Seek ‘trusted sources’ on Covid-19

The Ministry of Health says everyone has a responsibility to stop misinformation spreading, and encourages people to look for trusted sources regarding Covid-19 and vaccines. The comments come amid the fight against misinformation, disinformation and after another round of bogus vaccine booster pamphlets were delivered in some parts of the country. The anti-vaccination leaflets, which have been dressed up in Ministry of Health-style branding, have been stuffed into letter boxes over the past few weeks. In a statement, a ministry spokesman said they were aware of the material, but encouraged people to only go to trusted sources of information when seeking to find out more about the virus and the vaccine. Misinformation can be spread through a range of different channels including social media, traditional media (television, radio and print), pamphlets, posters and letterbox drops, the spokesman said. One of the best ways to stop misinformation from spreading is by only sharing information from official sources like covid19.govt.nz, health.govt.nz, karawhiua.nz, the Ministry for Pacific People, or health providers. ‘‘We all have a responsibility to stop misinformation spreading, and we encourage people to only go to trusted sources to get reliable information.’’