Media Panicked Over Chloroquine But New Data Suggests It's Ventilators That Are Killing People

Chris Menahan
InformationLiberation
Apr. 09, 2020

The media for weeks has been throwing a fit over President Trump touting "unproven," potentially "deadly" hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for coronavirus but they've been hyping the clear and present danger of America not having enough ventilators without ever questioning their effectiveness.

It turns out ventilators appear to be killing coronavirus patients en masse.

From AP, "Some doctors moving away from ventilators for virus patients":

NEW YORK (AP) — As health officials around the world push to get more ventilators to treat coronavirus patients, some doctors are moving away from using the breathing machines when they can.

The reason: Some hospitals have reported unusually high death rates for coronavirus patients on ventilators, and some doctors worry that the machines could be harming certain patients.

[...] Mechanical ventilators push oxygen into patients whose lungs are failing. Using the machines involves sedating a patient and sticking a tube into the throat. Deaths in such sick patients are common, no matter the reason they need the breathing help.

Generally speaking, 40% to 50% of patients with severe respiratory distress die while on ventilators, experts say. But 80% or more of coronavirus patients placed on the machines in New York City have died, state and city officials say.

Higher-than-normal death rates also have been reported elsewhere in the U.S., said Dr. Albert Rizzo, the American Lung Association’s chief medical officer.

Similar reports have emerged from China and the United Kingdom. One U.K. report put the figure at 66%. A very small study in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the disease first emerged, said 86% died.

Dr. Cameron Kyle-Sidell, an ER and critical care doctor from New York City, concluded that ventilators were doing more harm than good over a week ago and suggested oxygen as a superior treatment:

The Italians have reportedly come to a similar conclusion.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who many speculated may have to be put on a ventilator, was in fact given oxygen. His condition is reportedly improving.

The US has ordered tons of ventilators, which can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $60,000.

Meanwhile, many of the ones we have are not even being used:

2/ One would think the fact all three West Coast states have decided they don't need more of the most crucial piece of equipment in treating serious #CV cases would lead reporters to ask hard questions about the projected course of the epidemic - and lockdowns. One would think.
— Alex Berenson (@AlexBerenson) April 6, 2020

Did we put down a deposit or something? Can we call Visa about this?
— Alex Berenson (@AlexBerenson) April 7, 2020

Watch these clips Tucker Carlson highlighted on Wednesday showing media outlets panicking over the dangers of chloroquine:

How many panicked news reports were done on the potential dangers of ventilators killing people?

I know there were tons of reports praising Andrew Cuomo playing up New York City's alleged need for 30,000 ventilators but I don't remember seeing a single report on the dangers of ventilators (which have been well established).

It's looking like the overuse of ventilators could be the biggest mistake of the entire coronavirus crisis -- but don't expect Cuomo or the media to admit it any time soon.

So @NYGovCuomo has reported ICU patients and discharges for weeks. Not today. Just new hospitalizations - which are now 2/5 what they were a week ago - and deaths (a lagging indicator, as he said). I wonder why. And, oh yeah, a promise NY won’t go back to normal anytime soon. pic.twitter.com/XkAs8X3XbL
— Alex Berenson (@AlexBerenson) April 8, 2020

Follow InformationLiberation on Twitter, Facebook, Gab and Minds.