You've posted an article that conflates the two symbols, but the caduceus means different things than the Rod of Asclepius and has different origins despite the similar appearance.
the wikipedia article on the Rod of Asclepius tells the story of the parasitic worms, so while the GP perhaps should not have mentioned Caduceus, he's referring to an actual story associated with the medical symbol.
And in the age of Covid, perhaps the Caduceus "ancient and consistent associations with trade, liars, thieves, eloquence, negotiation, alchemy, and wisdom" is just perfect for the state of medical science and public health and laboratory gain of function experiments, horse dewormers, and mRNA vaccines which turn out to be no so much like the vaccines we're used to.
~330 million people live in the United States. 7.6 billion live outside of it. Be honest to yourself: which of your vs. op’s take is probably the more valid one?
> The Caduceus became a symbol of alchemy and pharmacy in medieval Europe. Its first appearance as a medical symbol can be traced back to 1st−4th century CE in Oculists’ stamps that were found mostly in Celtic areas, such as Gaul, Germany and Britain, which had an engraving of the name of the physician, the name of the special medicine or medical formula and the disease for which the medicine was to be used [1]
And in the age of Covid, perhaps the Caduceus "ancient and consistent associations with trade, liars, thieves, eloquence, negotiation, alchemy, and wisdom" is just perfect for the state of medical science and public health and laboratory gain of function experiments, horse dewormers, and mRNA vaccines which turn out to be no so much like the vaccines we're used to.