A group of maskless anti-lockdown protesters gathered in close proximity under the Stonebow archway Saturday afternoon, defying lockdown regulations.
The crowd, comprised of members of a local anti-lockdown group, called for businesses to reopen.
Several members also sought to propagate unproven theories that there is no deadly pandemic, COVID-19 vaccines are intended to kill and face masks are ineffective, among others.
A member of the group said: “I think everybody should remove their ritualistic shame muzzles because they don’t do any good.”
The crowd also handed out copies of The Light, a self-labelled ‘truthpaper’, which condemns the media and praises business-owners who remain open despite being told to close in the interests of limiting COVID-19’s spread.
The group is part of a larger national movement, which seeks to reopen businesses and restart the economy despite the ongoing pandemic.
As the apparent goal of the demonstration was to disseminate a particular narrative around COVID-19, it seems appropriate to fact-check it.
Each of the claims below were made by one member of the group (not pictured) during an interview.
CLAIM: More people died in 2019 than in 2020. In fact, over the last 20 years, 2020 ranks only 9th in terms of overall deaths.
REALITY: In England and Wales, 2020 saw the most civilian deaths since 1918 – more than a century ago. However, the population is much larger now than it was then. Even so, adjusting for population, crude mortality rates in 2020 were at their highest since 2003. In fact, the number of excess deaths in 2020, adjusted for population, spiked by just over 12% compared with the previous five years – marking the biggest increase in a year since 1940.
CLAIM: All deaths caused by flu (influenza) in 2020 were labelled as COVID-19, as were many other deaths unrelated to COVID-19.
REALITY: Deaths caused by influenza have not disappeared, as data from the World Health Organization shows. The mild flu season in 2020 coincides with the U.K.’s highest vaccination rates ever, as well as COVID-19 safety measures, which also reduce the spread of influenza.
CLAIM: There have already been a large number of adverse reactions and even deaths attributed to the COVID-19 vaccines. This can be seen on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
REALITY: VAERS is a tool that allows people to log adverse reactions to vaccines, allowing for pattern-spotting and the ability to see early on if there may be safety issues with a vaccine. However, as VAERS states on its own website: “The report of an adverse event to VAERS is not documentation that a vaccine caused the event.” In the U.K., a similar programme is used, called the Yellow Card scheme. The latest figures show that 143 people died after receiving the COVID-19 jab – but not because of it. Most were elderly or had underlying illnesses. The official Government review says evidence so far “does not suggest the vaccine played a role in the death”.
CLAIM: When animal trials of mRNA vaccines were conducted, every single animal subject died.
REALITY: mRNA vaccines are a new type of vaccine and are being used to combat COVID-19. It’s unclear which trial the speaker was referring to here, but it may be this study on mice, which has gained traction online from others who make similar claims. However, contrary to these allegations, the author of the study, Professor Chien-Te Tseng, told Reuters that the animals did not die. Rather, he said, they “generated strong and highly protective antibody responses which fully protect immunized [sic] mice against lethal infection”.
CLAIM: Face masks are ineffective because virus particles are too small to be trapped by them.
REALITY: This has proven to be a particularly resilient piece of misinformation since the beginning of the pandemic. While it is true that viruses are far smaller than the material cloth face masks are made out of, the masks are not designed to prevent the spread of the virus particles themselves. Instead, they’re intended to trap “large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter containing infectious agents” that may be released when someone coughs, sneezes, talks, and so on.
CLAIM: Face masks are harmful because you’re breathing back in ‘bad air’ that should have been expelled. They also starve the brain of oxygen, leading to a drop in IQ.
REALITY: Carbon dioxide (CO2), a gas that is expelled when you breathe out and can cause health issues if inhaled too much, is highly unlikely to build up in face masks to such a degree that it will cause harm – especially not since most people only wear a mask for a brief period of time. Medical professionals often wear more heavy-duty masks for much longer and do not suffer with carbon dioxide poisoning. The second part of this claim is also baseless. Masks are designed to block droplets and aerosols. They do not trap gases such as oxygen. If this were the case, surgeons would see a significant decrease in IQ by the end of their career.
CLAIM: Lockdown is killing more people than COVID-19.
REALITY: This is likely to be false and based on an anecdotal strain of evidence, rather than the scientific, verifiable kind. However, there is currently no reliable data available to say so with 100% certainty – and The Linc is not in the business of guesswork. There is some evidence to suggest that economic downturns may, somewhat counterintuitively, lead to a decrease in excess deaths. However, this data does not apply neatly to the current situation and should be interpreted with caution. As for suicides, which many people expect to drastically increase, figures indicate this may not be the case. It is worth noting that this data should not be taken at face value either – it’s an ongoing situation with many factors, and a rise in suicides may very well be a tragic consequence of the lockdown procedures.
Thank you. This is really informative.
When will these idiots just comply with covid rules and help everyone survive. We ate on the road to change, just a bit more compliance and patience. I imagine if any become infected or have a family member ill they may change their tune
Here’s a fact regarding deaths.
https://www.liamfox.co.uk/news/dr-liam-fox-speaks-house-commons-covid-19-1 January this year. House of commons.
Hi Tony,
Thanks for your comment. It is true that it’s difficult to get a clear picture of how many deaths are caused primarily by COVID-19. However, the data we provided simply measures excess deaths, which rose in 2020, contrary to the claims made by a member of the demonstration.
Thanks,
Matt
Here’s another fact regarding deaths. Also January this year. House of commons. https://twitter.com/EdwardLeighMP/status/1346804538183999491?s=19
I’m aware of the claims made, I’m also aware that several mp’s make the same claims, as published in my 2 responses. To be completely honest it’s not hard to see where these claims have come from most of them are factual and can be found on gov uk website including pre existing immunity from sars cov 2 (the virus that causes covid 19) without previous infection of sars cov 2.
Hi again Tony,
I’m afraid we’re on different tracks here. As published in the fact-check, there is clear data to show an increase in excess deaths in 2020. This runs against the unproven narrative that 2020 was a ‘normal death year’ or even saw a decrease in deaths, compared to previous years.
Thanks,
Matt
This is how deaths have apparently been reported since August.
https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/08/12/behind-the-headlines-counting-covid-19-deaths/
There is a paragraph that explains deaths are over estimated so as not to underestimate deaths from covid.
I quote below.
For several months, the COVID-19 Data Dashboard has been reporting, for England, all deaths in people who have a positive test. This a robust measure as it uses the fact of a positive test and the fact of death to derive the number reported. However, it is only an approximation of the number of people who die from COVID-19 because other causes of death are included and some people who die from COVID-19 never had a positive test. It was decided to adopt this measure in April in order to be sure not to underestimate the number of COVID-19 related deaths. It was always intended to review the approach as the pandemic progressed.
Also if somebody tests positive, self isolates at home and recovers without medical intervention and later dies from a heart attack for example all within 28 days, the cause of deaths is registered as covid, the death toll in summer last year was reduced by 5000 because of similar reporting of deaths including car crashes and other causes of trauma and was reported on by sky news.
Hi Tony,
To reiterate, the data we provided looks at the total number of excess deaths in 2020, so the cause of death (COVID-19 or otherwise) is irrelevant to that point.
Thanks,
Matt
Twisting truths does not make them lies, twisting lies does not make them facts
The number is wrong for the multiple reasons I stated in my replies.
Why state they were maskless? They are outside. Last year, up untill August in England ALL deaths who had a ‘positive test’ were counted as a covid death. Then England joined the rest of the UK in counting 28 days and now 60 says of dying with a positive test. This obviously provides false high deaths.
By their own admission CDC and WHO have now (a year in) ordered that tests not be amplified over 35 times as the false positives are so high. In the UK they were amplified 45 times. Let’s not mention the HUGE survival rates!
There is so much to say about the lies, manipulation and fear mongering relentlessly bombarding the public by Gov and the MSM. Trying to Shame this group for standing up to tyranny by ‘Fact checking’ is just another way to oppress our god given freedoms!
The covid death number are totally fabricated I know of two people that have died this year labbled as covid because of a pcr test which has been admitted to produce so many false positives its practically useless
Both of these deaths neither had any symptoms
1 was suffering serious heart conditions and didnt have long to live was diagnosed terminal heart he had a huge heart attack and died
The 2nd again zero symptoms was ran over by his own lorry again put down as a covid death
For 10 months they have used the pcr test at 45 cycles and we have been asking why as its known to produce to many false positives
The who now admit that but any deaths labelled as covid from the prior high cycle threshold are still counting in these totals why
Why has many countries that have performed autopsy on the died that were labelled covid now proven it was pneumonia and not covid the PCR test has and always will be useless for diagnosis of covid
I am sure they are not idiots.
It is you that have a closed mind.
These people are making statements which are open to research.
You are branding people on fake news from another party.
The WHO said earlier on in the year that masks are in fact ineffective.
Before you slander people you should do your own research.
This comment is not made to offend anyone. Just to ask people to research before agreeing to one other persons views.
That is agreeing with my research. Thank you.
I have a friend that purchased 4 covid test swabs. Two came back negative and two positive.
Facts:
In 2020 the number of deaths was about 14% higher than the 5-year average.
Doctors and hospitals have been dealing with a respiratory viral disease with unusual symptoms since February 2020, and many deaths have been recorded.
However, the issue is this: EVERY JANUARY the media reports a surge in hospitalisations for ‘flu. Tens of thousands of (mostly elderly) people die every year. Until 2020, we accepted the risk as normal.
Now, it’s no longer acceptable that ANY deaths occur. The elderly and vulnerable must be protected NO MATTER WHAT IT COSTS.
The lives of 50+ million health people in the UK have been devastated by that thinking. Children have had their education essentially stopped. Mental health issues are snowballing. Unemployment is growing by the day. Hundreds of thousands of good businesses have been shuttered forever. Musicians and performing artists are denied the right to work and given no support.
While I have no desire to “kill your granny” and I fully support all efforts to protect the vulnerable and give the best possible care to the sick, is the single-issue focus on Covid-19 really justified? This is not an existential threat to humanity. This is a respiratory virus, not Ebola, Marburg or Smallpox. Like every respiratory virus that has ever afflicted humanity, it WILL go endemic, so we will have to learn to live with it. The H1N1 virus that caused the 1918 “Spanish” ‘flu still circulates in the human population, but it no longer kills 10 to 20% of those who get it. The same will happen with this one.
So, is it REALLY justified to destroy the lives and livelihoods of millions of people to “save the lives” of a few tens of thousands of people who have between 2 and 6 years to live? Are people who are nearing the end of their natural lives not the selfish ones if they demand the right to a few more years at enormous cost to all the healthy people who are not at risk of illness or death from Covid-19.
Have we COMPLETELY lost our minds about this? Before 2020, the risk of dying from a respiratory virus was acceptable. Now it’s not, but it’s okay to deny people the right to get diagnostic tests for cancer, it’s okay to deny children the right to education, it’s okay to deny people the right to have sex, it’s okay to leave elderly people to die alone and frightened.
There’s more to living that merely being alive. Look at the bigger picture.