Everyone in the country has taken a slightly different approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some individuals have been extremely cautious and bought into the fear the mainstream media is pushing, while folks on the other side of the spectrum have all but dismissed the virus.

And as is the case with many issues, the truth and the most logical approach is likely somewhere in between. Most of the populace would likely agree that there is not enough information being provided, at any level, which has thus furthered the fierce debate.

Close

But what if you found out that you were done with the virus, and could move on with the confidence in knowing that you had checked the COVID box?

That is precisely the news that 600,000 members of the U.S. military were just told by Tricare via email. The only problem with the communication? It wasn’t true.

Tricare issued an apology for their email blast, which inferred the recipient was a survivor of the virus.

The email verbiage was as follows:

“As a survivor of COVID-19, it’s safe to donate whole blood or blood plasma, and your donation could help other COVID-19 patients. Your plasma likely has antibodies (or proteins) present that might help fight the coronavirus infection.”

It also stated that “Currently, there is no cure for COVID-19. However, there is information that suggests plasma from COVID-19 survivors, like you, might help some patients recover more quickly from COVID-19.”

The mistake was caught by the organization hours later, after which new emails were sent with the following apology and clarifying language:

“In an attempt to educate beneficiaries who live close to convalescent plasma donation centers about collection opportunities, you received an email incorrectly suggesting you were a COVID-19 survivor,” read the email. “You have not been identified as a COVID-19 survivor and we apologize for the error and any confusion it may have caused.”

Current data from the military indicates that the number of personnel who have contracted the virus is approximately 31,000.

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

This piece was written by Drew Berquist on July 26, 2020. It originally appeared in DrewBerquist.com and is used by permission.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette.