"Misinformation Killed Her" -Friend Of 29 Year-Old Kentucky Bride To Never Be, Dead Due To Covid

[babylonsister]

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/9/16/2052502/--Misinformation-Killed-Her-Friend-Of-29-Year-Old-Kentucky-Bride-To-Never-Be-Dead-Due-To-Covid

"Misinformation Killed Her" -Friend Of 29 Year-Old Kentucky Bride To Never Be, Dead Due To Covid
Rule of Claw
Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)
Thursday September 16, 2021 · 9:00 AM EDT


There are roughly 332 million people in the United States today. I would say give or take, because we are about 600k short, as Covid has killed one in every 500 human beings in the country. That is sobering. I know hundreds of people, most of them, but not all, still alive after Covid. But I have never computed it until CNN did it for me.

Early on the mainstream media did a tremendous disservice by plastering headlines about how the disease was much less likely to affect the young. So the young, naturally, thought “So what?” This woman, a 29 year-old bride to be named Samantha Wendell, probably thought something similar. She probably thought she was young, so she was safe. But Delta is a game changer in that department.

Samantha Wendell could not wait for her wedding this summer. For nearly two years, the 29-year-old surgical technician had been meticulously planning every detail, from the seating chart to the Tiffany blue floral arrangements, her fiancé, Austin Eskew, said. Wendell and Eskew wanted to start a family as soon as they got married, Eskew, a correctional sergeant, said. The couple, of Grand Rivers, Kentucky, hoped to eventually have three, maybe four, children.

So when the Covid-19 vaccines came out, and some of Wendell’s co-workers said the shots caused infertility — an unfounded claim that has gained ground despite top reproductive health groups refuting it — she “just kind of panicked,” Eskew, 29, said.

Now here I will take a detour and skip to an ESPN reporter named Allison Williams, who is probably going to be mentioned more and more as we hear about the expectant moms and those trying to start a family suffering from Covid. Because you see, she is high profile, and woefully misinformed.
Image

This woman said in public that she is putting her family and health first by not getting the vaccine, because she wants another child. (Yes my head hurts too) But there is zero evidence whatsoever to suggest that the vaccine would compromise any potential pregnancy.

So let’s return to the story of Ms. Wendell. She had co-workers, that, and this is just a guess, had Doctorates in Biochemistry from Facebook University spout off in her ear about how vaccines are bad for fertility. She listened. She hesitated.

And then she was gone-just like that..

..“Misinformation killed her,” said Maria Vibandor Hayes, 39, a cousin who lives in New Orleans and said goodbye over FaceTime before Wendell died on Sept. 10. “If we can save more lives and families’ lives, then this is the gift that she left for us to deliver.” Despite her initial hesitancy, Wendell herself had recently changed her stance on the vaccine. As the delta variant spread, causing cases to rise, and restrictions were instituted for those who were unvaccinated, she concluded in early July that it made sense to get vaccinated ahead of the couple’s honeymoon to Mexico.

She and Eskew got vaccination appointments for the end of July. In the meantime, wedding preparations continued: dress fittings, menu tastings, and a bachelorette party in Nashville, Tennessee.

She would come back from Nashville sick. She began to uncontrollably cough. She got weaker. The disease took her over. Last Friday, after being informed that her situation was hopeless, her family disconnected life support. She was so close to getting the vaccine. She had put aside the rantings of her co-workers, and chose science over rumor. She was this close.

But thanks to rumor, and misinformation, and lies, and ignorance, she was influenced just enough, just long enough, to let Covid into her body and end her life.

How do those co-workers feel do you suppose? Do they understand that their mouths, and the spouting off of them, and likely, lets face it, their insidious addiction to social media and susceptibility to miscreants likely contributed to Samantha’s death? Do they understand what they have done? Will anybody ever charge people with deliberate spreading of misinformation on social media with manslaughter?

And how many more families have to be destroyed, marriages cancelled, lives ended, tears shed, before the truth about the consequences, and the protection, finally seep in?

Or is it still just about the notifications button, and the temporary endorphin boost, the digital drug we call social media provides?

America is underdosing against Covid by overdosing on Facebook and the like.

And yes, it is deadly.

Samantha Wendell planned her whole future that never came, because the lies landed in her brain faster than the truth.

Then it was too late.

Social media misuse is undermining efforts to end this pandemic.

[Faux pas]

1. Kickin'

[Jon King]

24. Obesity and no vaccine killed her.

It is as simple as that, every one of these under age 50s who die of Covid are both unvaxxed AND obese.....every, single, one.

[rdking647]

28. not all are obese

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/09/13/schl-s13.html

[C Moon]

31. But we don't hear about the ones who's lives will be ruined after having COVID.

Maybe they didn't die, but COVID can cause terrible health problems for years, and who knows, maybe even for the rest of their lives: COVID Long. They should have been vaccinated. No excuses.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-long-term-effects/art-20490351

[SergeStorms]

32. Ahhhhh....

do you have any scientific data to back up that claim? COVID, certainly. Obese? That I'm not too sure about.

I'd be interested in seeing some empirical data to verify that information. Thanks.

[caraher]

39. Obesity definitely has been a risk factor for bad outcomes

From a CDC report, "Body Mass Index and Risk for COVID-19–Related Hospitalization, Intensive Care Unit Admission, Invasive Mechanical Ventilation, and Death — United States, March–December 2020"

Among 148,494 adults who received a COVID-19 diagnosis during an emergency department (ED) or inpatient visit at 238 U.S. hospitals during March–December 2020, 28.3% had overweight and 50.8% had obesity. Overweight and obesity were risk factors for invasive mechanical ventilation, and obesity was a risk factor for hospitalization and death, particularly among adults aged under 65 years. Risks for hospitalization, ICU admission, and death were lowest among patients with BMIs of 24.2 kg/m2, 25.9 kg/m2, and 23.7 kg/m2, respectively, and then increased sharply with higher BMIs. Risk for invasive mechanical ventilation increased over the full range of BMIs, from 15 kg/m2 to 60 kg/m2. As clinicians develop care plans for COVID-19 patients, they should consider the risk for severe outcomes in patients with higher BMIs, especially for those with severe obesity.

[SergeStorms]

43. The OP claimed ALL were obese.

I certainly don't think that's the case. Is it a contributing factor for COVID deaths? Certainly, but not every death from COVID has obesity as a contributing factor.

[caraher]

52. Yes, I agree "all" is certainly wrong

Just wanted to get some actual data out there...

[qzwv8j]

46. Correct but misleading...

While correct in it’s assertion that obesity has been a large risk factor, this data is from March thru December 2020. The delta variant is changing the score with many deaths now occurring among the young (under 50) and healthy. This data no longer paints a truly accurate picture

[obamanut2012]

50. It isn't true

Many have been, even most, but I'm a follower of the HCA on Reddit, and there are plenty of under 50s who are fit, healthy, and have low BMI, literal fitness industry folks, and they've died. They've just all been unvaxxed.

[Hekate]

44. The children? The pediatric cases? That is one breathtaking claim you are making.

[Hekate]

48. This woman?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215861909

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/v3hAxX8.Y4J0ggDMURnZFQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_the_today_show_594/d1a219ef6ca7c6b4c84b04e6bc8da46b

[Hekate]

54. So, this woman? Really a tubbo, Jon -- not...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215867126

[andym]

55. CDC: Being obese and less than 65 increases risk of death from Covid 2-fold among unvaccinated.

Here is the figure (uses data from 2020 before readily available vaccines)


and the article:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7010e4.htm#F1_down

"Associations with risk for hospitalization and death were pronounced among adults aged less than 65 years: aRRs for patients in the highest BMI category (≥45 kg/m2) compared with patients with healthy weights were 1.59 (95% CI = 1.52–1.67) for hospitalization and 2.01 (95% CI = 1.72–2.35) for death."

[Blue Owl]

2. Softly and tenderly, Herman is calling...

[Crunchy Frog]

15. Who would have ever thought Herman would have so many friends?

[gab13by13]

3. I'm guessing her co-workers

will not feel guilty.

[BigmanPigman]

7. Ditto!

[SergeStorms]

36. No, not at all.

They'll justify it in their pea-sized brains some other way, and continue on their uninformed and dangerous way.

Nothing can reach these people, until it happens to one of their immediate family, or themselves.

They're the problem. And we won't conquer this horrible pandemic until the problem is eliminated.

[UpInArms]

4. 5 weeks

From the first shot to protection …

Just found out that some friends of mine are in the hospital …

Last time I saw them, they were getting their 2nd shot … they are breakthrough cases …

With pre-existing conditions … that she is alive was already miraculous, she was so close to death …

I hate the unvaccinated spreaders of death

[mcar]

5. This makes me sad and angry

Earlier tonight, we did a video chat with our son, DIL and 10 week old granddaughter. DIL got vaccinated in her 3rd trimester, per her doctors' recommendations. They are lucky enough to both have long parental leave time and both work at home - at least through this year.

This woman was a healthcare worker - how could she fall for the lies. But she did.

How do her co-workers feel? I doubt they feel any guilt. Shrug their shoulders and say "it was her time." Fck them.

[Skittles]

6. her own idiocy killed her

everyone has access to the information they need to refute such utter fucking nonsense

[Ferrets are Cool]

10. This

She chose to be ignorant. To use that excuse is just wrong. Flat out wrong.

[Initech]

13. It wasn't her idiocy. It was her Facebook account.

Well actually I think it might be a combination of both.

[Skittles]

16. they very, VERY much overlap

yes indeed

[Happy Hoosier]

20. I have a facebook account...

… and somehow I didn‘t fall for that bullshit. She made a choice and I am all out of fucks to give.

[JI7]

60. THat IS idiocy if you are just accepting anything posted on places like that while ignoring what

professional health workers have to say.

[Captain Stern]

49. Exactly. Misinformation doesn't kill anyone.

If it did, we'd all be dead.

Believing the misinformation, and basing actions on that misinformation is what kills folks.

[winstars]

8. A friends daughter double vaxed in March, is now pregnant with a healthy baby...

Of course the anti-vaxxer scum will say "lets see how the kid comes out"

And then when the kid comes out 100% healthy, the anti-vaxxer scum will say "Lets see what the kid is like in five years"

And on and on...

Complete and utter assholes.

Charlie Darwin is laughing at them...

I bet his name is being said more times this year than ALL THE OTHER YEARS PUT TOGETHER!!

[Xolodno]

59. Oh yes.

Their timelines keep getting longer and longer. Imbecile I know on facebook, first it was I'll be dead in six months. Then it was a year. Now its anywhere from two to eight years.

My mom had a bad seizure...anti vax and deadbeat sister says, "the vaccine caused it!". Not what the neurologist said.

[sop]

9. I don't think someone's pointless death will sway any of these anti-vaxxers at this point.

"The most fatal illusion is the settled point of view. Since life is growth and motion, a fixed point of view kills anybody who has one.” ― Brooks Atkinson

[IbogaProject]

11. At least she didn't breed

At least she didn't breed.

The case fatality rate is still over 2%, even if it has declined, the overall death and seriously wounded rates are still high enough to make a little(unproven) risk with the vaccine worth any protection against COVID during a time of strained medical capacity and the individual risk the damage a case csn do to oneself and multiplied by the spread ratio near 3× last year and now with Delta over 6 time spread, meaning on patient makes on average 6 or 7 more sick, so that means maybe a 1/14 chance of killing someone else if you get sick now.

The vaccine isn't just about protecting oneself, it is also to smother COVID so it stops spreading and maybe ending.

[Celerity]

37. The actual overall case lethality rate is nowhere near 2%. I have seen this rubbish

posted here for close to a year and a half now. There have been hundreds of millions of cases worldwide that were never reported, never tested, or never even known by the victims, oftentimes as they were asymptomatic or mild. The US alone has had at least 100 million infections, probably more.

[IbogaProject]

56. But it is more fatal compared to the flu which has the same under reporting issues

But COVID is more fatal compared to the flu which has the same under reporting issues.

https://www.goodrx.com/blog/flu-vs-coronavirus-mortality-and-death-rates-by-year/

[IbogaProject]

57. The USA had 22.9% more deaths than expected in 2020 March onward.

Between March 1, 2020, and January 2, 2021, the US experienced 2 801 439 deaths, 22.9% more than expected, representing 522 368 excess deaths

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2778361

[Initech]

12. The single underlying common denominator in all of these deaths? Facebook.

Facebook propaganda is literally killing people. Where's that news story? Your Facebook account is literally killing you! Tonight at 11.

[lagomorph777]

18. Facebook is possibly this country's biggest problem.

It is driving so many to become evil idiots in multiple horrifying ways.

[Initech]

19. It's driving the crazies, indoctrinating the right, and empowering white supremacists.

It's also killing people. Why isn't our media making a much bigger deal of this?

[lagomorph777]

23. Putin's favorite radicalization engine.

He's waging the deadliest war in US history with it. So far, we aren't even fighting back.

[Happy Hoosier]

22. Nonsense.

I have Facebook and use it every day. Bad judgment killed her, not Facebook.

[Initech]

34. r/HermanCainAwards

I know Facebook can be used for both good and bad, but check out that sub Reddit, there's hundreds of stories of people who listen to way too much FB propaganda for their own good.

[NJCher]

30. a little Facebook story

I know very little about Facebook and can say I have clicked on a FB link no more than 25 times in my 20-year + association with the internet. I basically disagree with the concept of Facebook because to me it seems like a concept that's "all about me." Well, I just happen to think that nobody really cares about the minutiae of my life so I am not about to publish anything about myself on FB.

Today, however, I happened to get an email telling me that an old childhood friend posted a pic. Knowing it was her b'day, I thought I'd take a look. I have not seen this person in decades, but we were best buddies throughout childhood and high school.

Instead it was a post imploring everyone to get a vaccine. This person is a rightwinger and is in a red state. Turns out she has 2 friends in the hospital now and each has been there a month.

So instead of celebrating her birthday with her friends, she's on Facebook requesting people get vaccinated.

[Crunchy Frog]

14. Why would they make an appointment

for weeks later when they could just walk in and get the 1st shot same day? She might still be alive if not for that pointless dithering.

[lagomorph777]

25. +1 Stupid to the end.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

17. Dare I point out, that looking at pictures of her,

she was clearly obese? And that obesity is a huge factor in getting or dying from Covid, especially in younger people.

Her own willful ignorance was actually worse than her weight, because getting the vaccine would probably have protected her, even more than having less poundage.

I'm sorry, but this far into the pandemic and the availability of the vaccine I cannot work up any sympathy. All I can say is that I hope she didn't spend any time in a hospital or tie up any health care providers' precious time caring for her.

[Jon King]

21. I post on every single story, they are all obese.

I can think of about 30 of these anti-vax stories of people who die, every single one of them age 50 and under are obese.

But god forbid the national media point out this politically incorrect elephant in the room.

[lagomorph777]

26. Getting the vaccine is free, easy, and quick.

As is body-shaming.

Losing weight, not so much.

[cinematicdiversions]

51. But losing weight is free. Heck it save you money.

No excuse to be fat during the pandemic. (Very rare medical conditions not withstanding)

[Happy Hoosier]

27. And yet, many fat people survive.

Correlation is not causation. Fat is a symptom, not a root cause. Find and treat root causes. COVID-19 kills with massive inflammation reactions. Fat doesn‘t cause inflammation, but it is caused by root causes that also cause inflammation.

[NJCher]

33. helpful

Fat doesn‘t cause inflammation, but it is caused by root causes that also cause inflammation.

thanks.

[GPV]

47. Good explanation

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

35. I had not seen your posts,

although I've pointed out the obesity factor on occasion.

And no, it is not body shaming. It's simply a fact.

I am someone who a year ago had a BMI of 32.2. I'd been overweight/obese for several decades, knew it wasn't good for me, and finally decided to do something about it. So I simply started eating a lot less. I'd lost enough weight to merely be overweight by the time I had a heart attack this last December. For what it's worth, heart disease is totally rampant in my family, so it wasn't that much of a surprise.

When I started cardiac rehab in January of this year, my BMI was 26.8. Still overweight, but a huge improvement.

I've continued to lose weight, and my current BMI is 22.9. I feel very good. I don't mind that I've made two complete repurchases of clothing, and am getting ready for another repurchase.

Nothing is guaranteed, and in the end we all die. I am so glad I've finally gotten my weight under control. I do know how hard it is. I do know how we are surrounded by messages that encourage us to eat, especially if you watch conventional TV, which I don't happen to do. Perhaps the very worst thing is how huge restaurant portions are. Even before I started losing weight, I'd usually bring home half of a restaurant meal. These days I mostly order something off the appetizer menu and I might still bring some of that home. We've been taught that enormous servings are normal, and that just isn't true.

These days I mostly cook for myself and rarely eat out. That makes it much easier to control portions. It also helps that I live alone and am not needing to cook for a spouse or children. Lucky me.

I was a very skinny kid growing up, and didn't start gaining weight until I was in my late 20s. I'm 73 now, and spent much of the past 50 years overweight or obese. So it's not as though I've never ever had a weight issue and am condemning others. I do know how hard it is, but I'm also frustrated by the popular culture.

Oh, and dump the soft drinks. Sugared or diet they are truly terrible for you.

[Buzz cook]

38. You need a citation for that

If as you say, you post this to every such thread, then you've most likely had enough time to find evidence to back up your claim.

[caraher]

40. Yes, and...

It's almost certainly not true that "every single" such death was someone who was obese

At the same time, obesity clearly elevates the risk of severe negative outcomes among adults under age 65. See my post #39 above for some data from CDC.

[Buzz cook]

42. No almost about it.

A quick google show slimmer people who have died from Covid.

However it is also true as you say that obesity increases the risk of a bad outcome.

[obamanut2012]

63. It isn't true, either

They just made it up. Go read the HermanCainAward subreddit: many folks under 40 whom Delta kills are overweight, but many are not. The ONE thing in common is they are not vaccinated, and almost are are smugly so.

[Hekate]

45. Was Herman Cain? I didn't notice, but I haven't been keeping track the way you have.

[obamanut2012]

62. No they aren't

Many are, but some definitely are not.

I am a regular reader of the HCA subreddit, and more and more traditional fit and healthy people are dying from this.

But, go on, keep talking about fat people.

And, before you try and ZING me, I'm not obese.

[frogmarch]

29. Willful ignorance. nt

[KY_EnviroGuy]

41. It's quite striking that she was a medical professional.

We're failing as a nation when surgical technicians are allowed to work without being vaccinated, which this woman apparently did for many months. It's encouraging that she did finally begin her vaccination but anyone in the medical profession surely have known the risks of COVID-19 for at least a year and a half.

If she did not know the risks, then our medical industry is failing us horribly by not properly educating their employees. They should be the shining examples to our public for vaccine and masking responsibility.



Article on NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/misinformation-killed-her-bride-be-who-hesitated-get-vaccinated-dies-n1279263

She was originally a Chicago area native (Lisle, IL) and they were planning on settling at Land Between the Lakes which is near Paducah, Kentucky.

RIP. Very sad story yet just one of thousands we've had to endure, and it ain't over by a long shot.


KY............

[Texaswitchy]

53. Should of got her shots.

[ecstatic]

58. RIP. My cousin and her husband, both fully vaxxed are now expecting

their second child. Due in March.

[obamanut2012]

64. My niece got vaxxed when she was pregnant

Our beautiful new addition has been tested, and has her mama's antibodies.

[UCmeNdc]

61. Should have got the shots, oh well.

Sad........