Tackling COVID Myths - What’s the EU doing?

2020

Tackling COVID Myths - What’s the EU doing?

The outbreak of the coronavirus has led to disinformation that hampers efforts to contain the pandemic. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said false claims are “spreading faster than the virus” and has termed it an “infodemic of planetary proportions”.

In response to this, the EU has launched a dedicated page about its response to the virus, which will shortly include a section on correcting common myths about the virus. Some examples include:

The virus originally came from bat-soup

Adding pepper to your soup or other meals prevents you from catching COVID-19

COVID is transmitted through houseflies

More examples of myths (and their factual corrections) can be found on the WHO’s website.

Wondering why people spread disinformation and what you can do to help prevent it? Read the article from the European Parliament’s page to find out more.