COVID-19: Scams, Misinformation, and Knowing Who to Trust

COVID-19: Scams, Misinformation, and Knowing Who to Trust

Well, this is one stat that will make you shake your head.  As of Jan 17, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission had logged more than 670,000 consumer complaints related to COVID-19 and stimulus payments, 73 percent of them involving fraud or identity theft.  The scams have cost consumers $667.2 million.  From hawking teas, essential oils, colloidal silver, and intravenous vitamin-C therapies as products that claim to cure or prevent COIVD-19, to selling fake masks, cleaning products, or test kits, criminals have ripped off millions.  Playing on the fear generated by overzealous talking heads, these unscrupulous parasites take advantage of the public ignorance of anything COVID! 

COVID-19 Scams

According to the secret service, individuals are not the only ones being bilked of hundreds of thousands of dollars.  They estimate nearly $100 billion has been taken illegally from the Federal Relief Programs.  Even the use of social media has entered into the arena as fake Facebook messages with promises of getting people COVID-19 relief money abound.  Other than being disgusting, this type of criminal behavior does affect all levels of health care both directly and indirectly.  Fear of being “taken to the bank” many times prevents individuals from seeking appropriate health care in a timely manner.  Delays can become costly, both monetarily and health-wise.  With all of the talking heads giving “opinions” out as if they were facts, as well as this criminal behavior, consumers simply do not know what to believe.  Many times they treat something they heard as gospel and don’t follow their physician’s advice. 

Knowing Who to Trust

Changing course slightly, it is the job of us, as healthcare workers, to gain back the trust and confidence of our patients.  Whether a face-to-face encounter, a telehealth meeting, or a phone call explaining results, it is our job to give that patient confidence in us.    Yes, these are crazy times and all of us are dealing with incredible challenges, but we chose a servant profession.  I remind myself of this when calling 150 COVID positives per day into clinics and long-term care homes as well as individuals.  I feel strongly, this courtesy we do at ILDP, is essential in the battle to help mitigate this virus.  The sooner an individual, home, or clinic receives news of a positive result, the faster they can take appropriate action to isolate themselves or infected individuals. 

With the appearance of “Omicrons little brother”, the nickname given to the BA.2 a sub-variant believed to have emerged from a mutation of Omicron, it appears that we will continue to have the opportunity to work on that trust and confidence of those patients.  For those of you who serve your patients in a constant altruistic fashion, thank you.  The rest of us, who occasionally have to be reminded it is about those we entered this profession to serve and not ourselves, will take a deep breath, put a smile on and ask, “How may I help you?” 

Lance Benedict

 President/CEO Industry Lab Diagnostic Partners