Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Omicron and misinformation: When will we learn from past mistakes?

Tomi Mitchell, MD
Physician
December 15, 2021
Share
Tweet
Share

Did anyone else’s heart sink when you heard about the new COVID variant? Mine sure did. I wasn’t surprised when I heard the news. I felt numb as I know we are in for a challenging period, partially because the colder months are quickly approaching and Omicron has already been identified in numerous countries globally. Echoing the words of a science-fiction movie, “the alien(variant) in amongst us” resonated with many people.

Fraudulent individuals like Dr. Wakefield’s damage against vaccinations is still felt over 20 years later. Despite not having social media to spread his agenda quickly, his legacy continues. Fast forward to the present, with the ability for content to go viral in just minutes, false information is dangerous. We have a mixture of individuals with prestigious degrees, and those without a high school diploma are sprouting countless unfounded details; it is becoming harder even for the most discerning individuals to figure out the truth.

In my article July 2021 article, “Please join me and respectfully fight COVID misinformation,” I wrote the following:

My friends who are reading this, my colleagues in the medical professions, my fellow civilians of this planet, please heed my words. This pandemic is far from over. As long continue to battle with misinformation, ignorance, and frankly selfishness, this pandemic will take a life of its own. The challenge is people think that they can go online and earn their “medical degree” and become “acclaimed scientists” in just a short amount of time.

This battle is far from over, and I stand by my original words. Omicron is amongst us, and there are many holes in our global defense of this pandemic. So many countries didn’t have access to vaccinations, as wealthier countries arguably stockpiled on the vaccinations, leaving many struggling countries vulnerable. So many countries do not even have access to the basics of human survival. This is not acceptable.

I have heard people say that the “vaccine agenda causes many of these diseases.” I beg to differ. Until, as a world, we learn to share resources and work to reduce the gaps between the have and have nots, the problems we are seeing will continue. Until health care decisions are not made based on political motivation or financial motivations, globally, we will do better. Until the world embraces holistic care, where everyone has personal responsibilities, as well as a societal responsibility, the situation we are in will continue to escalate. A healthier world with has a focus on preventative care would be key to us moving past COVID-19 and beyond.

Tomi Mitchell, a family physician and founder of Dr. Tomi Mitchell Holistic Wellness Strategies, is not only a distinguished international keynote speaker but also a passionate advocate for mental health and physician’s well-being, hosting her podcast, The Mental Health & Wellness Show. With over a decade of experience in presenting, public speaking, and training, she excels in creating meaningful connections with her audience. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and book a discovery call.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Genetic testing's emotional impact [PODCAST]

December 14, 2021 Kevin 0
…
Next

Leaving clinical medicine without regrets

December 15, 2021 Kevin 4
…

Tagged as: COVID, Infectious Disease

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Genetic testing's emotional impact [PODCAST]
Next Post >
Leaving clinical medicine without regrets

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Tomi Mitchell, MD

  • The elephant in the room: Why physician burnout is a relationship problem

    Tomi Mitchell, MD
  • The 3 E’s: a physician-created framework for healing burnout

    Tomi Mitchell, MD
  • Physician emotional fatigue: When burnout becomes a blind spot

    Tomi Mitchell, MD

Related Posts

  • Why travel bans in response to Omicron are harmful

    Michelle Verghese
  • What medicine can learn from a poem

    Thomas L. Amburn
  • Is misinformation deadlier than the virus?

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • Structure case conferences as a primary way to teach and learn

    Robert Centor, MD
  • What medical students can learn from astronauts

    Denzil Mathew
  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD

More in Physician

  • Deductive reasoning in medical malpractice: a quantitative approach

    Howard Smith, MD
  • Nervous system dysregulation vs. stress: Why “just relaxing” doesn’t work

    Claudine Holt, MD
  • A blueprint for pediatric residency training reform

    Ronald L. Lindsay, MD
  • The gastroenterologist shortage: Why supply is falling behind demand

    Brian Hudes, MD
  • Disruptive physician labeling: a symptom of systemic burnout

    Jessie Mahoney, MD
  • Medicine changed me by subtraction: a physician’s evolution

    Justin Sterett, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The hidden costs of the physician non-clinical career transition

      Carlos N. Hernandez-Torres, MD | Physician
    • The gastroenterologist shortage: Why supply is falling behind demand

      Brian Hudes, MD | Physician
    • AI-enabled clinical data abstraction: a nurse’s perspective

      Pamela Ashenfelter, RN | Tech
    • Why private equity is betting on employer DPC over retail

      Dana Y. Lujan, MBA | Policy
    • Leading with love: a physician’s guide to clarity and compassion

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors ignore their own advice on hydration and health

      Amanda Shim, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Physician on-call compensation: the unpaid labor driving burnout

      Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • How environmental justice and health disparities connect to climate change

      Kaitlynn Esemaya, Alexis Thompson, Annique McLune, and Anamaria Ancheta | Policy
    • Will AI replace primary care physicians?

      P. Dileep Kumar, MD, MBA | Tech
    • A physician father on the Dobbs decision and reproductive rights

      Travis Walker, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What is the minority tax in medicine?

      Tharini Nagarkar and Maranda C. Ward, EdD, MPH | Education
    • Why the U.S. health care system is failing patients and physicians

      John C. Hagan III, MD | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Living with vitiligo: Overcoming shame and control

      Dr. Reshma Stanislaus | Conditions
    • Stopping medication requires as much skill as starting it [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Deductive reasoning in medical malpractice: a quantitative approach

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Building a clinical simulation app without an MD: a developer’s guide

      Helena Kaso, MPA | Tech
    • Post-stroke cognitive impairment: the hidden challenge of recovery

      Rida Ghani | Conditions
    • The milkweed and the wind: a poem on aging as renewal

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The hidden costs of the physician non-clinical career transition

      Carlos N. Hernandez-Torres, MD | Physician
    • The gastroenterologist shortage: Why supply is falling behind demand

      Brian Hudes, MD | Physician
    • AI-enabled clinical data abstraction: a nurse’s perspective

      Pamela Ashenfelter, RN | Tech
    • Why private equity is betting on employer DPC over retail

      Dana Y. Lujan, MBA | Policy
    • Leading with love: a physician’s guide to clarity and compassion

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • Why doctors ignore their own advice on hydration and health

      Amanda Shim, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Physician on-call compensation: the unpaid labor driving burnout

      Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • How environmental justice and health disparities connect to climate change

      Kaitlynn Esemaya, Alexis Thompson, Annique McLune, and Anamaria Ancheta | Policy
    • Will AI replace primary care physicians?

      P. Dileep Kumar, MD, MBA | Tech
    • A physician father on the Dobbs decision and reproductive rights

      Travis Walker, MD, MPH | Physician
    • What is the minority tax in medicine?

      Tharini Nagarkar and Maranda C. Ward, EdD, MPH | Education
    • Why the U.S. health care system is failing patients and physicians

      John C. Hagan III, MD | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Living with vitiligo: Overcoming shame and control

      Dr. Reshma Stanislaus | Conditions
    • Stopping medication requires as much skill as starting it [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Deductive reasoning in medical malpractice: a quantitative approach

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Building a clinical simulation app without an MD: a developer’s guide

      Helena Kaso, MPA | Tech
    • Post-stroke cognitive impairment: the hidden challenge of recovery

      Rida Ghani | Conditions
    • The milkweed and the wind: a poem on aging as renewal

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...