Coronavirus: The Infodemic - March 19

President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force, at the White House, , March 17, 2020.

Fake news about the coronavirus can do real harm. VOA and Polygraph.info are aggregating fact-checks here.

Daily Debunk

"This is a pandemic ... I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic."

- President Trump, March 17, news conference

Verdict: Misleading

Read the full story at: Factcheck.org

Social Media Disinfo​

Claim circulating on social media: It's dangerous to take ibuprofen if you have coronavirus.

Verdict:False

Read the full story: "Coronavirus and ibuprofen: Separating fact from fiction" - BBC.com

Factual Reads on Coronavirus

Coronavirus Survives on Surfaces up to 72 Hours. Here's How to Protect Yourself.
Because the virus that causes Covid-19 is, like other microbes, so durable, thoroughly washing hands after touching surfaces that anyone else might have touched — or not touching them in the first place — is the first line of defense against infection.
-- Stat, March 19

Johns Hopkins experts are learning more about the coronavirus. Here’s what they want you to know.
Researchers provide new information about the search for a vaccine, how the virus is spread, and what people can do to keep safe.
-
Baltimore Sun, March 17​

Which Groups are Most at Risk from the Coronavirus?
"Being elderly, having an underlying illness and possibly being male all increase the risk of dying from an infection with the virus"
- Scientific America, March 3

The Best Coronavirus Myth-Busting Collections

Agence France Presse

Snopes

BuzzFeed

Factcheck.org

Associated Press

Washington Post

TruthOrFiction

Reliable Coronavirus Information

World Health Organization

U.S. Centers for Disease Control

Federation of American Scientists

Emergency Physicians

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine​

Pan American Health Organization