Singapore — In a strongly-worded Facebook post, a director from the NCID lambasted those who have taken a stand against vaccinations for Covid-19, seeming to hold them responsible for Singapore’s growing Covid deaths.
Associate Professor David Lye, the director of the Infectious Disease Research and Training Office at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, has in the past been an outspoken proponent for getting Covid jabs.
He has also been equally outspoken against fake news concerning the vaccines, urging Singaporeans in June to be aware of anti-vaccine messages and fake science on social media.
But his post on Sunday night (Oct 24) was even more passionate than usual, as he called for the vaccine-hesitant public to “Reject anti-vaxxers who lie to harm”.
He urged people to “Speak up and tell everyone you know about the lies that anti-vaxxers are spreading,” and added that “we must not tolerate those who intentionally plan to harm us.”
Moreover, he argued that anti-vaxxers may choose to not receive the Covid jabs but called them “evil” for spreading lies that mislead the vaccine-hesitant and the elderly.
He also brought up the issue of the growing number of Covid-related deaths in Singapore.
“We had 30 COVID deaths at the start of May.
We now have 300.
The unvaccinated deaths should haunt the anti-vaxxers.”
Assoc Prof Lye’s post came on the same day that a POFMA (Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act) correction order was issued against the “Truth Warriors” due to misleading statements on the site regarding Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, including ivermectin, a horse dewormer.
“If you or your family or friends have become sick with COVID ending up in ICU or death if unvaccinated, should the people behind #HealingTheDivide and #TruthWarriors be held responsible?” he wrote.
On Oct 21, the NCID director criticised the “Truth Warriors” in another Facebook post, writing that he prayed “that the law will catch up with them, sooner rather than later” and adding that “They have blood on their hands. Some of them claim to be religious. Their God will not forgive them.”
The “Truth Warriors” say they present “the other side of the COVID picture that is rarely found in conventional news channels.” Their alleged aim is to provide information that would help people in their choices in getting Covid vaccine shots, claiming to “simply offer you perspectives beyond pro-vax or anti-vax” by providing works from professionals in the field.
However, according to the Ministry of Health, a Correction Direction is needed due to the untruths on the site concerning the ineffectiveness of vaccines in reducing Covid’s transmission rates as well as information about how ivermectin is safe and effectively prevents viral infections and treats COVID-19.
The site is now required to publish the correction notice at the top of each webpage containing the falsehoods.
MOH added that the government “takes a serious view of the deliberate communication of these falsehoods,” adding that a criminal investigation will be held.
An article on the government site Factually was also published to clarify and correct the falsehoods published on the “Truth Warriors” site, including a warning on the use of ivermectin.
Ingesting ivermectin for other purposes can cause serious health effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, hypotension (low blood pressure), allergic reactions (itching and hives), dizziness, ataxia (problems with balance), seizures, coma, and even death from overdose. /TISG
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