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Fact-checking Dr. Dan Stock’s COVID-19 claims at the Mt. Vernon school board meeting: A school board meeting in Hancock County, Indiana has gone viral after a doctor made a lot of COVID-19 claims that don't match recommendations from the CDC
WTHR ^ | 08/13/2021 | Bob Segall and Kelly Jones

Posted on 08/13/2021 8:49:34 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

At an August 6 school board meeting in Hancock County, Dr. Dan Stock spoke out against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and mask policies. While addressing board members during the public comment portion of the Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation meeting, the doctor made several claims about the COVID-19 virus and vaccines that are contrary to information and recommendations cited by the CDC and Indiana State Department of Health.

Clips from the board meeting have gone viral, posted across mainstream and non-mainstream channels. On YouTube, the video from the entire school board meeting had more than 580,000 views, as of Aug. 11, and a 7-minute clip of Stock speaking at the meeting had more than 720,000 YouTube views. The posts have garnered more than 92 million Facebook engagements, according to the non-profit research organization Media Matters for America.

The engagements include a post from Indiana Rep. John Jacob. Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan also shared a YouTube link on Facebook.

VERIFY broke down some of Stock’s claims used as evidence against mandatory vaccinations and mask mandates.

Can COVID-19 go through masks?:

THE QUESTION

Is the coronavirus “spread by aerosol particles which are small enough to go through every mask?”

Stock made this claim about 15 minutes into the school board meeting.

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

This is partly true, but needs context to prevent correct information from yielding a false conclusion. COVID-19 can be transmitted through larger droplets, or they can “dehydrate and linger as ‘droplet nuclei’ in the air where they behave like an aerosol,” according to the New England Journal of Medicine. The aerosols could still pass through a mask, but masks slow the spread of the coronavirus.

WHAT WE FOUND

Dr. Payal Kohli at the University of Colorado Anschutz medical campus told VERIFY the claims Stock made were partly true.

“There’s two ways in which the virus spreads through the air. One is through large droplets, these are large droplets when we talk or laugh or sing, that small little bits of saliva come out, those usually tend to fall kind of closer to the ground. The other is the smaller aerosols,” Kohli said.

“Think of it like a suspended virus particle in the air, almost like smoke, and it just kind of floats around. So the simple cloth masks are actually quite effective at preventing droplet transmission, because they catch those droplets, number one, so they prevent you from emitting them out to somebody else. And then number two, they serve as a barrier of protection from somebody else receiving those droplets,” Kohli said.

“Now, just like with cigarette smoke, you could be wearing a mask and still smell the cigarette smoke because those aerosols, which can suspend in the air, can get through the simple surgical mask. But the N-95 respirators do offer superior protection against both aerosols as well as those droplets,” she continued.

Stock provided the Mt. Vernon school board with studies that, he said, support his contention that masks do not provide protection against the transmission of tiny COVID-19 particles. VERIFY reviewed those studies. While some do raise questions about the effectiveness of masks, others are inconclusive. One of the studies cited by Stock has been retracted by the medical journal that published it because the publisher determined the study “misquotes and selectively cites published papers.” After a broader review of scientific studies, the journal reported high quality masks worn properly do effectively reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

Other studies cited by the CDC came to the same conclusion: properly-worn masks are effective in slowing and significantly reducing the spread of coronavirus.

Do vaccines cause immune systems to become deranged?:

THE QUESTION

 Can COVID-19 vaccines cause the immune system to “become deranged”?

Stock made this claim about 16 minutes into the school board meeting.

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

Immune derangement is the “small risk” of your immune system “misbehaving” after getting a vaccine, Kohli told VERIFY. There is a very small chance of this happening, and can happen with any vaccine.

WHAT WE FOUND

Kohli said in a very small percentage of people, the immune system can “overreact or misbehave slightly” after receiving a vaccination. For example, she said, a very small percentage of people who received a vaccination suffered from auto-immune conditions or myocarditis.

“But the likelihood of that happening, particularly with this vaccine, which has now been given to 2.3 billion people, and we've only seen a very, very, very tiny signal occurring in select populations is very, very low,” Kohli said.

According to a July 13 release from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, after 12.5 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines were administered, there were 100 cases of Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS) reported.

“Each year in the United States, an estimated 3,000 to 6,000 people develop GBS. Most people fully recover from the disorder. GBS has also been observed at an increased rate associated with certain vaccines, including certain seasonal influenza vaccines and a vaccine to prevent shingles,” the release said.

“No similar signal has been identified with the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. FDA continues to work with its partner in vaccine safety surveillance, the CDC, to monitor reports of GBS following vaccination with the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. Importantly, the FDA has evaluated the available information for the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine and continues to find the known and potential benefits clearly outweigh the known and potential risks,” the FDA said.

Dr. Gabriel Bosslet, an ICU physician at Indiana University Health, calls Stock’s comments about immune derangement caused by the COVID-19 vaccine “nonsense” backed by no data.

“We have a natural study of billions of people in the world who've gotten this vaccine who don't have deranged immune systems. I can tell you they don't have deranged immune systems because they're not in the hospital with COVID,” he said.

Can COVID vaccines cause ADE or VED?:

THE QUESTION

Can COVID-19 cause antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) or vaccine-enhanced disease (VED), which would cause a vaccinated person to have a more severe disease if caught?

Stock made this claim about 17 minutes into the school board meeting.

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

There is no evidence to support claims a vaccinated person catches a more severe case of the coronavirus.

WHAT WE FOUND

Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) is “extremely rare” and occurs when “certain antibodies make it easier for viruses to get into cells,” according to University of Nebraska Physician Nada A. Fadul.

Fadul addressed claims ADE is associated with the COVID-19 vaccine in a July article published on the university’s website. Fadul said if the COVID-19 vaccine caused ADE, people who are vaccinated would have more severe disease.

“This is not happening. On the contrary, people who are vaccinated typically have very mild disease or none at all,” Fadul said.

Dr. Gabriel Bosslet said if Stock made these claims, he doesn’t understand ADE or is purposely trying to mislead people.

“It doesn't happen with this vaccine. How do we know? It's quite simple. It doesn't happen with this vaccine because if it happened with this vaccine, people who were previously vaccinated when they got COVID-19 would get far sicker than if they'd never been vaccinated, the hospital through that wall would be filled with vaccinated people with severe disease,” Bosslet told 13News.

“That is not what we're seeing. The hospitals are not filled with vaccinated people. The hospitals are filled almost exclusively with people who have not had the vaccine. And so this notion of antibody-dependent enhancement sounds super smart because it does exist. But to say that it happens with this vaccine is either a gross misunderstanding of the term in general, or just frank disinformation to scare people.”

According to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), there has not been a single case of ADE with the COVID-19 vaccines.

Do vaccines stop infection?:

THE QUESTION

Is it true vaccines do not stop infection?

Stock made this claim about 18 minutes into the school board meeting, when he said “no vaccine … ever stops infection."

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

Stock’s claim that no vaccine ever “stops infection” needs context. There isn’t a single vaccine that is 100% efficacious, meaning they stop infection some of the time, but not all of the time.

WHAT WE FOUND

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “all COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States are effective at preventing COVID-19 as seen in clinical trial settings,” and research shows growing evidence “mRNA COVID-19 vaccines offer similar protection in real world conditions.”

But the vaccines aren’t 100% effective. In a release from Pfizer-BioNTech, the vaccine was 95.4% effective against COVID-19. Moderna announced the vaccine was “greater than 90% efficacy against cases of COVID-19 and more than 95% against severe cases.” The CDC reported the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 66.3% effective in clinical trials.

“What's interesting about vaccine efficacy is that it doesn't function in a bubble. So vaccine efficacy is highly dependent upon how much infection you have in your community,” Kohli said. “So when you have high rates of infection in the community, the vaccines don't work as well. And then when the infection rates are lower, the vaccine efficacy in terms of preventing infection goes up. It's also obviously dependent on our behaviors.”

Bosslet said “stopping infection” is not the main goal of the vaccine. “We are not trying to eliminate the virus,” he said. “I don't think anyone thinks that's going to be the case. This virus is with us for a long time. What we're trying to do is prevent hospitalizations and deaths. And these vaccines are as close to perfect at doing that as is humanly possible.”

Of the nearly 3 million people fully vaccinated in Indiana, only 185 have been hospitalized with COVID-19. That’s .006%. Deaths are even lower.

“We have not lost anybody at our hospital that’s been vaccinated,” said Dr. Rob Klinestiver, a pulmonologist who serves as medical director of pulmonary and respiratory services at Hancock Regional Health. The hospital is in the same county where Dr. Stock is trying to convince a school board that vaccines don’t work.

The pulmonologist says Stock’s claim that vaccines do not stop infection is dangerous. He says all the people now dying from COVID at his hospital – some as young as 35 years old -- share the same story.

“These people dying now are in the prime of their life and the only thing they have in common is they are unvaccinated,” Klinestiver told 13News, adding that he believes Stock’s comments to the school board were irresponsible. “I’d like to extend an invitation to him to walk with me through my ICU and hear the stories about each one of these patients who are unvaccinated.”

Is Ivermectin an approved treatment for COVID-19?:

THE QUESTION

Is Ivermectin, Vitamin-D and/or Zinc an approved treatment for COVID-19?

Stock made this claim about 20 minutes into the video, when he said he had successfully treated 15 patients with this cocktail of drugs, vitamins and minerals.

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

No, that treatment plan has not been approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) or the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and studies to determine if the drugs and supplements work are inconclusive.

WHAT WE FOUND

Ivermectin is not approved for use in treating or preventing COVID-19 in humans, the FDA warned.

“Ivermectin tablets are approved at very specific doses for some parasitic worms, and there are topical (on the skin) formulations for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea. Ivermectin is not an anti-viral (a drug for treating viruses),” according to the FDA.

Kohli said zinc and Vitamin D can be used to bulk up immune function, but there isn’t scientific evidence that exists to date that supports the use of those two drugs, along with ivermectin, to treat COVID-19.

“A few clinical trials have explored the possibility that supplements may be effective. And, unfortunately, most of the evidence is unconvincing,” added Harvard University doctor Robert Shmerling, specifically mentioning Zinc and Vitamin-D in his analysis.

So what should be made of Stock’s statement that he successfully treated 15 COVID-19 patients with an Ivermectin, Vitamin-D, Zinc cocktail, and none of those patients were hospitalized?

Not much, according to Bosslet.

“15 patients? I mean, if I took 15 patients in my clinic who all came in with COVID-19, the stats are that none of those people…would be likely to progress to severe disease,” the ICU doctor said.

According to data from the Indiana State Department of Health and the Regenstrief Institute, about 794,000 Indiana residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of August 11, and 63,628 of those Hoosiers required hospitalization for their infection – about 8% of all COVID-cases in the state.

Based on that percentage, roughly 1 in every 15 Hoosiers diagnosed with COVID-19 would be expected to be hospitalized, although it would not be unusual for there to be 0 hospitalizations within a group of 15 patients.

“Low Vitamin-D levels have been associated with more severe COVID disease. But when we've given Vitamin-D to people with COVID, it doesn't tend to make their course better. We've studied this,” Bosslet told 13News. “I don't think anybody should ever be Vitamin-D deficient, but it's not going to cure your COVID. And if you're counting on that, you're sorely mistaken.”

As far as Ivermectin, VERIFY has investigated this issue before, and the drug is not currently recommended for the treatment of COVID-19 – even by the company that manufactures it. Last month, drug company Merck, which makes the brand-name of Ivermectin, told VERIFY it stands by its February statement that said there is “no meaningful evidence” the drug helps patients with Covid-19.

Meanwhile, both the World Health Organization and the Infectious Diseases Society of America advise avoiding the drug outside of clinical trials. According to IDSA, "Well-designed, adequately powered, and well-executed clinical trials are needed to inform decisions on treating COVID-19 with Ivermectin."

Does the COVID-19 vaccine not provide a benefit?:

THE QUESTION

Is it true that people who have recovered from COVID-19 “get no benefit from vaccinations at all?”

Stock made this claim about 21 minutes into the video.

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

No, a recent study in the United States shows individuals who had COVID-19 and who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine are at a higher risk of contracting the virus again.

WHAT WE FOUND

Dr. Stock said he provided the school board with a study that shows “people who have recovered from COVID-19 infection actually get no benefit from vaccination at all: no reduction in symptoms, no reduction in hospitalization, and suffer two to four times the rate of side effects if they are subsequently vaccinated.” After reviewing the studies cited by Stock, it is not clear what research he is referencing.

But a new study out of Kentucky, released by the CDC in early August, shows residents who had COVID-19 and who did not get a vaccine are 2.3 times more likely to be reinfected with the virus.

“All the studies are that people who previously had COVID-19, when you measure antibody levels before and after the vaccine, it goes up,” said Bosslet. “So I have no clue where [Dr. Stock’s] data comes from. And frankly, that defies all logic.”

The ICU doctor said he is skeptical of other doctors who claim to know more than state and federal health agencies.

“What I would tell people is: if you hear stuff like this, that runs completely counter to everything that the scientists and physicians have been telling you for the last 18 months, you need to talk to your doctor and bounce this off of other sources…you need to go and talk to other physicians, not just people who are going to confirm your prior beliefs.”

   

EDITOR'S NOTE: The combination of Ivermectin, Vitamin-D and/or Zinc was referred to as an antibiotic cocktail in a previous version of this story. The reference was corrected to make the description of the cocktail more accurate.



TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: bobsegall; cdc; copyrightviolation; covid19; drdanstock; education; kellyjones; vaccine
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1 posted on 08/13/2021 8:49:34 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

So the entire fact check consists of, “ yeah, but…”


2 posted on 08/13/2021 8:55:29 PM PDT by Yogafist
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To: SeekAndFind

Sorry, do not trust news stations. I do not care who they quote.


3 posted on 08/13/2021 8:58:13 PM PDT by madison10
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To: SeekAndFind

Many instances where they do not actually address the claim he made.

There are several other instances where they take a very long explanation that gives the impression his claim is false but they ultimately conclude - if you get that far - that his claim is correct. They could have just said, Yes, he is correct on that point.


4 posted on 08/13/2021 8:59:40 PM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (ui)
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To: SeekAndFind

If it scares the MSM you know it is the truth.


5 posted on 08/13/2021 9:01:21 PM PDT by lastchance
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To: SeekAndFind

The part that wasn’t fact checked and is the most important is the animal reservoirs. Covid has established animal reservoirs with multiple species meaning it is impossible to have a vaccine that can keep up with variants. I noticed the fact checkers never once talked about the animal reservoirs. Not one but in history has been eradicated that has established animal reservoirs


6 posted on 08/13/2021 9:02:06 PM PDT by NathanBroom
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To: SeekAndFind

Believe CDC and journalists?

Who cares about them?

A predictable smear campaign.


7 posted on 08/13/2021 9:03:00 PM PDT by Sequoyah101 (Politicians are only marginally good at one thing, being politicians. Otherwise they are fools.)
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To: SeekAndFind

How many times did they warn us that condoms are not 100% effective at preventing the transmission of HIV/Aids?

Anyone not know why?

Well, apparently viral organisms are so small, that they can pass through condom membranes due to all of the microscopic holes present, which are several times larger than an HIV virus. While most molecules such as water, sperm cells, etc are too large to pass through, Virus organisms still can.

Question: Can you breath through a condom?

Answer: NO.. of course not... but even if you tried, the only thing that could get through would be a virus.

So... Have fun trying to stop Covid with a surgical mask.

All you will get is LESS Oxygen (needed for immune system), MORE CO2, and a breeding ground for bacteria.


8 posted on 08/13/2021 9:17:20 PM PDT by Safrguns
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To: SeekAndFind
“…Bosslet told 13News. “I don't think anybody should ever be Vitamin-D deficient, but it's not going to cure your COVID. And if you're counting on that, you're sorely mistaken.”

And the vaccine also won't cure your COVID, but you are saying that is what we need. Vacuous point. No one has said either Vitamin D, nor the vaccine, nor any other single thing, could cure COVID.

Stop being stupid, Dr. Bosslet.

9 posted on 08/13/2021 9:26:27 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: Sequoyah101

CDC has 21,000 employees...


10 posted on 08/13/2021 9:27:24 PM PDT by Does so (The Media is the enemy of the people...Trial lawyers close behind...)
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To: SeekAndFind

I stand with Dan


11 posted on 08/13/2021 9:29:31 PM PDT by joshua c (Dump the LEFT. Cable tv, Big tech, national name brands)
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To: SeekAndFind

https://www.thedesertreview.com/opinion/columnists/indias-ivermectin-blackout/article_e3db8f46-f942-11eb-9eea-77d5e2519364.html

India blows away their lies on Ivermectin.


12 posted on 08/13/2021 9:34:45 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change with out notice.)
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To: joshua c

Only some doctors count.


13 posted on 08/13/2021 9:38:22 PM PDT by Hildy (In an unforgiving world, only the shameless survive.)
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To: Safrguns

Bump!


14 posted on 08/13/2021 9:38:47 PM PDT by antceecee
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To: SeekAndFind

fact check the fact check (could do all of them but i only have time for one). full disclosure is i thought the masks could do some good back in april 2020, but the facts didn’t bear me out:

their case: the proper masks, properly worn, can stop droplets, which contain some virus. (my paraphrase). so the masks could do some good.

truth: practically the masks in public are rarely worn right all the time, anyone can go out and verify this. so the droplets aren’t being stopped because the masks aren’t worn properly, and there’s no way to make all the wearers wear them properly all the time.

truth: the cdc’s own studies comparing lockdown areas against no lockdown areas show no significant difference in covid19 infection rates. enough said.

case closed on point one.

so now you have to look at the cons of masks. there are many so it’s a no-brainer at that point.

similar fact checks for the fact checks can be carried out on all the others.


15 posted on 08/13/2021 9:40:48 PM PDT by dadfly
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To: SeekAndFind

CRISPR❎

Conceal❎

ICU actual medical record histories Conceal❎

Border pictures Conceal❎

Election HARDCOPIES. Closed systems. Change.
Conceal❎

1/2 impeachment testimonies. Conceal❎

AntiChrist. Conceal❎

Disappearance of the Elect. Twinkling of an Eye.CONCEAL CONCEAL CONCEAL ❎❎❎❎❎


16 posted on 08/13/2021 9:48:32 PM PDT by Varsity Flight ( "War by the prophesies set before you." I Timothy 1:18)
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To: SeekAndFind

I didn’t know how I was going to get through my day without a couple of air-headed failed English majors like Bob Segall and Kelly Jones medicine-splaining Doctor Dan Stock’s brutal beatdown of the covidiots.


17 posted on 08/13/2021 9:53:32 PM PDT by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: SeekAndFind
Does COVID go through masks?

Hawaii, with 86% of adults receiving at least one vaccination dose, and an active mask mandate in effect for 479 days with 98% compliance, announced today that they’re going back into lockdown, with capacity restrictions, distancing, etc.

Doing what we know doesn’t work at all! pic.twitter.com/qR4Ckc0VOj— IM (@ianmSC) August 11, 2021


18 posted on 08/13/2021 9:54:36 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change with out notice.)
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To: Does so

That is 21,000 too many. The CDC is a failure like all the other three-letter agencies.


19 posted on 08/13/2021 9:54:44 PM PDT by princeofdarkness ( )
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To: SeekAndFind
On the immune system changes:

Infection-enhancing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies recognize both the original Wuhan/D614G strain and Delta variants. A potential risk for mass vaccination ?

Dr. Ryan Cole on the effects of the jab on T-cells (innate immune syste)

More on masks:


20 posted on 08/13/2021 10:01:05 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change with out notice.)
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