County seeks to combat myths about coronavirus
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Tuesday announced the creation of a web page to combat disinformation about the coronavirus that is sparking health fears around the world.
There are no reported cases of the flu-like virus in the Houston area or Texas, though Hidalgo said online rumors suggesting otherwise have caused unnecessary fear in the community.
“We’ll continue watching social media, and debunking myths, because we don’t want falsehoods to spread,” Hidalgo said. “It causes unnecessary concern and it’s just wrong.”
She said the page on the county’s readyharris.org website would help residents separate facts from fiction about the virus. Developed
with the help of the county health department, she said the web page would be a trusted source of health information.
Worldwide, more than 40,000 people have been infected by the coronavirus. China, where the outbreak began, has reported more than 1,000 deaths related to the virus, which causes upper respiratory infections. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a global public health emergency.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 13 cases in the United States.
Dr. Umair Shah, executive director of Harris County Public Health, said local Asian businesses have experienced severe drops in customers, which he attributed to an unfounded panic around coronavirus.
“There have been some specific, very hate-driven, offensive comments driven toward the Asian community,” Shah said. “In Chinatown and southwest Harris County, they reported to us grocery stores and restaurants have seen 50, 60 70 percent decreases in traffic.”
Shah said he wants to combat fears of coronavirus so residents who worry they may have the disease will seek medical treatment and report their cases to the county.
While the county is at low risk for coronavirus, February is the height of flu season. Hidalgo urged residents to take commonsense health precautions by covering coughs, staying home when sick and washing their hands.