Misinformation alert. The outbreak is already dated to November, so October cases are not implausible *but* that paper has so many problems and so much hand-waving that it should not be cited, let alone made into news articles.https://twitter.com/borzou/status/1270250085084016641 …
-
-
Also note that if there was indeed a major wave of COVID in China in August 2019 (thin thin claim based just on searches for "diarrhea" but not anything respiratory but okay), there would be a lot of *export* of the disease, which we would be able to confirm via antibody testing.
Show this thread -
It's getting even shakier. Honestly, with all due respect to the authors (we're human, mistakes happen to everyone) and with my best and most generous interpretation of everything they claim, there was already nothing there in this paper without all this.https://twitter.com/WillMaStat/status/1270850256121540608 …
Show this thread -
So, no "dramatic spike" in parking lots in October (seems just two days); hospital may have had construction and has underground parking; "diarrhea" search isn't a good lone signal for COVID but many saying they didn't even get the term right in Chinese. *Nothing* is holding up.
Show this thread -
And it's just not plausible that there is any massive early spike to the degree there are pileups in hospitals (which the data do not show but even if it did) but no "shortness of breath" or any respiratory symptoms for COVID? Come on.https://twitter.com/WillMaStat/status/1270964472086179846 …
Show this thread -
More questions. Also note that one parking lot (top right) is absolutely empty. If there were a few cars that would be more reasonable. Absolutely empty could be closed off for the day.https://twitter.com/fang__z/status/1270431757469392899 …
Show this thread -
Oh, my. Here we are. No amount of correction will undo this damage. In my view, even in the most generous reading of this draft, neither claim (searches—maybe, for "diarrhea"—or parking lot counts—which show no trend, just two outlier days) support any such finding, even weakly.pic.twitter.com/B4R89QWKnp
Show this thread -
One article adding more experts questioning that "August COVID in China" study. It got widely reported, tweeted by the president but it's clear that it just doesn't hold up at all. But the correction is disappearing into the void.https://www.thedailybeast.com/experts-doubt-trumps-new-favorite-report-on-covid-19s-earlier-origins …
Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.