BEWARE OF FAKE NEWS ABOUT INDIA’S COVID-19 BATTLE, WARNS TOP U.S. DOCTOR
WASHINGTON: US surgeon general Vivek Murthy has some advice for Indian-americans and Indians as they deal with the unfolding devastating second wave of Covid-19 cases and wait for that dreaded phone call: watch out for misinformation in what you read, say or forward on social media platforms.
“Misinformation is a virus itself, and it harms people, and it sometimes compels them to take actions that puts put them and other people at risk,” Murthy said in a virtual outreach to Indian-americans on the dangers of misinformation as India battles its worst public health crisis in a century.
“In a pandemic, when you’re responding, information is power and if you can get the right information to people they can take steps to protect themselves,” Murthy said, adding that the government and the private sector can make all the vaccine and masks they want, but “they will be of no value if people don’t want to use them because of misinformation about them”.
The United States and India are the two countries hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic, with cases and fatalities highest and second highest in the world, respectively. They have also been hit hard by misinformation - and sometimes willful disinformation - that has made some people underestimate Covid-19, grow suspicious of vaccines and be dismissive of face masks.
Murthy’s cautionary remarks were first by a top US health official to address the damage inflicted by misinformation on the response - especially Americans - to the tragedy unfolding in India.