Original title: COVID- 19 IS NOT A VIRUS: WERE THE ITALIANS THE FIRST ONES TO FIND THE CURE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS?On July 8, 2020, the portal Magazin.mk published an article in which a speculative claim is made that COVID-19 is not a virus, but a thrombosis that is caused by bacteria and is treated with apsirin. The author writes: “Italian doctors did not respect the WHO Global Health Law, which recommended that autopsies should be performed on those who have died of coronavirus and found out that it was not a VIRUS, but a bacterium what causes death! It leads to blood clots and death of the patient. Thus, Italy has already won the so-called COVID-19, which is nothing more than “normal intravascular coagulation” (thrombosis). And the way to fight it, that is, treat it, is “antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and anticoagulants. Above all – ASPIRIN…”
You can find the link to the original article here.
The published article is misinformation and integrates several conspiracy theories. The theories placed in the article are not new, but are recycled. They have already circulated before on the social networks.
COVID 19 is neither thrombotic nor bacterial. This particular message has already been exposed by fact-checkers: Reuters, AP news , Africacheck.org and Faktograf.hr.
In previous attempts to spread this conspiracy theory, the following has been inserted: The WHO has identified and eliminated the global pandemic. Was the drug already known, but the WHO did not report it to the Chinese ?? As part of this manipulation, misinformation is being spread that the WHO has banned the autopsy of the dead.
The article we are analyzing misrepresents the information from the Italian research in which medical experts performed autopsy on patients with COVID-19. The study reveals that COVID-19 can cause blood clots, which can damage the lungs. The study accurately indicates that COVID-19 is a virus.
The attempt that the study was made against the WHO Global Health Law is also manipulative. The WHO does not have a global law, but offers recommendations for autopsies on the dead. According to the guidelines of those recommendations, autopsies can be performed with strict monitoring of safety measures.
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus is the cause of acute viral respiratory disease. Human-to-human transmission is possible by touch and by droplets (sneezing, coughing, etc.).
COVID-19 is not a thrombosis, but it can cause blood clots. According to Tromboza UK Medical Director Beverly Hunt, who explains this to the British Medical Journal, COVID-19 causes severe inflammation that causes the production of (protein) cytokine, which in turn enhances the production of clotting factors in the liver.
Italian scientists have indeed researched thrombosis in patients with COVID-19, but in the direction of the complications that the disease can cause.
It has long been rumored that drugs that are recommended for blood clotting are used in the treatment of severe cases of COVID-19. In this regard, it is true that Aspirin dilutes the blood. But that does in no way mean that this is the safe drug that can be bought without a prescription in any pharmacy. Scientists believe that aspirin or similar blood-thinning drugs may reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19, but they have not been described as drugs for COVID-19. There is no scientific evidence that aspirin is a drug for COVID-19.
We will also remind you of the appeals for people not to use drugs on their own initiative for COVID-19. Neither has the Italian Ministry of Health officially recommended treatment in this way.
Reporting on COVID-19 is a rather complex task, which is why the media are expected to be especially careful. In this regard, a manual was developed by AJM and the Council for Media Ethics which contains guidelines for safe and professional reporting on coronavirus. The Ministry of Health also demanded caution regarding the publication of data in the media.
The published article is an attempt at manipulation, in which several conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 are inserted. The published misinformation can contribute to misinformation of the public. Spreading misinformation during an epidemic or disease pandemic can have serious consequences.
The F2N2 team assesses this article as manipulative, sensationalistic and unprofessional.
