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To hear many tell it — especially among the Trump faithful — the dangers of COVID-19 have been overblown, at least for persons who aren’t already sick or elderly. The odds of younger, healthier folks falling seriously ill or dying from the virus are so remote, they insist, it makes no sense to continue lockdowns for most Americans. Let those with pre-existing conditions remain sheltered if they choose, according to this bunch, but as for the rest of us, it’s time to get back to work.
While much of this narrative has relied on evidence from conspiracy websites, thoroughly discredited research, or no evidence at all, some among the open-it-back-up brigades — especially voices in the right-wing media ecosystem — have turned to hard data to make their case.
But when you look at the statistics upon which they rely and apply a bit of critical thought to what they mean, you realize they are misrepresenting the numbers, hoping the public will ignore the glaring weaknesses of their arguments.
To wit, the right has seized upon information from New York, which they believe torpedos the validity of lockdowns. First, let’s look at the data, and then consider why right-wing interpretations of the statistics make no sense.
