Fake News, Quackery Mar India s COVID Fight but Government is Doing Nothing About Infodemic
While social media is full of disinformation about COVID-19, none of which has prompted corrective measures from the government, the IT ministry s only warning on false news and misinformation is on the use of the term Indian variant for B.1.167.
Baba Ramdev launching his COVID-19 treatment kit . Photo: PTI
Media6 hours ago
Yoga guru-turned-businessman Baba Ramdev has created yet another controversy about COVID-19 deaths in India. “More people died because of allopathic treatment than those who died of oxygen shortage or because of COVID-19,” he claimed on Friday. This has invited sharp criticism from the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of AIIMS-Delhi and Safdarjung Hospital. “All this is being done by Swami Ramdev to create fear amongst the public to sell his illegal and unapproved drug,” alleged the Indian Medical Association in a scathing reply to the godman’s claims.
Ramdev and Narendra Modi at a yoga event in Delhi in 2014. | Adnan Abidi/Reuters
Earlier this month, the Ayush ministry offered detailed advice on how to build one’s immunity during the “Covid-19 Crisis”. To help ward off the dreaded disease, the ministry listed a series of specific recommendations, including, “Apply Sesame oil/Coconut oil/Cow Ghee. in both the nostrils in morning and evening.”
However, if one didn’t like putting stuff in one’s nose, the ministry offered an alternative: “Take 1 table spoon sesame oil or coconut oil in the mouth. Do not drink, swish in the mouth for 2 to 3 minutes and spit it off followed by warm water rinse [sic]”.
Wholesale price of mustard oil went up from Rs 12,187/quintal on 12 April to Rs 16,116/quintal on 12 May in Mumbai, while in Delhi, price of lemons rose from Rs 35/kg on 3 April to Rs 100/kg on 3 May.
NEW DELHI The man in the WhatsApp video says he has seen it work himself: A few drops of lemon juice in the nose will cure COVID-19. If you practice what I am about to say with faith, you will be free of corona in five seconds, says the man, dressed in traditional religious clothing. This one lemon will protect you from the virus like a vaccine. False cures. Terrifying stories of vaccine side effects. Baseless claims that Muslims spread the virus. Fuelled by anguish, desperation and distrust of the government, rumours and hoaxes are spreading by word of mouth and on social media in India, compounding the country s humanitarian crisis.
The U.S. new cases 7-day rolling average are 18.4 % LOWER than the 7-day rolling average one week ago and U.S. deaths due to coronavirus are now 9.2 %
LOWER than the rolling average one week ago. Today s posts include:
U.S. Coronavirus New Cases are 35,538
U.S. Coronavirus deaths are at 848
U.S. Coronavirus immunizations have been administered to 79.7 doses per 100 people.
The 7-day rolling average rate of growth of the pandemic shows new cases worsened and deaths worsened
The Chinese Communists Get American Coronavirus Aid
Supercarriers: Just 2% of SARS-CoV-2 positive people carry 90% of the virus
Lockdown Led To Positive Lifestyle Changes In Older People.