Did FOX Hosts Suggest Omicron Covid-19 Coronavirus Variant Is Made Up?

You’ll be able to’t make these things up. On Saturday, Fox & Pals hosts Rachel Campos-Duffy, Pete Hegseth, and Will Cain mentioned the brand new Omicron variant of the Covid-19 coronavirus. And Ken Meyer writing for Mediaite covered this discussion with a bit entitled, “Fox & Pals Weekend Hosts Counsel Democrats Are Making Up New Variants to Assist Biden.”

Huh? What was that within the headline? Making up new variants to assist U.S. President Joe Biden?

Holy politicization, Batman. Did the Fox & Pals hosts truly counsel that a world state of affairs, the emergence of the Omicron variant, was in some way merely a results of U.S.-based politics? Are the nation of South Africa, the World Well being Group (WHO), the U.S. Democratic Celebration, all of the nations which have not too long ago declared journey restrictions such because the U.Ok., France, Germany, Italy, and Israel, all of the scientists who’ve been investigating the Omicron variant, public well being consultants, and maybe even Huge Fowl in some way concerned in an enormous, huge conspiracy?

Nicely, Campos-Duffy began the Fox & Pals section by speaking about Pete Buttigieg, the Secretary of Transportation, describing him as “doubtlessly our new president in 2024, or so the Democrats need.” She continued with “[Buttigieg] has mentioned we are able to’t repair the availability chain drawback till the pandemic is over, till Covid is over. And now we see these new variants.” The video accompanying the next tweet confirmed what the three hosts mentioned subsequent:

As you possibly can see, Campos-Duffy mentioned, “In order that’s the reply: extra lockdowns, extra lockdowns, extra worry and subsequently he doesn’t should do his job of fixing the availability chain as a result of ‘we’ll simply maintain this complete factor going.’”

Cain added, “It’s all the time a brand new variant.” To which Hegseth threw in, “depend on a variant about each October, each two years.”

Cain then responded, “You recognize you’re most likely proper. Nonetheless, they may velocity up, the variants may come extra rapidly.” The video section concluded with Hegseth elevating his proper hand to his face as if he had been holding a telephone and saying, “We’re going to want a brand new variant right here.”

And right here you thought it was all about that bass when it could have been all about that Buttigieg, proper? Gee, if the Democratic social gathering had sufficient energy to create new variants, shouldn’t they simply use that energy to repair provide chains as a substitute?

The Fox & Pals hosts didn’t appear to preface or end this dialogue by saying “we’re joking” or “what if?” This wasn’t the stand-up comedy portion of Fox & Pals both. So, no matter what the hosts’ true intents could have been, viewers may have simply thought they had been critical about what they had been saying.

Plus this might additional feed the “Omicron variant is made up” narrative that’s already been circulating like farts and physique odor on social media. As you possibly can see within the tweets above, Consultant Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) tweeted on Sunday morning, “Right here comes the MEV – the Midterm Election Variant! They NEED a purpose to push unsolicited nationwide mail-in ballots. Democrats will do something to CHEAT throughout an election – however we’re not going to allow them to!”

Wow. This was the identical Jackson who had served as a White Home doctor and had as soon as mentioned that then-U.S. President and present Mar-A-Lago resident Donald Trump “may stay to be 200 years outdated,” if he had had a more healthy food regimen, as reported by Julia Belluz for Vox. Within the tweet, Jackson didn’t reference the Omicron variant or the Covid-19 coronavirus particularly. However with the Omicron variant dominating the headlines, many could assume that he was referring to this extreme acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant somewhat than say a scorching canine variant.

Then there was the next tweet from Liz Wheeler:

“The Liz Wheeler Present” web site described her as “unapologetically one of many conservative motion’s boldest voices.” Usually, “unapologetic” will not be the phrase that you simply search for when searching for medical or public well being recommendation. However, Wheeler’s tweet mentioned, “Oh shocker a brand new variant that’s supposedly worse for teenagers proper on the identical second that they’re attempting to mandate the vaxx for teenagers?! What a huge superb coincidence.”

Looking for the phrases “omicron variant made up” will already return quite a few social media posts. And most of those don’t present the Covid-19 coronavirus in mascara and highlighter with a flowery spike-cut. No, as a substitute they embrace statements like “They planned [made up] this new omicron variant so they could blame it for all the vaccine deaths and adverse illnesses,” and “There’s no such thing as an omicron variant, they made it up. Just like they made up SarsCov2 and the whole #coronavirushoax. Stop this madness.”

They? Who the hay are they? Is saying “they made it up” like saying “they left the bathroom seat up” or “they left their underwear within the fridge” to your home mates? Is everybody purported to know who “they” are? Who precisely could be planning and concerned in such an enormous conspiracy?

Umm, what do folks suppose actual scientists and public well being consultants around the globe are doing proper now? You’ve obtained scientists speeding to raised characterize this new variant, attempting to find out whether or not it’s extra transmissible or extra virulent than the earlier variations of the virus, as I’ve lined for Forbes. You’ve obtained actual medical medical doctors, epidemiologists, and different researchers working extra time to determine how a lot safety the present Covid-19 vaccines and immunity from pure an infection will provide in opposition to the Omicron variant. You’ve obtained all types of individuals around the globe, a lot of whom don’t even know who or what a Buttigieg is, making ready for the attainable unfold of this new variant in addition to different variants which will emerge. And individuals are truly hinting, suggesting, or claiming that the emergence of the Omicron variant is being “made up” for political causes.

You recognize all these conspiracy theories being flung round all through the pandemic like cow dung in a sprinkler? Nicely, this “variant-made-up” declare is sort of a new extremely mutated conspiracy idea variant. It additional undermines science and fact. It makes it all of the harder for public well being authorities to regulate the unfold of the variant and defend the general public.

With so many actual scientists around the globe intently watching the pandemic proper now, it will be robust to make up a brand new Covid-19 coronavirus variant with out sufficient folks calling bull dung on it. However apparently it’s not too troublesome to make up claims that one thing actual is being made up.