Just as Americans are breathing a sigh of relief that the COVID-19 pandemic is behind them, and they can resume living normal lives, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is warning of yet another serious health threat to Americans that he believes is reaching epidemic proportions. The new concern is the epidemic of loneliness.
On Tuesday, Murthy issued a statement on just how concerning this new health crisis is saying:
Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation has been an underappreciated public health crisis that has harmed individual and societal health. Our relationships are a source of healing and well-being hiding in plain sight — one that can help us live healthier, more fulfilled, and more productive lives.
Murthy also spoke about some serious health risks that loneliness can have an effect on, such as a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease, a 32 percent increased risk of stroke, a 50 percent increased risk of developing dementia in older adults (how long was Joe Biden in the basement?), and the risk of premature death by a whopping 60 percent.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness as an epidemic in America.
In a new report, the surgeon general says social isolation and loneliness are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. pic.twitter.com/oos9LkfEIH
— 1440 Daily Digest (@Join1440) May 3, 2023
But not to worry. Surgeon General Murthy, in his 82-page advisory on the loneliness pandemic, has suggestions as to how America can fight its collective loneliness. It probably should not be surprising that included are what seem to be many left-wing ideas. Murthy suggests building more parks and libraries to “strengthen social infrastructure.” Ok, sounds good so far. Who is against more parks and libraries? But how can those new parks and libraries be accessed? Well, not just by “accessible” public transportation, but also, wait for it, paid family leave. Why do you need paid family leave to access a park or library? Can’t both of those be accessed on your day off from a job?
Murthy also talks about “reforming digital environments.” Not only did Americans spend an inordinate amount of time online during COVID — what we found there is not always good. No one is going to find their new best friend emanating from a computer screen, so is reform code speak for control? In Murthy’s advisory, “Pillar 4” of the six pillars Murthy says are needed to combat loneliness includes subsections entitled, “Require Data Transparency,” and “Establish and Implement safety standards.” You be the judge.
The section entitled, “Mobilizing the Health Sector” also reveals some leftie gems. Of course “accelerate research funding,” a.k.a., throw money — your taxpayer dollars — at it, is always at the top of the leftist wish list. Then there is this under the heading, “What Public Health Professionals and Public Health Departments can do.” It calls for those entities to “consistently and regularly track social connection.” What does that mean? Online, in person, why do you need to know who I am socializing with and how much? And by all means, make sure your “interventions and strategies” are sustainable — more code speak for, green!
Listening to Fauci, Weingarten, and Vivek Murthy backtrack on all their COVID advice, it’s clear that even as they were advising these mandates and censoring opposition, they never had any respect for those following their advice. The message is: “You f’ed up. You trusted us!”
— Michael P Senger (@michaelpsenger) May 2, 2023
Murthy continued in his statement on Tuesday saying,
Given the significant health consequences of loneliness and isolation, we must prioritize building social connection the same way we have prioritized other critical public health issues such as tobacco, obesity, and substance use disorders. Together, we can build a country that’s healthier, more resilient, less lonely, and more connected.
Ok, wait just a minute. Aren’t these the very same people who told us that we just needed 14 days to slow the spread of COVID, and then proceeded to order us to lock ourselves in our homes and keep our kids out of school for a year and a half? And by doing so caused us to smoke more, eat more, and no doubt drink and possibly use other substances more? And now you are informing us that we are lonely and isolated, but whipping a little paid family leave and government health care on us will surely solve the problem. And oh while you have all kinds of free time because you are on paid family leave, hit the park and the library.
Murthy stated in a New York Times Op-Ed on Sunday that, “social connections must be a ‘top public health priority’ in the country.” And we thought pandemics only happened in election years.
NEW: Today, I released a Surgeon General's Advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and isolation facing our country, the destructive impacts it has on our collective health, and the extraordinary healing power of our relationships. https://t.co/P9RnZkLr6G #Connect2Heal 1/8 pic.twitter.com/ZhaSuXTjoi
— Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) May 2, 2023
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