Election irregularities, Chinese spies seducing a congressman, and the shocking revelation that “Dr.” Jill Biden was not a real doctor briefly let us turn our attention away from COVID-19. Unfortunately, COVID is still here and has made it to Antarctica. COVID continues to directly or indirectly hasten deaths. Along with the arrival of two much anticipated vaccines is a new active variant. The effects of both remain to be seen.

For months we’ve heard that COVID is not like the flu. It is a different animal. It may leave the infected person with long term aftereffects. Given the potential problems, the FDA, CDC, NIH, HHS and the alphabet health agencies should be advocating for early pharmacological treatment and prevention. Instead, we are told to wash our hands, wear masks—which may or may not help—and to stay away from one another. Indeed, as California’s Health and Human Services Secretary admitted, the state’s order banning outdoor dining and closing playgrounds was “not a comment on the relative safety” of the activity but a tactic for keeping people at home.

One would not know from the media silence, but there was significant positive news about the successes of early COVID treatment at the Senate hearings, chaired by Senator Ron Johnson  (R-WI),  “Early Outpatient Treatment: An Essential Part of a COVID-19 Solution,” Part I on November 19 and Part II on December 8.  

The extraordinary clinical trial data presented in both hearings showed marked reductions in hospitalizations and deaths with combined outpatient treatment with anti-infective/anti-virals, immune-modulating drugs, and anticoagulants plus vitamin D, zinc, vitamin C and other nutraceuticals. This could have been a huge lift to the spirits of the American people, who have been living locked down in fear for most of 2020. But no media outlet except C-Span bothered to cover it.