Merriam ‐​Webster Needs To Update Its Definition of “Anti‐​Vaxxer”

Jeffrey A. SingerPolitical polarization hinders progress against the COVID-19 pandemic.Political polarization may explain why, after former President Trump called the off ‐​label use of the anti‐​malarial drug hydroxychloroquine a “game‐​changer” in the battle against COVID-19 (randomized controlled trials found that isnot the case), public health officials and the mainstream press appear uninterested in the off ‐​label use of any other drugs as therapeutics against a COVID infection.For example, impressive data from randomized controlled trials show the off ‐​label use of the off‐​patent (therefore cheap) antidepressant fluvoxamine (brand name “Luvox’) appearshighly effective in preventing COVID infections from progressing to hospitalization or death. Yet it has garnered little attention from public health officials or the pressAtweet by Andy Swan went viral yesterday informing people that the Merriam ‐​Webster online dictionarydefines“anti‐​vaxxer” as::a person who opposes the use ofvaccinesor regulations mandatingvaccinationespecially :a parent who opposes having his or her child vaccinatedIt was laterpointed out by Rob Gavagan on the same Twitter thread that Merriam ‐​Webster has been using this definition since 2018. Therefore, the definition was not the result of COVID politicization. Nevertheless, it is clearly inaccurate and can only pour more fuel on the political fire.It is wrong to imply that anyon...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs