrest warrant for Bill Gates in the Philippines, or any other part of the world.

For one thing, no legitimate media outlet in the Philippines, or internationally, has reported such an arrest warrant. If an arrest warrant was issued for a billionaire and celebrity like Bill Gates, you can be sure it would have been reported far and wide.

A judge in the Philippines can issue an arrest warrant, but only if a public prosecutor files for one in an actual court case.

There are also no court cases involving Bill Gates, or the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the Philippines. So how can any judge issue an arrest warrant?

Fact #3 : No Such Thing As International Arrest Warrant

There is no such thing as an international arrest warrant. Arrest warrants issued by courts in the Philippines are limited to that country.

In the event the person is overseas, the police may file an Interpol Red Notice. However, an Interpol Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant.

Fact #4 : Bill Gates Was Not Involved In Philippines Vaccination Program

Bill Gates was never involved in the COVID-19 vaccination program in the Philippines, which was run by the government itself, under the Philippine National Vaccination Program and Implementation Plan.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was also not involved in the COVID-19 vaccination program in the Philippines. Even if the Foundation was involved in some kind of crime, it would have been charged in court, not Bill Gates himself.

Fact #5 : Murder Is Premeditated By Definition

It is odd for any court to issue an arrest warrant for premeditated murder, since murder is by definition, premeditated. Accidentally killing someone is called “manslaughter”

It would be like saying that you need a towel to wipe “wet water”, when a normal person would simply say “water”.

Fact #6 : Bill Gates Was Never Banned From Philippines

As far as I can ascertain, Bill Gates was never banned from entering the Philippines in 2016, or anytime in his life.

Fact #7 : Heinous Crimes Court Does Not Exist

There is no court in the Philippines, or anywhere else in the world, that is known as the Heinous Crimes Court.

Fact #8 : Organisations Cannot Issue Super-Injunctions

The claim that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation issued a super-injunction is ludicrous. Only a court can issue a super-injunction.

Even then, super-injunctions do not prevent the media from reporting on any court case. It only blocks the publication of WHY an injunction was obtained, and the reporting that an injunction was obtained.

Fact #9 : Bill Gates Was Only Arrested In 1977

Interestingly, Bill Gates was once arrested in 1977, for driving his Porsche far above the speed limit in New Mexico.

His mugshot went viral at that time, even though there was no social media back then. Quite a feat!

Fact #10 : COVID-19 Vaccines Proven Safe + Effective

COVID-19 vaccines underwent massive clinical trials, and were only approved after they were proven to be safe and effective.

In addition, they were constantly monitored after they received their approvals, which picked up rare side effects after they were administered to billions of people.

Anti-vaccination activists have often claimed that those who received the vaccine would die. Yet, the opposite was true – the vaccines are not only safe, they are effective in protecting people from getting hospitalised or dying from COVID-19.

Even prominent antivaxxer Steve Kirsch is healthy and well, despite being fully-vaccinated against COVID-19!

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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New JobStreet Study : 2023 Remains Jobseekers’ Market In Asia!

A new JobStreet study just revealed that 2023 will remain the jobseekers’ market in Asia! Here is what you need to know.

 

New JobStreet Study : 2023 Remains Jobseekers’ Market In Asia!

On 1 March 2023, SEEK, the parent company of JobStreet and JobsDB – Asia’s leading online employment marketplaces, released a new study on the jobseekers’ market in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, together with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and The Network, a global alliance of recruitment websites.

The study, which surveyed 97,324 respondents in Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, delivered these key findings:

  • 34% of talents are actively looking for a new job
  • their top 3 motivations for seeking for a new job are:
    – 49% are looking for a more interesting position, or higher seniority
    – 30% feel they lack opportunities for upward career progress
    – 27% are unsatisfied with their current salary and benefits
  • 54% are not actively looking for a job, but would consider a job opportunity with better financial compensation
  • 74% of talents in the region are approached multiple times per year for new job opportunities
  • 36% of talents are approached about new job opportunities every month
  • 70% of talents believe they have strong negotiation power
  • IT talents are the most coveted in Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Singapore, being frequently approached with job opportunities

You can download the full report here.

Despite the waves of layoffs by tech companies in the region and around the world, the demand for tech talent still remains based on the reports’ findings. This is consistent with SEEK’s observation of a 29% YoY (2021 vs 2022) increase in job ads for tech roles in the region, based on data from our JobStreet and JobsDB platforms.
– Peter Bithos, CEO of SEEK Asia

 

2023 JobStreet Study Findings : Top Talent Priorities

The 2023 study by JobStreet parent company, SEEK and the Boston Consulting Group, also gave us a look at what are the top priorities for talents in the Southeast Asia and Hong Kong region:

Most respondents (71%) desire, above all, a stable job with a good work-life balance. This preference is dominant across job roles, countries, and age groups.

  • 22% say that unattractive financial compensation is a deal breaker
  • 17% say that poor work-life balance is a deal breaker
  • amount of time off, and job security tie as deal breakers in third place

People’s expectations towards work have changed radically in the past few years. Most jobseekers don’t want to live to work anymore – they want to work to live. Employers must understand that while a high salary may be a way to raise the attention of in-demand talent, money is not enough to retain them on the long run. A culture that supports work-life balance, allows for flexibility, and emphasises good workplace relationships is equally important.
– Sagar Goel, Partner and Associate Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Jobseekers are also interested in a better recruiting process:

  • 67% want a smooth and timely process, as 49% will refuse even an attractive job offer if they face a negative experience
  • recruitment platforms like JobStreet and JobsDB are the top channel used when applying for a job.
  • Advanced digital tools are not favoured, even among the young generation. Many prefer personal interactions during the recruitment process – only 24% were comfortable participating in an AI-led automated interview.

 

2023 JobStreet Study Findings : The Malaysian Context

The study also looked at the Malaysian context for jobseekers in 2023:

  • Malaysia’s labour market remains positive, with 30.9K new jobs
  • Talents in Malaysia have lower job opportunities than the global average. However, 69% of respondents feel they have a strong negotiation power over employers.
  • 1 in 3 employees are willing to try different careers by reselling to new professions – this is approximately 5% higher than the regional average
  • top 3 more coveted talents in Malaysia (based on the percentage of respondents who are approached most frequently with job opportunities) are:
    – Information Technology
    – Digitisation, data science, and artificial intelligence
    – Education, such as teachers and trainers
  • 61% of Malaysians expressed their preference for hybrid working models, which is 7% higher than the global average.

 

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Dell 40-Nation Survey : Employees Are Greatest Asset!

Dell Technologies just conducted a new 40+ country survey to find out things have changed after two years of accelerated digital transformation!

Take a look at their results, and find out why most businesses consider employees as their greatest asset!

 

Dell 40-Nation Survey : Employees Are Greatest Asset!

After two years of accelerated digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, 64% of IT leaders in Malaysia (APJ: 45%; Global: 50%) say their organisations know what it takes to digitally transform a workforce.

But after such rapid change, many employees now face the challenge of maintaining the pace. What’s more, more than two-thirds of the 10,500 respondents believe that their organisations are not able to engage with their employees properly when planning transformation programs.

The results suggest that after 2 years rapid transformation, businesses and their workforce are in need of time to recharge, reflect and refine before embarking on new or iterating projects.

The research also highlights how there is still the danger os digital transformation stalling, as 68% of Malaysian respondents (APJ: 72%; Global: 64%) believe that their employees’ resistance to change can lead to failure.

Over half or 57% of Malaysian respondents (APJ: 62%; Global: 53%)  fear that they will be shut-out of the rapidly-evolving digital world due to a lack of people with the right authority or vision to capitalise on opportunities offered by new technologies, like as-a-Service models.

Most organisations around the world – including Malaysia – realise the need to digitally transform, but they find digital transformation hard, and their people don’t always embrace change.

This human-technology friction is only compounded by the pandemic and what we end up with is businesses that are more digitally resilient, but many of their people are exhausted.

Today, businesses aspiring for sustainable success need to be asking themselves how they can thoughtfully and purposefully help their people navigate further change.

– Mak Chin Wah, country manager, Malaysia and general manager, Telecom Systems Business, South Asia, Dell Technologies.

 

Dell 40-Nation Survey : Readiness For Digital Change

Dell and independent behavioural experts also studied survey respondents’ appetite for digital change, and they found that only 8% of the Malaysian workforce – from senior business leaders to IT decision-makers and staff – are pursuing modernisation projects (APJ: 7%; Global: 10%).

Furthermore, 40% of Malaysian respondents are slow or reluctant to embrace change (APJ: 46%; Global: 42%).

Breakthrough Benchmark Malaysia APJ Global
Sprint: Will chase innovation and
trailblaze technological change.
8% 7% 10%
Steady: Poised to adopt technological
change, selected by others.
50% 41% 43%
Slow: Inclined to hold back and
observe / deliberate.
40% 46% 42%
Still: Tend to anticipate problems and
resist proposed technology innovations
based on perceived risk.
4% 6% 5%

 

Dell 40-Nation Survey : The Way Forward

The Dell study also charts a way forward for businesses to focus on keeping pace with digital transformation:

1. Connectivity

Businesses performed tremendous feats to connect, collaborate, and conduct business online during the pandemic, but the job is not done.

Around 76% of Malaysian respondents say they need their organisations to provide the necessary tools and infrastructure to work anywhere (along with the autonomy to choose their preferred working pattern) (APJ: 78%; Global: 72%).

In fact, they worry their employees might be left behind because they do not have the right technology to shift to a highly distributed model (where work and compute are not tied to a central place, but occur everywhere).

Technology alone is not enough. Businesses also need to make work equitable for employees with different needs, interests, and responsibilities, including the 82% Malaysian employees (APJ: 78; Global: 76%) that would like their organisation to do any of the following:

  • Clearly define their ongoing commitment to flexible work arrangements and the practicalities of making it work – Malaysia: 54% (APJ: 46%; Global: 40%)
  • Equip leaders to effectively and equitably manage remote teams – Malaysia: 41% (APJ: 42%; Global: 42%)
  • Empower employees to choose their preferred working pattern and provide the necessary tools / infrastructure – Malaysia: 49% (APJ: 47%; Global: 44%)

Read more : Dell Commissions Largest Solar Panel Globally In Malaysia!

2. Productivity

Every employee’s time is limited and there are now too few qualified candidates for open roles. To address these limitations, businesses can delegate repetitive tasks to automated processes and free-up employees to focus on higher-value work.

At present, 19% of Malaysian respondents say that their work is stimulating and not repetitive (APJ: 32%; Global: 37%). With the opportunity to automate more repetitive tasks, 81% of Malaysian respondents would look forward to learning new, sought-after skills and technologies, like leadership skills, courses in machine learning, or focusing on more strategic opportunities to elevate their role (APJ: 74%; Global; 69%).

However, businesses with limited budgets are concerned they will not be able to advance their workforce and compete.

3. Empathy

At their heart, businesses must build a culture, modelled by empathetic leaders, that treats people as their greatest source of creativity and value.

The research shows there is still work to do and empathy has to inform decision making – from simplifying technology for approximately half (Malaysia: 51%; APJ: 52%; Global: 49%) who often feel overwhelmed by complex technologies, to tailoring change programs to individuals’ skills (Malaysia: 54%; APJ: 50%; Global: 41%;) of employees believe their leaders do this).

Read more : Dell Survey On Remote Work Readiness In Malaysia!

 

Dell 40-Nation Survey : A Quick Primer

To find out how things have changed after two years of accelerated digital transformation, Dell Technologies conducted a survey across 40+ countries from all regions of the world, from August to October 2021.

Fieldwork was conducted by Vanson Bourne, and involved 10,500 senior business decision-makers, IT decision-makers and knowledge workers (employees involved in digital transformation).

In Asia Pacific & Japan (APJ), 2,900 respondents across 11 locations were surveyed. The APJ locations include Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. In Malaysia, 200 number of respondents were surveyed.

On 22 September 2022, Dell Technologies presented their key findings at the Dell Technologies Forum 2022, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Why Sony Hiked PlayStation 5 Prices Globally!

Sony just gave everyone a “nice” August surprise, by hiking PlayStation 5 prices globally by up to 24%!

Here is what you need to know…

 

Sony Hikes PlayStation 5 Prices Globally, Except US!

Sony has had a hard time producing enough PlayStation 5 consoles, with available units getting snapped up within minutes, often by scalpers.

It doesn’t seem to be a situation that will likely be resolved until 2024, but that does not mean Sony is willing to lose out on profits just because there’s still a shortage of chips worldwide.

On 25 August 2022, they sprung a “nice” surprise by announcing an immediate hike to PlayStation 5 prices globally… except in the United States.

Japan gets a short reprieve until September 14, so consumers there can still enjoy the lower price, but with virtually no stock at hand, that probably won’t make much of a difference.

Europe

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – €549.99
  • PS5 Digital Edition – €449.99

UK

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – £479.99
  • PS5 Digital Edition – £389.99

Japan (effective Sept. 15, 2022)

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – ¥60,478 yen (including tax)
  • PS5 Digital Edition – ¥49,478 yen (including tax)

China

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – ¥4,299 yuan
  • PS5 Digital Edition – ¥3,499 yuan

Australia

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – AUD $799.95
  • PS5 Digital Edition – AUD $649.95

Mexico

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – MXN $14,999
  • PS5 Digital Edition – MXN $12,499

Canada

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – CAD $649.99
  • PS5 Digital Edition – CAD $519.99

Singapore

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – SG$799
  • PS5 Digital Edition – SG$669

Malaysia

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – RM2,499
  • PS5 Digital Edition – RM2,069

Indonesia

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – IDR 9,699,000
  • PS5 Digital Edition – IDR 8,199,000

Thailand

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – THB 18,690
  • PS5 Digital Edition – THB 15,690

Philippines

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – PHP 30,790

Vietnam

  • PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – VND 15,990,000

In the United Kingdom, prices are going up by £30 for both the Blu-ray and Digital Edition versions – a 6% to 8% hike.

In Europe, the €50 hike raises the console’s price by 10% to 12.5% for the Blu-ray and Digital Edition versions respectively.

In Australia, the A$50 hike raises the console’s price by 6.7% to 8.3% for the Blu-ray and Digital Edition versions respectively.

Here in Malaysia, the RM200 hike raises the console’s price by 8.7% to 10.7% for the Blu-ray and Digital Edition versions respectively.

The highest increase though will be in Japan. The ¥10,498 increase is a massive 21% hike over the original price of ¥49,980 for the Blu-ray edition. The Digital Edition was originally priced at ¥39,980, but it will cost 24% more after its price is raised by ¥9,498.

 

Why Is Sony Hiking PlayStation 5 Prices Globally, Except US?!

It is certainly odd and rare for companies to raise prices on a product in the middle of its lifespan. I should point out that the PlayStation 5 is almost 2 years old, having been launched on November 12, 2020.

Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan blamed the decision on “challenging economic conditions” which caused “high global inflation rates, as well as adverse currency trends“.

The global economic environment is a challenge that many of you around the world are no doubt experiencing. We’re seeing high global inflation rates, as well as adverse currency trends, impacting consumers and creating pressure on many industries.

Based on these challenging economic conditions, SIE has made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price (RRP) of PlayStation 5 in select markets across Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), as well as Canada. There will be no price increase in the United States.

Why not the United States? Probably because Sony is not doing quite so well in that market, getting edged out by Xbox Series X/S. So it looks like Sony does not want to upset the apple cart there just yet…

PlayStation 5 is doing great in other countries, so Sony apparently felt confident enough to raise prices without the risk of potential customers jumping to the Xbox bandwagon in protest.

Ultimately, this boils down to profit. If Sony cannot get enough units out the door, the only way to increase profits is to raise prices. And if raising prices will keep the shareholders happy and protect their own bonuses, it’s no surprise that Sony executives would sign off on this.

Even more shockingly – Sony is raising prices most in its own turf. Japanese gamers will have to put up with a massive price hike of 21% to 24%.

It really does not pay to be a fan of Sony products…

 

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Does Malaysia Have 2nd Most Debt In Asia, After Sri Lanka?!

Did the IMF warn Malaysia about having the second most national debt in Asia, after Sri Lanka?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Malaysia Has 2nd Most Debt In Asia, After Sri Lanka!

This post about IMF warning Malaysia about having the second most national debt in Asia, after Sri Lanka, has gone viral.

People are sharing it as a warning of how Malaysia could very soon descent into the economic chaos and misery affecting Sri Lanka.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that Malaysia is in a huge economic dilemma.

The second largest debt country in Asia after Sri Lanka is Malaysia.

Good Luck to Malaysian… [sic]

马民有福了😱😭

 

Truth : Malaysia Does Not Have 2nd Most Debt In Asia, After Sri Lanka!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : IMF Did Not Say Malaysia Is In Economic Trouble

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) did not warn that Malaysia is in huge economic trouble.

In April 2022, it warned that Asian nations, like the rest of the world, are at risk of stagflation from being battered by the war in Ukraine and the slowdown in China from COVID-19.

The region faces a stagflationary outlook, with growth being lower than previously expected, and inflation being higher.

Inflation is now expected to rise 3.2% this year, a full point higher than expected in January.

Despite the downgrade, Asia remains the world’s most dynamic region, and an important source of global growth.
– Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf, acting director of IMF Asia and Pacific

Fact #2 : Malaysia Does Not Have Second Most Debt In Asia

The claim that Malaysia has the second highest national debt in Asia is also false.

On both the GDP percentage and per capita basis, Singapore has the second highest national debt in Asia, behind Japan. Even Sri Lanka has less debt, per capita or as a percentage of its GDP, than Singapore or Japan.

Malaysia has far less national debt than Sri Lanka as a percentage of its GDP, but twice the debt on a per capita basis.

Here is a comparison I created of countries with the highest national debt in Asia :

Country Year National Debt Debt
(% of GDP)
Debt Per Capita
Japan 2020 $13,054 billion 259% $103,386
Singapore 2021 $536 billion 132.8% $98,410
Sri Lanka 2020 $81.7 billion 101.2% $3,726
Mongolia 2021 $14.3 billion 94.7% $4,294
India 2020 $2,402 billion 90.1% $1,741
China 2020 $10,115 billion 68.1% $7,164
Malaysia 2021 $239 billion 63.4% $8,644
Philippines 2021 $226 billion 57.5% $2,055

Fact #3 : IMF Optimistic Malaysia Will Expand By 5.75% In 2022

In May 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) actually announced that it is optimistic that Malaysia’s economy will expand by 5.75% in 2022, driven by pent-up domestic demand and continued strong external demand.

It also said that Malaysia’s high vaccination rates, and limited movement restrictions are supporting economic expansion.

Fact #4 : High Debt Is Not Necessarily Bad

While a high national debt is not ideal, it is not necessarily a bad thing either. It really depends on how much interest needs to be paid on the debt, and what the government is using it for.

Unlike individuals who will die eventually, the government of a country can last for hundreds of years. So governments do not have to pay back all of their debts within a certain amount of time.

As long as the government can keep paying interest on its debt, it can continue to borrow money to service deficits in its budget, or to invest in projects that grow the economy.

Fact #5 : How Governments Use Money Matters More

Just like how you can use borrowed money to invest in assets or splurge on liabilities, how the government uses the borrowed money matters more than how much it borrows.

If the government uses borrowed money to invest, that will spur growth that allows it to easily repay its debts while driving down the interest it pays.

But if the borrowed money is lost through corruption or wasteful projects, the government will find it harder to pay interest on the debt and may even default on payments.

Fact #6 : High Government Spending During Pandemic Is Expected

Practically every government in the world was forced to spend significantly more during the pandemic. Most run into large deficits during the pandemic because :

  • lockdowns reduce economic activity, reducing taxes
  • governments need to spend more on healthcare to combat COVID-19
  • governments cut taxes to support citizens and businesses
  • governments provide monetary support for citizens and businesses

This isn’t unique to Malaysia, but applies across the world. That’s why Malaysia’s national debt jumped significantly after January 2020.

Fact #7 : Malaysia Has Sufficient Foreign Reserves

Malaysia’s national debt increased from $228.7 billion in 2020, to $239 billion (RM 979.8 billion) in 2021 – an increase of about 4.5% year-on-year.

While this increase pushes Malaysia close to a national debt of 65% of its GDP, it is still much lower than many other countries.

More importantly, Bank Negara Malaysia reported international reserves of $116.9 billion as of 31 December 2021, which is enough to finance 7.7 months of retained imports, and is 20% higher than the total short-term external debt.

In other words, Malaysia is not anywhere close to collapsing economically, like what happened in Sri Lanka.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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John Albert Laylo Was Mistakenly Shot, Not Killed By Antifa!

Philippine government attorney, John Albert Laylo, was mistakenly shot by a gunman, not assassinated by Antifa!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2022-06-22 : Added updates on the Philly police investigation.
Originally posted @ 2022-06-21

 

Claim : Antifa Suspected Of Assassinating John Albert Laylo!

Within hours of news breaking that Philippine government attorney, John Albert Laylo, was shot and killed in Philadelphia, Vancouver Times posted a story claiming that Philadelphia police are warning the public that an Antifa cell may be responsible.

Police in Philadelphia are warning the public that an Antifa cell may be responsible for assassinating a high-level government attorney. John Albert Laylo was gunned down while he was en route to the airport, travelling with his mother in an Uber. It is unclear why Antifa would choose to murder an elected official from another country, but police have speculated it was due to his relationship with Duterte.

Antifa has committed acts of murder before. In 2020, a Trump supporter was shot dead by a members of the notorious far-left terrorist group.

Philippine Consul General Elmer Cato stated that the Philippines government would help his Laylo’s widow transport his body back to the country.

The mainstream media and big tech want to hide the truth. Beat them at their own game by sharing this article!

 

Truth : Antifa Not Suspected Of Assassinating John Albert Laylo!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created to generate page views and money from gullible people.

Fact #1 : Vancouver Times Is A Fake News Website

Vancouver Times is a “content aggregator” (copy and paste) website that is known for creating fake news to generate more page views and money.

To look legitimate, they copy and paste news from legitimate news organisations. To drive traffic, they create fake news, sometimes masked as “satire”.

To give themselves a veneer of deniability, they label themselves as a “satire website” in their About Us section.

Vancouver Times is the most trusted source for satire on the West Coast. We write satirical stories about issues that affect conservatives.

Here are some of their fake news that we debunked :

Fact #2 : Philly Police Cannot Identify Suspect Yet

The Philly police could not have suspected an Antifa cell as being responsible for John Albert Laylo’s murder, when they did not identify the suspect at that time.

According to Philly police, John Albert Laylo and his mother were travelling in an Uber ride from University City to the Philadelphia International Airport at around 4:10 AM on Saturday, 18 June 2022, when they stopped at a red light.

The shooter who was driving a black Cadillac, pulled up behind their Uber and fired several rounds into their vehicle, before pulling alongside the driver’s side and firing more shots.

Police officers who responded to the shooting transported Laylo to the Penn Presbyterian Hospital, where he was placed on life support. He subsequently died from a single gunshot wound to his head at 10:33 AM on Sunday, 19 June 2022.

On 21 June 2022, police were able to identify the gunman through surveillance video footage, but did not reveal his identity.

Fact #3 : Philly Police Suspects Road Rage, Not Antifa

The Philly police did not warn people that an Antifa cell may be responsible for John Albert Laylo’s murder. Vancouver Times made up that false claim to trigger right wing supporters, in a bid to go viral.

On 21 June 2021, they told CBS News that the gunman mistook the Nissan car Laylo was riding in, for another dark-coloured Nissan.

The surveillance video they obtained confirmed that “the shooting was targeted, but of mistaken identity“.

The video showed the shooter’s black Cadillac was in close proximity to another Nissan (that was not Laylo’s Uber ride) blocks before reaching the intersection of 38 and Spruce.

Philly police believe that the shooter mistook Laylo’s Uber ride (which was also a dark-coloured Nissan) for that earlier car, and fired as many as 15 shots into it, in what is possibly a case of road rage.

Fact #4 : No Reason For Antifa To Kill A Filipino Lawyer

Vancouver Times (intentionally) framed Antifa for the Laylo’s murder because “Antifa” is a trigger word for right wing activists and supporters who would likely share their fake story, and help it go viral.

Antifa is an anti-fascist and anti-racist movement in the United States, that rose up against alt-right and far right extremist groups, like neo-Nazis and white supremacists.

It has no interest in Philippine politics, much less a Philippine government lawyer. There is simply no reason for Antifa activists to murder John Albert Laylo.

Fact #5 : No Evidence John Albert Laylo Is Married

Vancouver Times appears to have (falsely) claimed that Laylo is married.

There is no evidence he is married. The only family members mentioned in media reports were his mother, Leah Bustamante Laylo, and his sister, Althea Ann Laylo.

My investigations of their social media also showed that his father is Trebla Laylo, and his other sister is Ann Lorraine Taylor Kamatoy.

The Laylo family, January 3, 2021 | Credit : Leah Bustamante Laylo

Fact #5 : There Is No Such Thing As A Publication Ban

Vancouver Times likes to use the “media blackout” claim, to explain why you can’t find any reputable media outlet reporting on Antifa being responsible for John Albert Laylo’s murder.

That’s utter and complete bullshit. No one – not a judge, not even the US government – can control the worldwide media, or prevent anyone from writing about such a momentous arrest.

You can also be sure that even if the mainstream media in the US refused to run the story, it would have been reported by the Filipino media and right-wing websites.

Yet, not a single press / right-wing outlet published their account of this incredible story? That’s because IT NEVER HAPPENED…

Read more : Was Prince Andrew Just Arrested For Human Trafficking + Child Porn?!

Fact #6 : Mainstream Media + Big Tech Would Have Loved The Hype

Vancouver Times is gaslighting you about how mainstream media and Big Tech want to hide the “truth” about Antifa assassinating John Albert Laylo.

They would all loved such shocking news, because it would have driven tons of traffic and engagement to their websites / platforms.

In fact, that was precisely why Vancouver Times created the fake story – to drive traffic, for the ad money.

Everything that Vancouver Times publishes should be regarded as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.

Please help us fight fake news websites like Vancouver Times – SHARE this fact check out, and SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did US NCBI Confirm Lianhua Qingwen Treats COVID-19?

Did the US National Center for Biotechnology Information confirm that the Chinese herbal medicine Lianhua Qingwen can treat COVID-19?

Find out what the FACTS really are!

 

Claim : US NCBI Confirmed Lianhua Qingwen Treats COVID-19!

This claim was initiated by the OneNews Philippines website, through their article US Health Agency Says Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Help COVID-19 Patients Recover Faster.

It has since been shared by Chinese medicine and natural health advocates, as well as antivaxxers on social media.

It’s pretty long, so please skip to the next section for the FACTS…

The US National Center for Biotechnology Information said “overall,” treatment with the Chinese herbal medicine Lianhua Qingwen for 14 days resulted in a “significantly higher rate of, and a shorter time to, symptom recovery.”

The United States’ National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCIB) stated in a May 16 study that the traditional Chinese medicine Lianhua Qingwen (also Lianhuaqingwen) “could be considered to ameliorate clinical symptoms” of coronavirus disease 2019.

 

Truth : US NCBI Did NOT Say Lianhua Qingwen Treats COVID-19!

This FAKE NEWS is based on a piece of shoddy journalism by OneNews Philippines, which is apparently the online platform for The Philippine STAR.

Unfortunately, it’s being used by Chinese medicine and natural health advocates, as well as antivaxxers, to push Lianhua Qingwen as a legitimate alternative to vaccination. It’s not, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : National Center for Biotechnology Information = NCBI

The correct acronym for the US National Center for Biotechnology Information is NCBI.

OneNews Philippines kept using the wrong acronym, NCIB, in their article. That’s how shoddy they were.

Fact #2 : NCBI Maintains Databases Of Biomedical Literature

National Center for Biotechnology Information is a branch of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), whose purpose is to maintain databases of biomedical literature.

They do NOT conduct clinical studies, or peer-review them. Think of them as librarians, not scientists.

OneNews Philippines is wrong to claim that the NCBI conducted a study of the Chinese herbal medicine, Lianhua Qingwen.

Fact #3 : It Was A Chinese Study

The study that OneNews Philippines quoted was actually a small Chinese study by Ke Hu et. al.

Registered under the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (no. CTR-TRC-20000029434), this study was conducted between 2-15 February 2020 in 23 hospitals across 9 Chinese provinces.

It had NOTHING to do with the US National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Fact #4 : Lianhua Qingwen Had Modest Effect On Symptoms

The study did not show that Lianhua Qingwen was capable of treating COVID-19, only that it had a modest effect on symptom recovery.

  • time to recover from fever : 2 days, instead of 3 days
  • time to recover from fatigue : 3 days, instead of 6 days
  • time to recover from coughing : 7 days, instead of 10 days

There was NO DIFFERENCE in the viral load, or the risk of developing severe COVID-19.

It was also a small RCT study with just 284 patients, divided into two groups of 142 patients.

Fact #5 : NCBI Did Not Endorse Lianhua Qingwen

Just to be clear, the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) did not say that Lianhua Qingwen “could be considered to ameliorate clinical symptoms” of COVID-19.

Neither did they endorse the use of Lianghua Qingwen in the treatment of COVID-19, not even for faster symptom recovery.

Fact #6 : Lianhua Qingwen Not Approved By US FDA

Some of those who shared this fake news also claimed that the US FDA approved Lianhua Qingwen. That’s categorically false.

Read more : Did FDA Approve Lianhua Qingwen As COVID-19 Treatment?

Fact #4 : Lianhua Qingwen NOT Proven To Cure COVID-19

Despite being approved as a treatment for mild to moderate COVID-19 cases in China, there is currently no evidence that Lianhua Qingwen can cure COVID-19.

That’s hardly surprising because Lianhua Qingwen is merely a mix of herbs :

Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl (Weeping Forsythia) Fruit – 27.41mg, Lonicera japonica Thunb. (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower – 27.41mg, Gypsum Fibrosum – 27.41mg, Isatis indigotica Fort. (Isatis) Root – 27.41mg, Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai (Male Fern) Rhizome and Frond Bases – 27.41 mg, Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (Heartleaf Houttuynia) Aerial Part – 27.41 mg, Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. (Cablin Patchouli) Aerial Part – 9.40mg, Ephedra sinica Stapf (Ephedra) Herbaceous Stem – 9.14mg, Prunus sibirica L. (Bitter Apricot) Ripe Seeds – 9.14 mg, Rhodiola crenulata (Hook. f. et Thomson) H.Ohba (Bigflower Rhodiola) Root and Rhizome – 9.14mg, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (Liquorice) Root and Rhizome – 9.14mg, 1-Menthol – 7.50mg, Rheum palmatum L. (Rhubarb) Root and Rhizome – 5.47mg.

None of its ingredients have been proven to cure COVID-19, although poor quality studies have demonstrated that it is effective in reducing fever.

And yes, Forsythia was the fake herbal cure promoted by Jude Law’s character – Alan Krumwiede in the medical thriller – Contagion.

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Fake News : New Malaysia Travel Ban On 23 Countries!

Please note that the new travel ban by Malaysia on 23 countries with high COVID-19 cases is FAKE NEWS!

Here is what you need to know!

 

Claim : Malaysia Travel Ban On 23 Countries!

On 7 January 2022, people started sharing a screenshot of a travel advisory by the Embassy of Malaysia in Berlin, Germany.

Please skip to the next section for the facts…

Embassy of Malaysia, Berlin

TRAVEL ADVISORY
ENTRY RESTRICTIONS ON FOREIGN TRAVELERS TO MALAYSIA

Effective from 08 January 2022, the Government of Malaysia is imposing travel restrictions into Malaysia on foreign travellers who are travelling from countries that have recorded over 150,000 COVID-19 cases as listed below:

 

Truth : There Is No Such Travel Ban!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS being created and circulated on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the facts…

Fact #1 : This Travel Advisory Was Forged

This travel advisory was forged from the original September 2020 travel advisory.

Back then, the government of Malaysia announced the temporary travel ban on those 23 countries, that would start on 7 September 2021.

The original travel advisory was edited, with the new date added to make it look like it’s new. But it was a very poor photo-editing job.

If you look carefully, the 08 January 2022, date is not only in bold , but of a different type of font and a much larger size.

Note : Here is the screenshot that went viral. I added a FAKE overlay to prevent further abuse.

Fact #2 : Embassy of Malaysia In Berlin Confirms It Is Fake

The Embassy of Berlin in Malaysia confirmed that the viral travel advisory is FAKE.

ANNOUNCEMENT

The Embassy of Malaysia, Berlin would like to warn the public that there has been a fake news being circulated regarding travel advisory by the Embassy of Malaysia, Berlin on entry restriction on foreign travelers [sic] to Malaysia.

We condemn the actions of those who maliciously spread fake news which can have an adverse effect and concern to the public. The public is advice [sic] to validate the source before circulating any news.

Thank you.

Embassy of Malaysia, Berlin
7 January 2022

Fact #3 : Malaysia Currently Has No Travel Ban

There is currently no travel ban in Malaysia.

In fact, Malaysia just ended a temporary travel ban of 8 countries, on 27 December 2021, due to the risk of Omicron variant.

There is currently only a list of 18 countries that are considered high-risk due to the Omicron variant.

  1. Australia
  2. The United States of America
  3. The United Kingdom
  4. Norway
  5. France
  6. Denmark
  7. Canada
  8. Nigeria
  9. India
  10. Saudi Arabia
  11. South Africa
  12. Botswana
  13. Eswatini
  14. Lesotho
  15. Mozambique
  16. Namibia
  17. Zimbabwe
  18. Malawi

Travellers from those 18 high-risk countries can still travel to Malaysia, but they must comply with the following additional restrictions :

  • Negative COVID-19 PCR test within 2 days before departure
  • COVID-19 PCR test on arrival in Malaysia
  • Wear a digital tracker on arrival in Malaysia
  • Mandatory quarantine of 7 days or 10 days, depending on vaccination status, either at home or at a quarantine centre, subject to approval.
  • Additional PCR test on Day 5 (for 7-day quarantine) or Day 8 (for 10-day quarantine).
  • Risk assessment on the last day of quarantine, which may be extended if you are symptomatic.
  • You will only be free from the quarantine on Day 8 or Day 11, if there is no quarantine extension and the Day 5 or Day 8 PCR test is negative.
  • Travellers from the United Kingdom have the additional requirement of conducting daily RTK-Ag tests during their quarantine, which must be reported in MySejahtera.

Now that you know the truth, please SHARE this fact check with your family and friends, so they won’t get fooled by it!

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Malaysia Admits Losing Undersea Cable Due To Cabotage!

Malaysia finally admits losing the Apricot undersea cable due to its cabotage policy, in a stunning reply from the Communications and Multimedia Minister.

 

Malaysia Admits Losing Undersea Cable Due To Cabotage!

Malaysia Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong has stridently rejected claims that Malaysia was excluded from the Apricot undersea cable project due to the cabotage policy.

On 30 September 2021, he denied that his decision to revoke the exemption of cabotage on undersea cable repairs was the reason Malaysia was excluded from the Apricot undersea cable project.

However, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim revealed that he received a Parliamentary reply from the Communications and Multimedia Minister that basically admits that the loss was due to the cabotage policy.

Here is the Bahasa Malaysia quote from the Communications and Multimedia Minister, followed by our English translation :

Pemilihan negara bagi menyertai rancangan pemasangan kabel Internet Apricot dasar laut (subsea cables) adalah keputusan syarikat Facebook dan Google. Malaysia tidak tersenarai (bypass) sebagai salah satu negara yang terlibat dalam pendaratan stesen kabel dasar laut tersebut memandangkan isu pengecualian Dasar Kabotaj yang masih belum selesai.”

The choice of country to participate in the Apricot undersea Internet cable (subsea cable) installation plan is decided by Facebook and Google. Malaysia was not listed (bypassed) as one of the countries involved in the landing of the submarine cable station due to the unresolved Cabotage Policy exemption issue.”

This reply by the Communications and Multimedia Minister directly contradicts the Transport Minister’s strident denials, and confirms what most people already know – Malaysia was bypassed in the Apricot undersea cable project because this government refused to exempt undersea cable repairs from the cabotage policy.

 

What Does Loss Of Apricot Undersea Cable Mean For Malaysia?

Backed by Google and Facebook, the Apricot undersea optic cable will connect South East Asia and North Asia and the US, with a whopping bandwidth of 190 terabits per second (Tbps) and very low latency.

Being bypassed means Malaysia has lost investments and high-speed connectivity worth US$300-400 billion (RM1.26 to RM1.68 billion), according to MIDF Research.

And to add salt to the wound, it comes after Malaysia already lost two earlier undersea cable investments by Google and Facebook called Bifrost and Echo.

This continued loss of subsea cable landings runs contrary to Malaysia’s MyDIGITAL Initiative, which aims to achieve the HIGHEST number of subsea cable landings in South East Asia by 2025.

Malaysia currently only has 23 subsea cables, including those under construction. This leaves it behind Indonesia and Singapore, which have 55 and 31 cables respectively. Even the Philippines is catching up with 19 cables so far.

Is the continued refusal to exempt subsea cable repairs from the cabotage policy worth the loss of billions of dollars of investments?

This government seems to think so, but many would strongly disagree with them.

 

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Fact Check : Singer Joyce Leelyn Died From Pfizer Vaccine?

Did Malaysian singer Joyce Leelyn die from the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine?

Find out what is going viral on WhatsApp, and what the FACTS really are!

 

Claim : Singer Joyce Leelyn Died From Pfizer Vaccine!

A Filipino website is trying to go viral by sharing this message on WhatsApp :

She celebrated her 46th birthday on 17/07/2021. Her first Pfizer jab was on 27/07/2021. She wasn’t feeling well after her jab on the following night.

Admitted on 02/08/2021. PCR came back negative. Passed away on 03/08/2021.

Read the full story here. 👇🏻
https://viralarticlesph.xxxxx.xxx

 

Truth : Singer Joyce Leelyn Died From COVID-19

The viral message is FAKE NEWS, and is designed to drive traffic to the Filipino website. Here are the FACTS…

Fact #1 : Article Was Copied From Hype.my

The article about Joyce Leelyn appears to be copied from Hype.my, word for word.

It looks like ViralArticlesPH is nothing more than a copy-and-paste website like The Coverage.

Fact #2 : Joyce Leelyn Died From COVID-19

Joyce Leelyn died from COVID-19.

The viral message intentionally highlighted the part that her PCR test came back negative to convey the perception that she died from the Pfizer vaccine. That’s completely FALSE.

It’s even stated in their plagiarised article :

Initially, Leelyn was tested negative for Covid-19 but the doctor noticed that her lungs had already been affected. Her condition suddenly became critical the following day.

Unfortunately, when the family received the call again yesterday, their worst fear came to pass. Leelyn had sadly lost her battle and was tested positive for Covid-19.

Fact #3 : Pfizer Vaccine Does Not Cause Breathing Difficulties

Both the Filipino website and Hype.my chose to highlight that Joyce Leelyn passed away after having breathing difficulties.

Both of them knew that she died from COVID-19, so it seems that they intentionally highlighted breathing difficulties for “dramatic effect”.

To avoid confusion, the Pfizer vaccine does not cause breathing difficulties.

In fact, Joyce Leelyn only started experiencing breathing difficulties on 2 August 2021 – one week after her vaccination.

So the Pfizer vaccine has nothing to do with her breathing difficulties.

Fact #4 : COVID-19 Vaccines Take Time To Impart Protection

COVID-19 vaccines are basically self-defence classes for your immune system, teaching it how to identify and create antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Just like how we need time to learn martial arts for self-defence in real life, our immune system needs time to learn from the COVID-19 vaccines.

It usually takes the immune system about two weeks after each dose to deliver maximum protection against COVID-19.

It appears that Joyce Leelyn was infected just days after her vaccination. Therefore, she had little to no protection from the vaccine.

It was also her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and if it was the Delta variant as suggested, it would require two doses to offer robust protection :

COVID-19
Variant
Pfizer
1 Dose 2 Doses
Alpha (UK) 50% 93%
Delta (India) 33% 88%

Read more : Why Delta Variant Causes MORE Breakthrough Infections!

 

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Did FDA Approve Lianhua Qingwen As COVID-19 Treatment?

Did the FDA approve the Lianhua Qingwen as a treatment for mild COVID-19?

Find out what’s the latest miracle drug on social media, and what the FACTS really are!

 

Claim : FDA Approved Lianhua Qingwen As COVID-19 Treatment!

People are sharing an MSN News report that claims that the traditional Chinese medicine, Lianhua Qingwen, was approved by the FDA as a treatment for mild COVID-19!

MSN News proclaimed, FDA approves China drug Lian Hua Qing Wen for mild COVID-19.

 

Truth : FDA Did NOT Approve Lianhua Qingwen As COVID-19 Treatment!

Like 99.9% of miraculous cures being touted on social media, this is yet more fake news about another COVID-19 treatment.

Here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : It Was Posted By GMA News In December 2020

This news article is actually old news, and was posted on 8 December 2020.

It wasn’t even published by MSN News. They merely syndicated the news from GMA News.

Fact #2 : It Was Approved By PH FDA, Not US FDA

Due to the misleading title, many people thought Lianhua Qingwen was approved by the US FDA.

It was actually approved by the Philippines FDA, not the US FDA.

Fact #3 : It Was Approved As Traditional Medicine, Not COVID-19 Treatment

The Philippines FDA approved Lianhua Qingwen as traditional medicine, not as a treatment for mild COVID-19.

This was what Philippines FDA Director General Eric Domingo said :

It was approved last Friday as traditional medicine. It may now be sold, prescribed, and used in the Philippines.

It was the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines who touted Lianhua Qingwen as a treatment for mild to moderate COVID-19 cases that was approved in China.

As of 2 August 2021, it has not been approved in the Philippines for use as a treatment for COVID-19.

Fact #4 : Lianhua Qingwen NOT Proven To Cure COVID-19

Despite being approved as a treatment for mild to moderate COVID-19 cases in China, there is currently no evidence that Lianhua Qingwen can cure COVID-19.

That’s hardly surprising because Lianhua Qingwen is merely a mix of herbs :

Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl (Weeping Forsythia) Fruit -27.41mg Lonicera japonica Thunb. (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower-27.41mg Gypsum Fibrosum-27.41mg Isatis indigotica Fort. (Isatis) Root-27.41mg Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai (Male Fern) Rhizome and Frond Bases -27.41 mg Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (Heartleaf Houttuynia) Aerial Part- 27.41 mg Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. (Cablin Patchouli) Aerial Part-9.40mg Ephedra sinica Stapf (Ephedra) Herbaceous Stem-9.14mg Prunus sibirica L. (Bitter Apricot) Ripe Seeds-9.14 mg Rhodiola crenulata (Hook. f. et Thomson) H.Ohba (Bigflower Rhodiola) Root and Rhizome-9.14mg Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (Liquorice) Root and Rhizome-9.14mg 1-Menthol-7.50mg Rheum palmatum L. (Rhubarb) Root and Rhizome-5.47mg

None of its ingredients have been proven to cure COVID-19, although poor quality studies have demonstrated that it is effective in reducing fever.

And yes, Forsythia is the name of the fake homeopathic cure created by Jude Law’s character – Alan Krumwiede in the medical thriller – Contagion.

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Ivermectin Claims by TUDM Officers Fact Check!

Are the claims on ivermectin made by a TUDM Brigadier-General and TUDM Major accurate?

Let’s take a look at the viral ivermectin claims by these TUDM officers, and find out what the FACTS really are!

 

Ivermectin Claims by TUDM Brigadier-General + Major

A message on ivermectin purportedly to be by a retired TUDM Brigadier-General and a retired TUDM major has gone viral on WhatsApp.

The message is long, so just skip to the next section for the FACTS.

(07/07, 02:12) BG Dato Goh Seng Toh TUDM: Am very happy today cos my friend’s wife who was tested Covid 19 positive was declared cleared of the Covid19 virus by the doctor at the Government Quarantined Centre this morning. She was on Ivermectin, vitamin C, fresh fruits and simple foods for 5 days. She was so happy. Please consider taking Ivermectin with vitamin C and zinc if any of your family members is infected with Covid19 virus. Early treatment with Ivermectin is even better. Don’t wait until stage 3 or 4

We do like to read but listen to so called experts.. but most of the experts are half past six and bogus..

We have to change our paradigm if we want to be a developed country..

– Maj Mior Rosli.
7Jul 21.

 

Ivermectin Claims by TUDM Officers : What Are The Facts?

TUDM Brigadier-General Dato Goh Seng Toh and Major Mior Rosli from TUDM (Royal Malaysia Air Force) made a number of amazing claims about ivermectin.

So let’s go through their ivermectin claims, and see what the FACTS really are…

Claim #1 : Ivermectin + Vitamin C + Zinc Works Against COVID-19
Verdict : FALSE

TUDM Brigadier-General Dato Goh Seng Toh is advising all of us to “consider taking ivermectin with vitamin C and zinc“, but provides no evidence for their efficacy against COVID-19.

Ivermectin has been shown to work against COVID-19 in lab (in vitro) studies, but does NOT improve clinical outcomes or prevent transmission.

That is why the WHO and the vast majority of health authorities around the world DO NOT advocate using ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19.

Read more : Latest Ivermectin COVID-19 Study : What Does It Really Say?

Claim #2 : MoH Allows Prescription Of Ivermectin For COVID-19 Treatment
Verdict : Misleading

The Malaysia Ministry of Health does NOT allow the prescription of ivermectin for COVID-19 treatment.

However, they allow hospitals to apply to the Drug Control Agency (DCA) for the “off-label” use of ivermectin, which “must be done in a monitored environment“.

So you cannot simply get a prescription for ivermectin. Neither can you buy it online or over-the-counter.

Be warned – the illegal sale of ivermectin is punishable by fines of up to RM50K and/or 5 years jail!

Read more : Can Hospitals In Malaysia Use Ivermectin To Treat COVID-19?
Read more : Illegal Ivermectin Sale : Up to RM50K Fine + 5 Years Jail!

Claim #3 : 32 Countries Used Ivermectin To Combat COVID-19
Verdict : FALSE

There is no evidence that 32 countries have officially used ivermectin to combat COVID-19, much less reported any success with it.

Countries that ivermectin proponents have been promoting – India, Peru, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, South Africa – have all failed to control COVID-19.

Just look at their COVID-19 case numbers below. Does it look like ivermectin helped them at all? Is it therefore surprising to learn that on 27 May 2021, India dropped ivermectin?

Read more : MAECC Ivermectin Briefing : Control COVID-19 In 6 Weeks?

Claim #4 : It Is Safe To Take 10 Ivermectin Tablets At One Go
Verdict : Misleading

TUDM Major Mior Rosli claimed that it is safe to take 10 ivermectin tablets at one go. That’s potentially dangerous advice, because ivermectin tablets come in different doses, and the proper dosage is tied to body weight.

A 2002 study on ivermectin safety showed that it was safe at up to 120 mg in a single dose. This is 10X the FDA-approved dose of 200 micrograms per kg for a 60 kg healthy adult.

However, the study did not look at taking such a large dose of ivermectin on a continuous basis, only a single dose.

In addition, self-medicating with ivermectin can lead to overdosing because the tablets available in most countries, including Malaysia, are formulated for animal use.

In February 2021, Julie Weber, President of the American Association of Poison Control Centers and the director of the Missouri Poison Center warned that people are getting poisoned by fake COVID-19 cures like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin.

The Missouri Poison Center also issued a warning :

There have been reports of intentional ivermectin overdoses which can cause serious symptoms such as seizures, coma, lung and heart problems.

Claim #5 : Ivermectin Kills Any COVID-19 Variant
Verdict : FALSE

TUDM Major Rosli claimed that ivermectin kills any COVID-19 variant. That’s FALSE, because ivermectin does not actually “kill” the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Ivermectin has been shown to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but that’s not the same thing as killing it.

Just because I blocked you from entering my home, does that mean I killed you? Of course not!

Several mechanisms of action has been proposed for ivermectin, none of which actually involves killing the virus :

  • inhibiting the host cell’s importin alpha/beta-1 nuclear transport proteins
  • interfering with the attachment of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
  • exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties

Claim #6 : Current Vaccines Do Not Protect Against Delta Variant
Verdict : FALSE

Major Rosli’s claim that current vaccines do not protect against the more dangerous Delta variant is FALSE.

Public Health England’s data have shown that the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines offer robust protection against the Delta variant, after two doses.

Read more : Why Delta Variant Causes MORE Breakthrough Infections!

COVID-19
Variant
Symptomatic
COVID-19
Hospitalisation
1 Dose 2 Doses 1 Dose 2 Doses
Alpha (UK) 50% 66% 76% 86%
Delta (India) 33% 60% 71% 92%

Claim #7 : India Used Ivermectin To Control Delta Variant
Verdict : FALSE

That’s not true. India had earlier adopted ivermectin for use in mild or asymptomatic COVID-19, but that is no longer the case.

On 27 May 2021, India dropped ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine and favipiravir, azithromycin, doxycycline, zinc and even plasma therapy after they proved to be INEFFECTIVE against COVID-19.

Claim #8 : Philippines Allowed Ivermectin To Be Used
Verdict : Misleading

As it so happened, I watched the Philippines Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability bully the Filipino Secretary of Health, Francisco Tiongson Duque III in the HR 1711 public hearing.

Just like in Malaysia, the Philippines already allows hospitals to apply for off-label use of medicine.

So what Secretary Duque did was agree to clarify that there is an existing CSP (Compassionate Special Permit) that doctors can apply for.

Read more : Philippine Secretary of Health Duque Allows Use Of Ivermectin By Doctors?

Claim #9 : Australia Is Using Ivermectin Against COVID-19
Verdict : FALSE

Australia does NOT use ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19.

Here is the 1 June 2021 conclusion on ivermectin by the Australian Department of Health :

There is currently insufficient evidence to support the safe and effective use of ivermectin, doxycycline and zinc (either separately, or in combination) for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19.

More robust, well-designed clinical trials are needed before they could be considered an appropriate treatment option.

Claim #10 : Singapore Is Using Ivermectin Against COVID-19
Verdict : FALSE

Singapore does NOT use ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19.

Here is the 18 June 2020 conclusion from the Singapore Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Rapid Review :

There is insufficient high-quality evidence to show chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine are effective for post-exposure prophylaxis or treatment of COVID-19.

Instead, evidence to date suggests the use of these agents is associated with more harms than standard of care.

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

[/su_note]

 

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Did Chinese Bombers Fire On US Aircraft Carrier?!

Did Chinese bombers fire on the US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt in the South China Seas?

Take a look at the viral news, and find out what the FACTS really are!

 

Claim : Chinese Bombers Fire On US Aircraft Carrier In South China Sea

A YouTube video is going viral on WhatsApp, claiming that Chinese bombers fired on an US aircraft carrier in the South China Sea.

It is usually shared without commentary because the title speaks for itself, and the video itself repeats the same claim.

 

Truth : Chinese Bombers Did NOT Fire On US Aircraft Carrier

This is fake news by an unknown YouTube channel called M News, and here are the FACTS.

Fact #1 : Chinese Bombers Did Not Fire On US Aircraft Carrier

It bears repeating – this is FAKE NEWS. Chinese bombers did not fire on any US aircraft carrier.

If that really happened, it would have been a major news story all over the world. It would have certainly started a major war between the United States and China.

You didn’t hear anything about it, did you? What makes you think some unknown YouTube website called M News would have an exclusive scoop on this story?

Fact #2 : The USS Theodore Roosevelt Incident Happened In January 2021

Eight Chinese H-6K bombers, escorted by four J-16 fighters and a single Y-8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft practiced a mock attack on USS Theodore Roosevelt as it sailed between Taiwan and the Philippines on 23 January 2021.

The H-6K bomber pilots could be heard in cockpit conversations confirming orders for the simulated targeting and release of anti-ship missiles against the carrier.

However, the Chinese strike group remained more than 250 nautical miles (463 kilometres) away from the carrier group – beyond the 248 mile (459 km) range of their YJ-12 anti-ship missiles.

Fact #3 : M News Ripped It Off Popular Mechanics

M News used stock footage, and a text to voice software to recite a Popular Mechanics article by Kyle Mizokami on the USS Theodore Roosevelt incident, word for word.

The creator didn’t even bother to edit out the part about the “the map embedded in the tweet above” – the tweet was in the article, but not the video.

The only original thing the creator did was to insert the fake news chyron claiming that Today: Chinese Bombers fire on US Aircraft Carrier in South China Sea.

And of course, sharing it on WhatsApp so you would share it too.

Fact #4 : The Date Changes Daily

M News garnered more than 2 million views for this video, but only because they changed the date in the title on a daily basis!

This allows them to keep sharing the video on social media, and WhatsApp, to fool people into clicking and watching their video.

They first posted the video on 3 February 2021, but they keep changing the date in the title, to make it look “new” and “current”.

Now that you know that M News posts fake videos and fake news, please WARN your family and friends.

And please STOP sharing M News videos, and definitely DO NOT visit their YouTube channel!

 

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Fact Check : Duque Allows Use Of Ivermectin By Doctors?

Is it true that Filipino Secretary of Health Duque now allows the use of ivermectin by doctors in the Philippines?

Find out what’s the new viral claim about ivermectin in the Philippines, and what the FACTS really are!

 

Claim : Duque Allows Use Of Ivermectin By Doctors!

Nicanor Perlas claimed in two of his blogs that Francisco Tiongson Duque III, the Filipino Secretary of Health, now allows the use of ivermectin by doctors in the Philippines.

Doctors can now prescribe Ivermectin. Secretary of Health, Dr. Francisco Duque III, said he had “no problem with doctors who want to use Ivermectin”.[1] Sec. Duque made the statement at a 09 June 2021 public Congressional Hearing on Ivermectin (HR 1711).[2]

The hearings also revealed that medical associations that have been opposed to the use of Ivermectin had no objections to doctors prescribing Ivermectin if the latter is used on an individual basis. What these medical societies oppose is the issuance of a public policy allowing the use of Ivermectin on a national basis. But Duque affirmed that doctors have the freedom to prescribe Ivermectin as they wish.

Nonetheless, the net result of this new policy[3] is that the use of Ivermectin is now allowed on a large scale as long as there are doctors willing to prescribe the use of Ivermectin by patients on an early treatment or preventive basis. This also means that doctors in a city or a town can convene and/or agree together to prescribe on an individual basis to the residents of local government units (LGUs). And these doctors will not lose their medical licenses.

Citizens also can now contact, via phone or email, doctors open to the use of Ivermectin even if these doctors do not reside in the same geographic area. These doctors can prescribe the use of Ivermectin digitally and send the medicine via courier.[4]

 

Duque Allows Use Of Ivermectin By Doctors? Not Quite…

Did Filipino Secretary of Health, Francisco Tiongson Duque III, really say that he now allows the use of ivermectin by doctors in the Philippines? Not quite…

I looked into Nicanor’s article a little closer and watched the 9 June 2021 video on the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability public hearing (HR 1711).

Unfortunately, I do not understand Tagalog, so I cannot verify whether Secretary Duque did indeed say that he had “no problem with doctors who want to use ivermectin”.

However, there are still a few facts we can readily ascertain…

Fact #1 : Secretary Duque Did Not Announce Any New Policy

Nicanor Perlas claimed that Secretary Duque announced a new policy. But that’s not really true.

the net result of this new policy[3] is that the use of Ivermectin is now allowed on a large scale

Secretary Duque did not announce any new policy, and how do we know that?

If you hover over note [3], you will see that he came up with that himself!

This is indeed a new policy on the use of Ivermectin because Duque made these statements before a public Congressional hearing. If Duque later retreats from this statement, then he would be guilty of an illegal act called perjury.

At around 3:21:15, Secretary Duque said, “We will make the reiteration that the use of ivermectin prescribed by a physician where it is clear to the physician and to the patient that there is an indication for prescribing ivermectin“.

There is CSP (Compassionate Special Permit) and compounding authorisation for licensed pharmacists to compound the ivermectin preparation.

You can only reiterate something that is already in effect. Hence, it is merely a clarification of an existing policy.

And right after that, Congresswoman Bernadette Herrera-Dy asked Secretary Duque to look into the DEU or EUA of ivermectin.

That would not be necessary if Secretary Duque agreed to allow the free use of ivermectin against COVID-19.

Fact #2 : Special FDA Permit For Ivermectin Use

Nicanor Perlas claimed that Secretary Duque “affirmed that doctors have the freedom to prescribe Ivermectin as they wish“.

He also said that “These doctors can prescribe the use of Ivermectin digitally and send the medicine via courier.

That does not appear to be true.

At around minute 48 of the video, Secretary Duque explained that hospitals who want to use ivermectin for their COVID-19 patients can apply for a special permit from the FDA.

At around minute 58, he repeats that those who want to use ivermectin against COVID-19 can apply for the Compassionate [Use] special permit.

Fact #3 : Ivermectin Not Been Proven To Work Against COVID-19

Nicanor Perlas claimed that “ivermectin is a drug that scientists and doctors have found to be very effective and safe for the early treatment of COVID-19“.

There is simply no compelling evidence of such a claim.

The latest ivermectin study that was published in The Lancet showed NO DIFFERENCE in clinical outcomes, even though they used TRIPLE the dose recommended by the FLCCC.

And this February 2021 study that was published in The Lancet showed that ivermectin did NOT reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

FLCCC remains the only group promoting the use of ivermectin against COVID-19.

Fact #4 : FLCCC Protocol Doesn’t Use Ivermectin Much

Despite FLCCC’s promotion of ivermectin, it doesn’t actually figure much in their I-MASK+ protocol.

For prophylaxis, ivermectin is only taken once every 4 weeks! Even if you were exposed, you only take ivermectin for two days!

On top of that, ivermectin is only used at its standard dose of 0.2 mg/kg, when the latest Lancet study using TRIPLE that dose for 5 days straight showed “no difference” in clinical outcomes.

The bulk of the I-MASK+ protocol involves eating lots of supplements on a daily basis.

If ivermectin really works against COVID-19, wouldn’t it figure much more in their protocol?

Recommended : Ivermectin + Supplements : Better Than COVID-19 Vaccines?

 

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Did Dr. Joey Avila Die From COVID-19 After Sinovac Dose 2?

Did Dr. Joey Avila MD die from COVID-19 after receiving his second dose of the Sinovac vaccine?

Find out what’s this new viral warning, and what the FACTS really are!

 

Claim : Dr. Joey Avila Died From COVID-19 After Sinovac Dose 2!

This post about Dr. Joey Avila dying from COVID-19 after receiving his second dose of the Sinovac vaccine has gone viral on social media.

From Evelyn

Post from Makati Medical Center.

We lost our chief of pathology, Dr Joey Avila, in MMC to COVID. He had received his 2nd Sinovac, then got COVID within about a week of his 2nd dose.

Reasons for people getting infected even after taking two doses of the corona vaccine:
▪️ The second dose is to be taken 21/28 days after the first dose of the corona vaccine.
▪️ The vaccine starts to form antibodies immediately after entering the body.
▪️ When antibodies are forming in our body, our immunity decreases a lot.
▪️ When we take the second dose of the vaccine after the 21/28 days, our immunity decreases even more.
▪️ 14 days after the second dose, when the antibodies are completely formed in our body, our immunity starts to grow rapidly.
▪️ During this one and a half month, due to low immunity, the chances of the corona virus entering our body are very high. It is due to an exposure to the virus at this vulnerable time that a person gets infected.Hence, it is very risky to get out of the house during this month and a half.
▪️ Even after taking two doses of the vaccine, you can become a victim of Corona.
▪️ After one and a half months, the immunity in the body rises by 100 to 200 times, after which you are safe.
▪️ Need to be careful and safe for one and a half months from the first dose.
That’s why
▪️ Make sure to wear a mask
▪️ Get out of the house only if necessary.

#Covid update.

 

NO! Dr. Joey Avila Did NOT Die From COVID-19 After Sinovac Dose 2!

This viral message is an evolution of an earlier viral message on social media, just “upgraded” with a section on Dr. Joey Avila dying from COVID-19 after receiving his second Sinovac vaccine dose.

Like 95% of viral messages on COVID-19 – this is yet another piece of FAKE NEWS based on some facts.

Let’s examine each claim and find out what the facts really are!

Fact #1 : Dr. Joey Avila Died From COVID-19

Dr. Jose “Joey” Maria Avila, MD – the Chief of Pathology at Makati Medical Center – died from COVID-19 on 20 April 2021.

Fact #2 : Dr. Joey Avila Only Had One Dose

Dr. Saturnino P. Javier, the Medical Director of Makati Medical Center, refuted the claim that Dr. Joey Avila was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 using the Sinovac vaccine.

He stated that Dr. Avila only received ONE dose of a vaccine, whose brand cannot be disclosed.

It could be either the Sinovac or AstraZeneca vaccine – both of which were rolled out in March 2021. But it certainly isn’t Pfizer because that only rolled out in May 2021.

Fact #3 : Dose Intervals Depends On Vaccine

The dose interval very much depends on the vaccine, and other factors :

Instead of relying on a WhatsApp message of unknown provenance (who wrote it?), ask your doctor or just follow your vaccination appointment.

Fact #4 : Vaccines Don’t Form Antibodies

Vaccines are like training boot camps for your immune system. They don’t form antibodies.

Instead, they mimic the SARS-CoV-2 virus, so that your immune system can learn to identify it, and create antibodies against the real virus.

Your immune system creates the antibodies, not the vaccine.

Fact #5 : Immunity Does Not Drop With COVID-19 Vaccination

You may feel a bit sick after your vaccination. That’s your body’s immune system reacting to the viral antigens presented by the vaccine.

That does not mean your immunity has dropped after vaccination. This is your body’s natural reaction, as it identifies the foreign antigens and the immune system works to defeat them.

As your immune system learns to make antibodies against these antigens, it grows stronger against COVID-19, not weaker.

Fact #6 : Full Immunity Takes Time

It is true that full immunity takes time – often two weeks after the second dose is taken (for a 2-dose vaccine).

The second dose is designed to kick the immune system into high gear, basically telling it – “Warning, this is not a one-time attack! COVID-19 can come again!

This not only triggers the immune system to create more antibodies, it also activates your memory cells to “remember” SARS-COV-2 for faster recognition and antibody production in the future.

That is why it is important to complete both doses of a 2-dose vaccine, and continue to practice COVID-19 precautions until your body has enough time to build its defences.

Recommended : Soap vs Sanitiser : Which Works Better Against COVID-19?

Fact #7 : You Can Get Infected After Vaccination

It is also true that you can get infected with COVID-19 even after completing your vaccination.

These vaccine breakthrough infections are expected, because vaccines cannot guarantee complete protection. However, vaccines prevent severe disease and death.

Vaccine breakthrough infections can be greatly reduced once herd immunity is established. In the interim, you can protect yourself by continuing to wear face masks, maintain physical distancing, and keep your hands clean.

Fact #8 : Vaccine Will Not Give Your Immune System Superpowers

The claim that your immune system is boosted by 100 to 200 times is nonsensical.

The COVID-19 vaccine does not boost your immune system. It only teaches your immune system to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus, so it can learn to defeat it before the real virus attacks.

As your body has never encountered the SARS-CoV-2 virus before, it has ZERO immunity against this novel coronavirus.

As any math teacher can tell you – you cannot divide by zero, therefore any comparison is nonsensical.

What happens after you are fully vaccinated is that your immune system has learned how to fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

It does not derive any superpower from the vaccine, it just knows how to make antibodies to attack the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

 

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