Joe Rogan is at it once more, speaking about Covid-19 as soon as extra on The Joe Rogan Expertise podcast on Spotify. This time it was throughout a dialogue together with his visitor, comic Tom Segura, on Thursday. Rogan took purpose Northwards, calling Canada “communist” and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a “dictator” and mocking Canada’s Covid-19 vaccination necessities. Rogan additionally took a chew out of the Large Apple, criticizing New York Metropolis of us for nonetheless carrying face masks in indoor public places. In the meantime, Covid-19 instances and deaths have been rising in each the U.S. and Canada, fueled by the unfold of BA.5 Omicron subvariant of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Each the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Health Canada have been recommending that individuals put on face masks whereas in public indoor places.
But, it appears to be like like Rogan, as you can see in the video posted in Kipp Jones’s article for Mediaite, clearly didn’t agree with these two nationwide public well being group. Is Rogan a public well being skilled, a medical physician, or another type of scientist? Umm, not precisely. Keep in mind Rogan is somebody who mentioned simply final 12 months, “I’m not a health care provider, I’m a bleeping moron,” and “I’m not a revered supply of knowledge, even for me,” as I indicated beforehand for Forbes. Final I checked, “bleeping moron” will not be a medical specialty. Musical artists have requested Spotify to reign in Rogan’s Covid-19 feedback which have gone in opposition to established scientific proof, together with James Blunt offering the horrifying risk that he would launch new music if Spotify didn’t do something.
Nonetheless, Rogan didn’t repeat any of those “bleeping moron” disclaimers on Thursday’s episode of his podcast earlier than the phase the place he as soon as once more talked about Covid-19 precautions. Rogan started the phase by mentioning what his opinion about Trudeau was earlier than the pandemic began: “I simply appreciated him. I appreciated him earlier than the pandemic. I used to be like he’s a good-looking man. Appears candy. , good trying man, assured, good talker.” That’s good. Whereas “good-looking”, “candy”, and “good trying” could also be what you search for when choosing a Tinder date, it will not be the perfect standards to evaluate a rustic chief, particularly throughout a public well being emergency just like the pandemic.
Apparently Trudeau’s being a “good-looking man” wasn’t sufficient to stop Rogan from finally swiping the opposite course. Rogan continued with, “And in the course of the pandemic, I’m like ‘Oh, you’re a [naughty word] dictator. Oh, you don’t like criticism. You’re attempting to close down criticism by saying all of your critics are misogynists and racists.” If you’re questioning when Canada had change into a dictatorship, it hasn’t. Rogan was referring to Trudeau’s response to the so-called “Freedom Convoy,” truckers protesting in opposition to Covid-19 vaccine necessities in Canada earlier this 12 months. The protests included folks brandishing Accomplice flags, flags with swastikas on them, and different symbols that don’t precisely ring group hug, as you’ll be able to see by the next tweet from Marc-André Cossette. investigative producer for World Nationwide:
A January 31, Al Jazeera article indicated that “recognized far-right activists who espouse Islamophobic, anti-Semitic and different hateful views have been among the many occasion organizers.” It additionally quoted Trudeau as saying then, “To anybody who joined the convoy however is rightly uncomfortable with the symbols of hatred and division on show: be part of along with your fellow Canadians, be brave and converse out – don’t stand for or with intolerance and hate.” Not precisely dictator-speak. But, all through the pandemic, various anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers have been utilizing the “d” phrase to explain political leaders who’ve tried to implement Covid-19 precautions.
Rogan went on to name Trudeau “gross” and “a sketchy man” and claimed that “He’s obtained some [bleeping] shaky offers. I want to see the place the cash is coming from,” with out offering any proof that Trudeau has been enacting vaccination necessities as a result of he’s by some means getting paid to take action. R
ogan continued with “Why would you like everyone to get injected each 4 months? You possibly can’t even get into Canada except you might be vaccinated.” Let’s be clear right here. No actual public well being authorities within the U.S. or Canada has really helpful that individuals get injected each 4 months indefinitely. Proper now probably the most variety of really helpful vaccinations are for individuals who are over 50 years of age or are immuncompromised: a major Covid-19 vaccination sequence plus two boosters.
Rogan pushed on with, “It’s outdated. It’s 2022, it’s not 2019.” Sure, that’s true. It’s not 2019, which was earlier than the Covid-19 pandemic began. It’s 2022 with a mean of 130,073 reported Covid-19 instances , 40,650 reported Covid-19-related hospitalizations, and 420 reported Covid-19-related deaths a day proper now within the U.S., according to the New York Times. All of those numbers have been rising over the previous two weeks.
Regardless of the fact that the U.S. is at the moment dealing with a Covid-19 surge, Segura then turned to NYC and puzzled why persons are nonetheless carrying face masks there. To which Rogan responded, “They’re scared, we dwell right here. It’s a special place,” after which asserted, “It’s weird. They nonetheless put on masks indoors.” Weird? As I lined beforehand for Forbes, research have proven the the BA.5 Omicron subvariant could also be extra transmissible and extra in a position to evade present immune safety than earlier variations of the extreme acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As I’ve additionally lined beforehand for Forbes, there’s a preponderance of proof that face masks carrying can block transmission and the unfold of the SARS-CoV-2. With immune safety vaccination and prior an infection not as efficient in opposition to the BA.5, face masks carrying turns into all of the extra vital.
However, Rogan went on to narrate how he was giving bleep to humorist and actress Ali Wong for nonetheless carrying a face masks. Sure, of us, it appears to be like like Rogan was shaming Wong for utilizing an evidence-based Covid-19 precaution.
Look the SARS-CoV-2 doesn’t care how “good-looking” Trudeau could also be. It received’t put it’s spikes to its mouth and say, “OMG,” as a result of the virus has no mouth. And that’s not the way it’s spikes work. The one approach that Trudeau and different nation leaders are going to avoid wasting lives and stop affected by hospitalizations and lengthy is to observe science and implement evidence-based Covid-19 precautions. Not doing something wouldn’t be very “candy” wouldn’t it?