Dr. Barkan - I agree that some of the crazy rhetoric about COVID is just plain crazy, but I have avoided medical pros for over a decade for a variety of reasons (and most of the rest of my family is in the medical field, either already retired or eagerly looking forward to reading it). Here's a few of the greatest hits I've been treated to - 1) Told I had HIV/AIDS - I actually had mono and didn't learn until it was too late for anything to help, disease had to run its course; 2) told bad Pap smears were nothing to worry abt, rushed in for laser surgery upon seeing a new practitioner 6 mos later; 3) told all my health problems related to my eating too much (I've NEVER had any medical practitioner know more abt food & nutrition than I have educated myself); 4) told I would never have children (after the laser cervical ablation). An eye doctor told my grandmother there was nothing he WANTED to do about her painful and irritating skin tags on her eyelids because she was, and I quote, "too old."

This cuts both ways. Of course I am very sorry at what all health professionals have gone through with COVID. But there are many reasons women & nonwhite males do not trust medical professionals and they are not Joe Rogan.