At this moment, we are in a crisis. This includes me. COVID-19 has shut off my family’s source of income, we are now reliant on the money we already have. I am just one person affected by this virus, many are suffering more. This crisis has worsened due to the spread of misinformation. Informing ourselves is one way to fight this. Thus the federal government should ban information not verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) or Center for Disease Control (CDC). False treatments are being issued, people are dying, and some don’t know how this virus spreads!
To know how to fight this virus, we must first know what it is. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease as is the flu, but this is not the flu. According to Dr. Varshavsk, a New York physician, the virus spreads 2 to 3 times faster than influenza. The flu is seasonal and through vaccination, you decrease the chance of infection by 70%. Yet many claim it’s “just the flu” and people believe it. David Icke, who started the theory that 5G caused coronavirus had his YouTube channel suspended for spreading misinformation. Companies and the government must only allow CDC or WHO verified sources of information.
Misinformation isn’t just about the cause, people are making up treatments. The most infamous is our president, who told us on live television, to inject disinfectant into our bodies. Though he later said it “was a joke on the media” the damage was done. In the state of Maryland, news channels reported spikes in cases of people injecting disinfectant. As the representative of our nation, he should not be spreading misinformation. Though the president cannot be silenced, our media should emphasize trusting the CDC/WHO as a source of information.
Some may argue, “Quarantine is against our rights!” However, in 1824, there was a similar case with Yellow Fever. The Supreme Court case Gibbons v. Odgen gave the state the power to declare quarantine. COVID-19 has over three million cases worldwide and over twenty of the states are currently protesting. That is why it is crucial to provide accurate information to the public.
Check reliable sources. Use the CDC and WHO. Some companies have taken steps to protect the public. YouTube restricted videos on conspiracy theories to prevent further panic. If you own a business, website, or newspaper, please spread the right news, the accurate news. Petition your local government to help keep your community safe and vote for a competent individual in the next presidential election. No one likes to have no source of income. Do your part in keeping our country safe. It is time to protect the people with our words and our actions.
