In almost indisputable proof that we are living in the dumbest possible timeline: A Current Affair has had to issue an apology and a correction to, ah, Queen Elizabeth II, after a story package inadvertently inferred that Her Maj has been treating her recent bout of COVID-19 with the number one choice of Joe Rogan fans, SovCit cookers, and TAFE dropouts who have “done” “their” “own” “research”: Ivermectin.
On Monday night, ACA aired a package regarding the Queen’s recent positive test for el tos del picante, centred around an interview with Victorian GP and former Australian Medical Association boss Dr Mukesh Haikerwal. Dr Haikerwal’s contribution largely focused on drug treatments for COVID-19, and their benefit for elderly patients. While this was occurring, the package cut to B-roll of sotrovimab vials, which is an approved drug used in extreme high risk COVID patients.
Following that, however, the footage then cut to a shot of a box of Stromectol, which had the accompanying barnburner of a titbit: “4 tablets containing 3 mb Ivermectin.” Observe thusly.
While Dr Haikerwal did not once mention the infamous horse paste of your one fucked Uncle’s Facebook group legend, the bare handful of seconds the box was visible on screen was enough to send cranks nationwide into overdrive.
Representatives for the Nine Network (who wholly owns this publication but refuses to let me put on a wig and use the studio to do a “AND I’M JANA WENDT” 60 Minutes parody *for my own personal use*) issued a statement of correction after being made aware of the error.
The statement in full reads as follows:
[Monday night] our report on the Queen contained a shot that should not have been included.
The shot was included as a result of human error.
We were highlighting an approved infusion medication called Sotrovimab and the report accidentally cut to a shot of Stromectol – a product which contains Ivermectin.
As a program we’ve done numerous stories highlighting the concerns around taking Ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19.
We did not intend to suggest Dr Mukesh Hawikerwal endorsed Stromectol.
We’ve apologised to him this morning and he has accepted that apology.
We do not suggest the Queen is using Ivermectin.
Unfortunately, the clip was leapt on by the small handful of peanut heads that currently occupy sections of Australian parliament. George Christensen, Craig Kelly, and Gerard Rennick all blasted the clip across their social media pages. The latter of the three managed to score the second-most interacted with Facebook post by a Federal Politician in the 24-hours to Tuesday evening as a result.
Ivermectin, it has been said so many god damn times by now, is not – and never has been – an approved treatment for COVID-19.
Buckingham Palace swears black and blue that the Queen is merely “experiencing mild cold like symptoms” as a result of her diagnosis, although it has seemingly been serious enough for Big Liz to cancel a handful of virtual-based engagements.
