Back in 2020, when the world shut down over COVID-19, I was like everyone else—glued to the news, trying to make sense of it all. But as time rolled on, something didn’t sit right. The story we were fed started to feel like a script, not science. Now, I’m not saying there wasn’t a virus, but the way it was spun into a global panic? That’s where my bullshit senor kicks in. This post will focus on 3 reasons why the “pandemic” narrative was BS: leaders claiming there was no treatment when options existed, every country marching to the same beat despite their differences, and a vaccine rollout that felt more like a mandate than medicine.
Early in 2020, I was at a local YPOW meeting, chatting with folks about “what was going on in the world.” My oldest son, who’s got a knack for asking tough questions, came home one day and said, “Dad, if this thing’s so bad, why is the news saying there’s no way to treat it when you are taking pills for it?” That stuck with me. As someone who’s had to double-check every medical claim since my diabetes diagnosis in 1988, I’m no stranger to questioning the “official” line. So, I started digging, and what I found raised more red flags. Here’s why...
Here are a few other posts related to my COVID discussions.
Reason 1: “No Treatment” Claims When Options Were on the Table
First off, let’s talk about the line we all heard: “There’s no treatment for COVID-19.” Leaders from the CDC to the WHO, and even local health folks, hammered that home in 2020. But was it true? Not quite. Early on, doctors were reporting success with drugs like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, often paired with stuff like zinc, azithromycin (Z-Pack), and a few others. Studies, like one from the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents in March 2020, showed hydroxychloroquine could reduce viral loads in some patients. Yet, the narrative was loud and clear: nothing worked, so lock down and wait for a vaccine.
Here in Cherokee County, I know folks who swore by early treatments their doctors quietly prescribed, yet the media and health officials dismissed them as snake oil. Why? Some say it was politics or Big Pharma pulling strings—after all, cheap generics don’t rake in billions like new vaccines do. When the “leaders” scream “no treatment” while ignoring real-world results, it’s not about science; it’s about control. That’s not how you build trust, especially with folks like me who’ve learned to double-check every pill we take.
Reason 2: One-Size-Fits-All Global Response, No Matter the Culture
Next, let’s look at how every country seemed to be reading from the same playbook. From New Zealand to Nigeria, it was lockdowns, masks, and social distancing, like the world was one big HOA with the same rulebook. You’d think cultures as different as, say, Sweden’s hands-off vibe or Japan’s mask-wearing norm would lead to varied responses. Nope. Even leaders with opposite politics—think Trump versus Trudeau—pushed similar restrictions, and drugs like ivermectin got banned or sidelined globally, despite studies showing promise in places like India.
Take Cherokee County’s own response. Our school board shut down schools, mirroring big-city mandates, even though our rural hospitals weren’t overflowing. They fortunately learned and allowed residents to make their own decision on whether to send their kids back to in person learning, much more in line with our areas values. But, why did a small town in Georgia act like downtown Manhattan? It felt like a top-down script, not a local call. When every nation, regardless of culture or data, bans drugs with reported benefits and pushes the same restrictions, it’s hard not to wonder if this was less about a virus and more about a coordinated agenda. That’s not conspiracy talk; it’s just noticing patterns.
Reason 3: The Vaccine Rollout Felt Like a Hard Sell
Then there’s the vaccine rollout, which hit like a freight train in 2021. Look, I’m not anti-vaccine—my diabetes means I’ve had my share of shots—but the way these were pushed made me want to run in the opposite direction. We were told the vaccines would stop transmission, protect us completely, and end the pandemic. Leaders like Fauci and Biden said, “Get the shot, and you’re good.” Except, that wasn’t true. A Pfizer exec later admitted they didn’t test for transmission before rollout, and breakthrough cases piled up. Yet, mandates rolled out anyway—lose your job or get jabbed, no questions asked.
Here in Georgia, I saw friends pressured to vaccinate to keep their jobs at local businesses, even when they’d already had COVID and felt fine. The narrative shifted from “protect yourself” to “protect others,” but the data didn’t back that up. Meanwhile, side effects like myocarditis in young men (and me) started popping up, and the CDC admitted they were real, though “rare.” Why the rush to mandate something untested for transmission, while downplaying risks? It felt less like public health and more like a sales pitch, with dissenters labeled as “anti-science.”
My unCommon Sense: Trust Your Gut, Not the Script
If you want to take time and read a few books on COVID, I would suggest the following:
“The Real Anthony Fauci” by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accuses Dr. Anthony Fauci of abusing power as head of the NIAID, alleging he orchestrated a conspiracy to promote vaccines while suppressing alternative COVID-19 treatments like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, damaging democracy and public health. The book claims Fauci’s actions during the HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 crises prioritized pharmaceutical profits over truth, though critics call it exaggerated and conspiratorial.
Deception: The Great COVID Cover-Up by Rand Paul
“Deception: The Great COVID Cover-Up” by Senator Rand Paul argues Fauci misled the public about COVID-19’s origins, alleging the virus likely stemmed from U.S.-funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan lab. Paul, a physician, claims Fauci and allies silenced dissent and enforced harmful lockdowns to protect financial interests, though some find the book repetitive. Both works portray Fauci as central to a cover-up, but their claims are contested by mainstream science and Fauci himself.
The COVID narrative wasn’t false because a virus didn’t exist—people got sick, and some died, no question. But the way it was spun into a global crisis with no room for debate? Leaders ignored treatments that showed promise, countries acted in lockstep despite their differences, and the vaccine rollout leaned on coercion over choice. That’s not how you treat a free people. As a gay dad in a conservative county, I know what it’s like to fight for personal liberty against rigid systems. Our society should’ve been trusted to weigh the risks ourselves, not force-fed a one-size-fits-all story.
This ain’t about politics; it’s about truth. When the system shuts down discussion—whether it’s about ivermectin or school closures—it’s not protecting us; it’s protecting itself. Here in Cherokee County, we value community and common sense. Let’s keep asking questions, even when the answers aren’t easy.
If you want to chat about this or anything else, send me an email at dan@thrailkill.us, and let’s grab a coffee or a beer.
Have a good one,
Dan