COVID-19 misinformation by governments

During the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, many people began to spread false or un-confirmed data and information. This included politicians and other government officials from administrations in several countries. Misinformation about the virus includes its origin, how it spreads, and methods of preventing and curing the disease. Some downplayed the threat of the pandemic, and made false statements about preventative measures, death rates and testing within their own countries. Some have also spread COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. Changing policies also created confusion and contributed to the spread of misinformation. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) originally discouraged use of face masks by the general public in early 2020, advising "If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection," although the WHO later changed their advice to encourage public wearing of face masks.[1][2]

  1. ^ Francis C (5 February 2020). "Can masks protect against the new coronavirus infection?". newschannel9.com. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Medical masks sell out; W.H.O. says there's no evidence they protect against coronavirus". newschannel9.com. 5 June 2020. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.