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COVID19 Disinformation and Conspiracy Theories
I am writing this post because over the last days I have noticed a strong growth on social media of conspiracy theories and misinformation about the Corona virus.
It is not easy for a humble non-expert to know what to think when even trained medical doctors spread disinformation. How to you know what to believe?
I think the key is to read several sources which can provide data and conclusions collaborating with each other. For those of us who are not experts in this field it is safest to trust well respected publications and magazines with a good reputation over lesser known videos and blog posts.
Don’t trust a video or article simply because it says something you want to hear. Most of us would love to go back to work and live a normal life, but we should relate to how the world actually is rather than how we wish it to be.
To show the dangers of disinformation and how easily people fall for it I call attention to Drs. Dan Erickson and Artin Massihi from Accelerated Urgent Care. They provide an analysis of the COVID19 outbreak available on youtube.
If you look through the comments the responses are very strong and supportive frequently with laced with hints at conspiracy theories. Suggesting authorities will shut down the video. That politicians have a hidden agenda. That youtube is part of an agenda to destroy the economy to remove Donald Trump etc.