Rep. Taylor Greene Compares Kyrie Irving’s Covid-19 Vaccine Refusal With Magic Johnson’s HIV diagnosis

A tweet from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) about Kyrie Irving become very similar to a tweet two ... [+] days prior from Lavern Spicer, who had unsuccessfully run for a Florida seat in the U.S. apartment of Representatives in 2020. (photo with the aid of Kevin Dietsch/Getty photos)

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continually should you compare two issues, they have to be come what may connected. in any other case, you may carry some eyebrows by asserting whatever like, “these chips are making me thirsty, yet I acquired some botox injected into my face.” That’s why consultant Marjorie Taylor-Greene’s (R-Georgia) try and compare Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get the Covid-19 vaccine with Magic Johnson’s HIV analysis again within the 1990’s got a collective “what the bleep” from the Twittersphere.

Irving, a star aspect take care of for the Brooklyn Nets, has remained unvaccinated despite the big apple city (NYC) govt requiring proof of vaccination to take part in community indoor actions reminiscent of sporting events in NYC. This requirement was put in region to stay away from the unfold of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as a result of these unvaccinated can be more likely to trap and spread the virus. considering that Brooklyn is in NYC unless extra note, the Nets corporation should retain Irving from enjoying in Nets home video games in order to conform to the NYC legislation.

Kyrie Irving #eleven of the Brooklyn Nets has refused to et the Covid-19 vaccine. because of New ... [+] York metropolis (NYC) requirements, he now cannot play in Nets domestic games. (photo via Elsa/Getty photos)

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This apparently prompted Lavern Spicer, a Republican who in 2020 unsuccessfully ran for a Florida seat within the U.S. condo of consultant, to tweet right here closing Tuesday:

From Twitter

Twitter

Whoa, what does Johnson, the corridor of reputation point shield who performed for the la Lakers in the Nineteen Eighties and Nineties, need to do with the Irving circumstance? Why did Spicer bringing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) right into a dialog about the Covid-19 coronavirus? And what the heck is full-blown HIV as @bRHOwn_eyedgirl requested below:

HIV is not a pile leaves. It doesn’t make sense to check with the virus as “full-blown” or even “partly-blown.” but that’s now not the most effective manner Spicer seemed to blow it together with her tweet. They, which means the NBA, allowed Johnson to come to basketball after his 1991 HIV diagnosis as a result of not like SARS-CoV-2, HIV doesn't unfold by way of respiratory droplets or casual contact. Former NBA player Rex Chapman questioned even if Spicer knew this reality:

interestingly sufficient, Spicer seemed to well known this reality in right here thread where somebody looked as if it would school herself:

From Twitter

Twitter

And no, basketballs don't seem to be the classification of balls usually concerned with HIV. For HIV to be passed from one person to a different, there customarily needs to be a lot greater sustained physique fluid contact comparable to transfusion with blood that’s contaminated with HIV or unprotected intercourse with somebody who is infected. Neither of these circumstances are inclined to ensue all over a basketball game, because the following tweet response emphasized:

Basketball referees also continually don’t say, “on account of the own foul, a blood transfusion will take place on the foul line.”

against this, the SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus. it could spread by the use of respiratory droplets that can come out of an contaminated person’s nostril and mouth. hence, an contaminated adult can comfortably infect others on the equal basketball court docket. That’s why social distancing and face mask use had been ion location at distinct instances during the Covid-19 pandemic.

the next day Spicer adopted up about Irving again, this time pushing the inaccurate narrative that your choice to get vaccinated towards Covid-19 is not any more than a private alternative that handiest impacts you:

From Twitter

Twitter

This, of route, isn't the case. as a substitute, everybody’s possibility of catching the Covid-19 coronavirus is dependent upon whether those around them may well be infected with the virus. So sure Irving can hold you safer from Covid-19 and vice-versa.

It’s no longer clear whether Taylor-Greene saw the Twitter exchanges with Spicer. Regardless, two days after Spicer’s foray one way or the other tried to evaluate the two cases with the following tweet on Thursday:

From Twitter

Twitter

This tweet seemed like the film Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, a nasty sequel of a bad original. really, Taylor Greene’s tweet had additional inaccuracies as former NBA train Stan Van Gundy stated here:

As that you can see, Van Gundy made it clear that “the NBA is not maintaining Irving from playing” in Nets home video games. The NBA and the Nets have with ease been complying with NYC laws.

It’s truly no longer fair to deliver Johnson into the Irving-Covid-19 vaccine dialogue as Spicer and Taylor-Greene did. Arguably the foremost element shelter in basketball background, Johnson has had a protracted historical past of providing assists to precise science and drugs. He has been a robust recommend for greater HIV consciousness, research, and prevention. And previous this yr Johnson publicly acquired the Covid-19 vaccine so as to motivate his many lovers to get vaccinated:

Perpetuating misconceptions about HIV, the Covid-19 coronavirus, and Covid-19 vaccines can do lots of true damage. It can be like changing a basketball with a rock right through a game and hurling it at others. The Covid-19 coronavirus and HIV don't seem to be the same thing. evaluating these two very distinctive pathogens will also be like evaluating, oh, some politicians and americans who really keep in mind and admire science.