Covid-19: Headline Bigger Than The Story -- December 14, 2021

Note: I'm a huge advocate of dispensing Ivermectin over-the-counter, like aspirin.

During my training, I read hundreds (thousands?) of research articles like this. The statistics: simply not impressed. 

Another example.

Study:

• Itajai, Brazil
• population: 223,112
• from July, 2020, to December, 2020
  
• all citizens offered Ivermectin for free, as a prophylaxis
• no study participant was positive for Covid-19 at start of taking Ivermectin
• participants could chose to accept Ivermectin or reject
• total study participants: 220,517
• 99% of the city turned out for this offer to accept / reject Ivermection
• first red flag
• accepted / rejected
  
• accepted Ivermectin: 133,051
• rejected Ivermectin: 87,466
• first observation: folks not particularly concerned about risk of Covid-19
• infection rates:
• treated subjects: 4,311 (3.2%) subsequently became infected
• untreated subjects: 3,034 (3.5%) subsequently became infected
• second observation: yawn
• but investigators raved about the findings, noting a 7% reduction in infection rate for those who chose Ivermectin; as noted, yawn
• hospitalization? statistics not presented
• risk of dying
• treated subjects: 62 deaths, 1.4% mortality rate
• untreated subjects: 79 deaths, 2.6% mortality rate
• third observation: yawn
• investigators note this represents ... drum roll ... a 48% reduction in mortality rate
• on the other hand:
• 100% of patients with "strep throat" will be cured in a day or so when treated with penicillin.
• And that's the problem with all these studies: two huge cohorts; in one cohort 62 deaths; in the other cohort, 79 deaths; doesn't get my motor running.