A fact-checking site hit NFL star Tom Brady with a false rating for claiming more people have died from suicide in the last two months than from the coronavirus.
“More suicide deaths than coronavirus deaths last two months,” Brady claimed in an Instagram story, which was accompanied by the word “Truth.” “So wash your hands and wear your masks but don’t forget to be nice to people and look after yourself.”
PolitiFact gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback a false rating on Tuesday.
“There’s a general sense in the mental health community that disruptions in daily life, whether through social isolation or the loss of jobs, increases the risk of suicide. But Brady’s statement goes too far,” PolitiFact wrote in its fact check.
“The point is, no matter which recent months you take, COVID-19 has killed far more people than suicide has per month historically,” it concluded.
Suicides have increased in some areas of the country during lockdowns, such as in Wisconsin among youths. However, one doctor called Brady’s claim impossible.
“There’s no way this can be true,” the American Association of Suicidology President Dr. Jonathan Singer told the fact-checking site.
Brady’s post comes after President Trump has repeatedly called for the country to return to normal schedules, due in part to stabilizing people’s mental health and job security.
“We can’t keep this country closed. This is a massive country with a massive economy,” Trump said during his final debate against presidential nominee Joe Biden this month. “People are losing their jobs. They’re committing suicide. There’s depression, alcohol, drugs at a level that nobody’s ever seen before. There’s abuse, tremendous abuse. We have to open our country.”
