scamdemic

English

Etymology

Blend of scam +‎ pandemic. Coined by conspiracy theorists to describe the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions of governments and other organizations in response to it.

Noun

scamdemic (plural scamdemics)

1. (informal, derogatory, neologism) A period of time where the idea of an ongoing pandemic is used to defraud the general public.
   • [2020 May 1, Alexei Koseff; Trisha Thadani, “CHP arrests protesters in Sacramento who defy shelter-in-place order to demand California reopen”, in San Francisco Chronicle‎^[1]:

     A similar protest in San Francisco drew about 40 people across the back entrance to City Hall, waving American flags and holding signs, saying things like “Scamdemic!” and “Newsom is a Dictator!”]

   • 2020 June 1, Craig Farrell; Ann Mooney, “Coronavirus in Ireland – McGrath calls for end to ‘scamdemic’ as TDs demand lockdown eases to help kick-start economy”, in The Irish Sun:

     “We are now at the stage where instead of having a pandemic it’s becoming a scamdemic. […] ”

   • 2021 January 6, Amanda Devlin, “Piers Morgan furiously threatens to force Covid-deniers into coronavirus wards without PPE after getting sick abuse”, in The Sun:

     "They all claim it's a 'scamdemic' and say the hospitals are empty.

   • 2021 September 9, Matt3rvrs [username], “Biden announces new vaccine mandates that could cover 100 million Americans”, in KTVZ‎^[2], comments:

     Im^[sic] sure ol’Barn [Barney Lerten] will chime in with the “truth” lol and keep pushing the KTVZ [a local news station] Leftist agenda.. THE SCAMDEMIC CONTINUES..

Related terms

• endemic
• plandemic
• shamdemic

Translations

time when an idea of an ongoing pandemic is used to defraud the general public

• Finnish: valepandemia (fi)