The "horse dewormer" aspect is definitely a red herring, while the underlying problem is the choice to self-medicate based on culture war status of vaccines vs. talk-show-host-endorsed drugs. And the inevitable overdoses resulting from that. The media is not wrong to discourage this type of self-medication.

But access to the vaccines here is free and widespread now, so while we could talk all day about problems with access to health care in this country, it doesn't apply here. People may be choosing to distrust the vaccines and thus triggering a shortage of beds and treatment that they themselves will later need.