A COVID-19 outbreak was planned. Everything about the epidemic is perplexing, starting with the name. Even today, falsehoods, conspiracy theories, and fallacies concerning COVID-19 vaccinations persist on the internet.

Debunking The Conspiracy Theories Around Covid-19 

Terrifying Conspiracy Theories on Covid-19

The world is in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, and virus-affected morbidity is rising with each passing day. The virus is highly contagious and has created mayhem across the continents. 

 

The ease with which it has transcended national boundaries and posed a challenge to modern medicine is unmatchable in human history. Yet, with no explanations forthcoming, insecurity and apprehension among the general public are rising. 

 

As is often the case, mysterious, terrifying major world events present a scenario for conspiracy theorists to fill the vacuum without updated information. The situation isn't different from the coronavirus pandemic, with thousands of wild stories on social media.

COVID-19 Myths That Won't Go Away

The bizarre theories without fact check compound the problem for everyone. The social media is riddled with ghost stories such as a bat soup consumption by inhabitants of Wuhan, a plot hatched by a shadowy organization to control the world population or a bioweapon unleashed by China to alter the world order while catapulting herself as numero uno. 

 

Not just individuals, conspiracy theories are also, at times, endorsed by the incumbent government to divert people's attention from their shortcomings. The proliferation of false information through social media or otherwise contributes to 'infodemic' and, according to WHO, fake news "spreads faster and more easily than this virus" in an interconnected world.

Infodemic A Curse?

The infodemic leads to panic in society, causes a loss of confidence in government and institutions and may even create a wedge within the society. 

 

For a few, the situation is ripe to benefit by exploiting the opportunity to sell products. The black-marketing of essential commodities or an unprecedented increase in the sale of immunity booster products, food supplements, and even medicines like hydroxychloroquine summarizes the ground realities. People often endanger their lives by following home remedies or medications based on hoax information that isn't verified by any source. The death of more than 50 people and hospitalization of hundreds more in Iran was attributed to a false rumour that consumption of locally available ethanol can cure or prevent the coronavirus, which is one such painful news.

 

To make matters worse, the cauldron arising due to lack of information, conspiracy theories, mass reliance on social media and panic like situation among the sizeable population presents a unique opportunity for cybercriminals to capitalize on. Moreover, the lockdown situation enforced in most countries has created a perfect environment for scamsters to have a field day.

People are lured into investing in magic COVID-19 remedies, delivery of nonexistent home test kits, fake protective gear or appeal for donations to help victims of coronavirus, are some of the scams detected and alerted by WHO. To steal personnel information or passwords, hackers and cyber scammers disguised as WHO also send malicious attachments through emails or WhatsApp messages. In the present situation, it is warranted to protect oneself from such fraudsters and to take remedial action such as informing the authorities.

5G And Corona Virus Interrelated?

Not just people, fake news can prove to be destructive to national resources, which is evident in Britain. For example, the mass hysteria created by social networking sites took dangerous connotations when the 5G networks across Britain were blamed for transmitting coronavirus. The conspiracy theorists distorted reality, twisted facts and somehow found a link between the installation of 5G towers and the COVID -19 pandemic. 

 

The coronavirus outbreak was linked to the rollout of 5G services, instigating arsonists to damage the towers across Britain, despite a lack of evidence to prove the rumour. This vandalism has demonstrated the vulnerable side of the developed world, where false information can lead to the destruction of property and even loss of life. The severity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that, as the country is battling the COVID-19 pandemic, the unfounded news is jeopardizing the ability of authorities to communicate effectively. 

Some Other Consequencies

Another fallout of conspiracy theories is that crisis accompanied by misinformation creates xenophobia in society, and the rising hate crimes against Chinese people worldwide are testimony to it. The French newspaper calling the virus 'yellow peril' or the University of Berkeley normalizing xenophobic acts like a normal human reaction of fear, points to the appalling state of affairs in the society which has just surfaced. 

 

The fake news leads to racial stereotyping and persistent targeting of Chinese people through unending jokes or other means, causing fear-mongering, which is despicable. It is essential to understand that words like 'Chinese virus' propagated by a few media houses accentuate the problem. It may lead to discrimination among communities and trivialize our efforts to address the pandemic.

 

Blind faith and ignorance are also part of myth-making, posing obstacles to the authorities in dealing with the pandemic. The mischievous gathering of many people in a religious congregation and the unsubstantiated claims made by religious leaders created a distressing situation in India. Followers of a sect openly flunked medical guidelines to maintain social distancing, and the result is the multiplication of new coronavirus cases. Circulating myths during a health emergency only creates confusion among people and hampers our efforts to cope successfully with a pandemic.   

Government At Forefront

In the present circumstances, it becomes the responsibility of the government to remain proactive in providing updated information to the citizenry. The government and its agencies should gain people's confidence with transparent details. Furthermore, they should give clear guidance on COVID-19 to weed out fear and anxiety, thus ending the cycle of misinformation. Not just providing the information essential but equally important is the curtailment of false or fake news as it creates a panic situation. The government can also cite WHO, where experts work with social media channels to counter umpteen conspiracy theories and myths concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.

Piece Of Advice  

As witnessed around the globe, conspiracy theories create anxiety in society, making people behave irrationally to the situation. Understanding those conspiracy theories propagate most efficiently when they originate out of fear is crucial—and so does hate. Stern action against conspiracy theorists who generate fake news and complete filtering of social networking platforms can substantially help mitigate the situation from getting any muddier. 

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