Of the top 12 viewed stories on CCT during 2021, all but one were COVID-19 related
Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today
In the calendar year 2021, Clark County residents experienced a second year of having their lives dominated by the global coronavirus pandemic. As a result, a great deal of content published by Clark County Today (CCT) focused on the pandemic and COVID-19.
As CCT continued to report on issues created by the pandemic, our readers responded, showing their incredible thirst for the content, specifically content not covered by the mainstream news media and even content that is often censored or banned by social media and Big Tech providers such as Facebook and YouTube.
Of the top 12 viewed stories on CCT during 2021, all but one were COVID-19 related. All six stories during the past year that received more than 100,000 pageviews were COVID-19 related.
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 737,652 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 27. There have been 9,822 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. Considering the fact that the number of confirmed cases is currently spiking due to the Omicron variant, it appears COVID will continue to be a hot topic as we move into 2022.
Here is a look back at some of CCT’s COVID-related coverage in 2021 (in no particular order):
Serving the community
Just last week, CCT informed area residents about two new websites designed to help inform members of the community about COVID-related issues and assist them with finding care and treatment options.
The websites are the inspiration of US Digital and CCT Owner and Founder David Madore and they were born out of his personal experiences with COVID. Madore’s effort is not to take on the medical establishment or the healthcare industry in Washington state.
“This is not about condemning the lack of treatment here,’’ said Madore, who sees a COVID pandemic that has left wounded soldiers lying all over the battlefield and he wants to help get medics to care for the wounded. “That’s the heart behind this mission.’’
Specifically, Madore’s mission is to provide Clark County residents with as much opportunity as possible where they can find information about COVID treatment and care.
Madore and others have teamed up to create the two websites – ClarkCovidHelp.com and EarlyTreatment.com. Madore credits CCT Graphic Designer Andi Schwartz for the design and presentation of the websites.
Heidi Wetzler commentary
CCT Administrator Heidi Wetzler has spent her career in the journalism industry, first working with her father Marvin Case at The Reflector Newspaper and for the past five-plus years with CCT. Wetzler has always been a talented writer/columnist, but those talents have never been more appreciated or on display than during the past year.
Wetzler has been extremely outspoken, albeit in a thoughtful and respectful way, during the current pandemic. She is passionate, but her commentary is very well researched and sourced. Her columns have been read by folks from all over the world, many of which she now hears from on a regular basis.
Two of Wetzler’s columns are among the top three viewed pieces of content published by CCT in 2021. Her column asking the question of who is responsible for the risks of mandated vaccinations was the most viewed item on CCT this year, with a staggering 1,464,020 total pageviews. Her column suggesting we should be questioning the global suppression of early treatment options for COVID-19 received 350,183 total pageviews.
Other columns provided by Wetzler in 2021 included a recent column explaining Mass Formation Psychosis; a September column asking why aren’t we celebrating the naturally immune; an October column stating that vaccination and mask mandates were not about COVID; and another column passionately sharing this is the hill I will die on.
Other COVID-related CCT stories
Use of the repurposed drug ivermectin has been a hot topic in recent months. For the most part, physicians in the US refuse to prescribe it and hospitals refuse to administer it. In other parts of the world, it has been widely used.
In August, CCT reporter John Ley did a deep dive attempting to analyze whether ivermectin is a safe way to fight COVID-19. The story was viewed 355,854 times, making it the second-most viewed story on CCT this past year.
A story on a 17-year-old Washington female who died from a heart attack weeks after receiving second Pfizer vaccination was viewed 318,467 times by readers and our story about an Israeli study showing natural immunity delivering 13 times more protection than COVID vaccines was viewed 318,229 times.
Vancouver attorney Angus Lee has worked diligently to attempt to assist area medical workers impacted by Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate. This story also included an example of a letter that could be used to apply for a religious exemption to the mandate.
This story provided readers with information about boosting their immune system heading into the winter months.
Those are just a sample of the many stories CCT published in 2021 on issues related to COVID-19 and the global pandemic. CCT offers a search engine on the front page of the website that offers readers the ability to search for topic specific content. Just go to the Clark County Today home page and click on the search icon in the upper right hand corner. Or you can see all our COVID-19 related content here or on our menu.
- FDA agrees to remove anti-ivermectin posts off the internet in lawsuit settlement
The Food and Drug Administration has reportedly settled a lawsuit brought by three doctors who accused the health regulator of interfering with their ability to practice medicine and prescribe Ivermectin to treat COVID. - No good news about student learning on 4-year anniversary of COVID school closures
Four years ago this month, schools nationwide shut down as COVID-19 numbers skyrocketed and students were sent home for what was initially planned to be two weeks. - NBA Hall-of-Famer among plaintiffs in lawsuit over WA state COVID-19 restrictionsNBA Hall-of-Famer John Stockton of Spokane is among the plaintiffs suing over alleged free-speech sanctions levied against health care providers who spoke out against state restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Opinion: Gov. Inslee wants to be remembered for COVID-19 response?Elizabeth Hovde of the Washington Policy Center doesn’t think Gov. Jay Inslee should remind people of his legacy COVID response.
- Medical freedom conference at local church draws large crowd
A link to a video for a recent conference on medical freedom at Bethel Community Church in Washougal has been taken down by YouTube, but those who were at the event witnessed two doctors calling for individuals to take back their freedom.
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