Unsubstantiated Claims of Ventilators Causing Fatalities in Covid-19 Patients are Baseless

Recently, there have been unsubstantiated claims circulating on social media that something other than COVID-19 caused the deaths of patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The claims suggest that ventilators were responsible for these deaths, which is not supported by any scientific evidence. These claims come from a post on a website called The People’s Voice, but they are not official, nor are they supported by credible sources.

The post twisted the findings of a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, which found that patients developed ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). VAP is a lung infection that develops after a person has been on a ventilator for more than 48 hours. The study aimed to determine the importance of properly treating VAP and did not focus on whether or not ventilators caused COVID-19 patient deaths.

The study followed 585 patients with severe pneumonia and respiratory failure – 190 of whom had been diagnosed with COVID-19 – and found that successfully treating VAP was associated with a patient’s chances of survival. However, the study did not evaluate what would have happened if patients with COVID-19 were not placed on ventilators. Regardless, there is no evidence that ventilators have been responsible for all, most, or even a significant number of COVID-19-related deaths in the United States.

Attempts to downplay the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic are unfounded and do not change the reality of the situation. Ventilators have saved countless lives during the pandemic, and proper medical treatment is crucial for safeguarding public health. Politicians, public figures, and social media accounts should exercise caution when sharing information about the disease and ensure that it is based on sound science and evidence-based research.