Dr. Anthony Harris Talks About the Misinformation of COVID-19 and Vaccine Mandates

As politicians and conspiracy theorists continue to use COVID-19 and vaccine mandates to divide our country, now more than ever factual information is needed regarding the pandemic and how we beat it.

It's been over a year since the pandemic began and with reports of over 700,000 Americans who have died from complications of the coronavirus, it seems as though unifying against this virus has taken a back seat, as strong opinions on both sides are at an all-time high. With vaccine mandates sweeping cities like New York, city workers being informed that they must comply, and healthcare workers, officers and firefighters quitting in large numbers over what they say is a "violation of their freedom," the end is not near for beating COVID-19.

One contribution to the division surrounding COVID-19 is the misinformation that is constantly spread throughout social media. "One of the main misconceptions is that you can get Covid and recover and have no issue," Dr. Anthony Harris, a leading healthcare consultant to US businesses. "What we are learning today, is even mild cases of Covid can produce changes to the brain that may last for months to years, impairing your ability to think cognitively," he dispels.

We spoke with Dr. Harris, the chief innovative officer and associate medical director for WorkCare, a physician-directed occupational health company that has assisted businesses on the best practices for employees to return to work in a safe environment, about the booster shots, the initial messaging for the vaccine, mandates and more.

What do you say to the critics who have a lot to say about the messaging behind the CDC, and our government when it comes to the rollout of vaccination and mass mandates? Is it fair criticism to say that the messaging was very confusing, and that is why they are pushing back against it?

"I agree that the messaging that came out was confusing for a number of reasons. It constantly changed. It evolved as we learned more and more about the COVID 19, or SARS CoV- 2. And certainly, there have been times where it seemed to almost backtrack. One recommendation versus another. And unfortunately, it's the nature of the art of the science. But we must continue to put the best practice upfront for the best outcome for the general public."

Cases are still high, the death rate just reached over 700,000 in the US. Although

places like New York, and California are showing low numbers, did we open back up too

quickly?

"It depends on the context. Opening up, which I would say contextually means we allowed people to be back in numbers, in terms of the lockdown being over, is different from opening up without other restrictions in place. Meaning, the mass mandates, and the social distancing. And so from the perspective of opening up too quickly to help the economy again, putting my MBA hat back on, I believe that timing was very appropriate in regards to helping the engine start up again.

Hear more from Dr. Harris in our full interview below.