Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) held a telebriefing update on COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that was first seen late last year in Wuhan, China, and has since spread to dozens of countries throughout the world.
The update caused a bit of alarm, as many media outlets seized on a quote from Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, who said that Americans should “prepare in the expectation that this could be bad.”
As is the case in any outbreak, the CDC is taking the approach that it’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.
It seems to happen with the outbreak of any new virus or disease, but misinformation surrounding COVID-19 is rampant — especially on social media.
In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has put out a series of graphics on social media debunking common COVID-19 myths: you shouldn’t spray your body with chlorine, and garlic doesn’t have special COVID-19 prevention properties.
It’s understandable for people to be concerned about COVID-19, and it’s never a bad idea for the everyday person to take steps to prevent the spread of an illness.
