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A Pandemic of Misinformation

Hello! I am starting this blog as a way to document some of my thoughts and feelings during this COVID-19 crisis. Through social distancing and a lot of time spent at home, I have a lot more time for introspection, research, and reading that I don't normally have. To make best use of this time, I decided to document them. In this blog, I hope to discuss COVID-19 and clear up some misconceptions as well as just share my thoughts during this troubled time.

With that being said, yesterday, I began rereading Stellar Medicine: A Journey Through the Universe of Women's Health written by Dr. Saralyn Mark. So far, it is a great read(highly recommend to any interested readers). One of the first topics addressed in this book is the pandemic of misinformation, which I will focus on in this post. In this chapter, Dr. Mark addresses some of the public health scares from 9/11 to the anthrax and bird flu scares. The common thread among these scares was the public's misinformation detracting from a tangible solution to the crisis. The example that I found most interesting was about the bird flu. During this time, people started excessively purchasing the antiviral drug Tamiflu which unfairly took away resources from people with the seasonal flu. One of the quotes that I found to resonate most with our modern situation was "this message[that sustained transmission of bird flu was unlikely] was often overlooked. Meanwhile, the country was terrified for a time, and again taxed the medical system needlessly"(Mark 22). This idea that misinformation drives us further away from a solution needs to be carefully analyzed especially now. Many people(myself included) are being driven to take extreme actions based on flawed understandings of the virus. So this blog post is dedicated to clearing up(to whatever extent and reach I have) this "pandemic of misinformation". 

Misconception: The virus does not affect young people. 

Truth: This statement is flawed in that the virus' ability to infect people is not dependent on their age rather its mortality is dependent on age. Everyone has seen the mortality statistics that majority of the deaths due to the coronavirus are in the elderly according to the CDC. This is important because mortality is highest in the elderly not INCIDENCE. This is also troublesome because many younger people can act as carriers by spreading the disease to those who could be more severely affected(like the elderly and the immunocompromised) by being asymptomatic. In essence, young people can still be affected and should take precautions especially to avoid being carriers of the disease. 

Misconception: I should avoid Chinese/East-Asian individuals. 

Truth: The CDC discusses some of the stigma that has been misguiding people's actions. People and institutions are often taking advantage of this and manifesting it as xenophobia. However, avoiding Chinese people is not only not feasible but playing into these often harmful stereotypes. On the funnier note, I saw this tweet attached below poking fun at how blame on Chinese individuals is illogical. 

Misconception: I should purchase a mask. 

Truth: Purchasing a mask can be an effective way to help prevent the spread of the illness, but ultimately, purchasing masks unnecessarily is a waste of resources. According to the World Health Organization's guidelines, healthy people do not need to wear masks unless they are living with or working with those that have or are suspected to have COVID-19. Also, people should wear masks if they are coughing or sneezing or obviously if they have the disease. Another similar misconception is that masks alone can prevent the spread of disease; however, the disease can spread through droplets entering the eyes, and the use of masks should also be coupled with good hand washing practices. 

Misconception: I should hoard up on water.

Truth: This virus is not waterborne; it is airborne. So, water supply is not going to be affected because of the virus. Therefore, unless you prefer drinking water from bottles instead of the tap, you should not buy water bottles in excess as I have seen many people do recently. 

I tried to include some of the most common misconceptions, but this by now means is a comprehensive list of them. Also, this is also not an expert opinion, and if you have more questions, check out the links below. I want to end with this other fascinating quote as simply food for thought, "When we hear about the next new virus or poison or even policy, we need to see what else is going on in the world. Are people deliberately putting messages to distract us from another issue?"(Mark 22).

Tweet mentioned:


Links Mentioned and Used:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/21/can-face-mask-protect-me-coronavirus-covid-19-myths-busted
https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/18/coronavirus-new-age-analysis-of-risk-confirms-young-adults-not-invincible/
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912e2.htm?s_cid=mm6912e2_w
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/02/02/coronavirus-here-are-10-misconceptions-being-spread/#e2568f228401
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/reducing-stigma.html
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a31261097/what-to-stock-up-on-for-coronavirus/

*Side Note: This was quite long as I thought there were a lot of important misconceptions to discuss, but future posts will likely be much shorter*

Janvi :) 

Comments

  1. Amanda EshelmanMarch 23, 2020 at 11:49 AM

    That was awesome! I love the format of a misconception paired with its corresponding truths. Can’t wait for more posts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janvi HuriaMarch 24, 2020 at 6:11 PM

      Thank you so much Amanda! I really appreciate the positive feedback! Stay tuned for more :)

      Delete
  2. Lalit GoelMarch 28, 2020 at 9:36 PM

    Very well conceived and put across by Janvi. Whether due to misinformation, lack of information or tsunami of information, various myths and misconceptions have a way of multiplying exponentially, which need to be put down strongly prior to resulting rumors taking over the factual. In view of the recommended number of hand-washes, perhaps there is a need to conserve water, if not really hoard it as such, especially the recycled/treated water, as its usage has definitely increased manifold, also due to taps left running even whilst lathering the hands. The Universe is surely looking forward to hearing more from you; lay it on Janvi, we are listening!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janvi HuriaMarch 29, 2020 at 7:58 PM

      Thanks for the comment! One of the points I didn't really think of is the "tsunami of information". For some, lack of information and misinformation can be the primary issue. But for others, too much information, especially from questionable sources, can also be problematic and difficult to decipher. This is why it was important to me to clear up some of these misconceptions to the best of my ability, but ultimately, going to the CDC and WHO will give everyone the most credible information.

      Delete
    2. Lalit GoelMarch 29, 2020 at 11:02 PM

      You are absolutely bang on Janvi. Misconceptions and misgivings give rise to rumors that must be countered with alacrity. It may be of interest for some to know that to put a stop to flow of avoidable "information" India has made it a cognizable offence to propagate "information" on COVID-19 through unofficial sources.

      Delete

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