Published 18:00 IST, April 21st 2020
Fact Check: Are the 16 COVID-19 tips by a doctor of Ganga Ram Hospital authentic?
A new message is circulating on WhatsApp that talks about the 16 COVID-19 tips shared by a doctor of Ganga Ram Hospital. Republic TV did a fact check.
- Fact-Check News
- 3 min read
Reported by: Surabhi Sabat
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Claim: 16 Coronavirus tips by a doctor of Ganga Ram Hospital to stay safe from the virus
Rating: Unverified
What is the rumour about?
- The WhatsApp message stating 16 Coronavirus prevention tips by a doctor of Ganga Ram Hospital has recently been doing the rounds.
- The tips state some stringent actions to be followed to prevent coronavirus. According to the message, the coronavirus won't go away completely so people must avoid travelling abroad for 2 years, not opt food delivery for 1 year, not take part in any gatherings for at least a year, stay away from people who cough, eat vegetarian food, be careful inside a barbershop or a beauty parlour, along with many other tips so as to keep the coronavirus at bay.
Image courtesy: WhatsApp forwards
Who started the rumour?
- Social media forwards especially WhatsApp messenger.
- Over 100 doctors and paramedics were put under quarantine at the Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi in the first week on April 2020. This happened after two of its patients who tested negative had suddenly tested positive for COVID-19.
- Ganga Ram Hospital is a known hospital in Delhi which tests for COVID-19.
Republic World did a fact check
- Republic World did a fact check about the 16 coronavirus tips that were shared by a doctor of Ganga Ram Hospital and the tips shared on WhatsApp message were found to be unofficial and baseless.
- No doctors or any officials from Ganga Ram Hospital has released any such stringent Coronavrius prevention tips as of now.
- Most of the points that are mentioned in the viral WhatsApp message are anyhow not accessible to people in India because many parts of the country are still under stringent lockdown till May 3, 2020.
- As far as travelling abroad is concerned, we still don't have an official statement by the Government bodies as of yet. There is no such rule on international travel bans for 2 years, as currently no individual (except special cases) is being allowed to travel even via railway or airways as of yet.
- The "eating food from outside" bit is also wrong as the function is not barred by the government for a year. Moreover, food delivery services are amongst the ones which come under essential services.
- There is no such official advice on preferring vegetarian food; however, in many places in India, meat and other non-vegetarian options now have limited availability.
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Updated 18:00 IST, April 21st 2020