FACTCHECK: WHO has not declared any protocol for COVID-19 lockdown

Guwahati: Coronavirus pandemic has led to an outburst in the number of forwarded messages we receive on a daily basis. These messages are too much in sync with what we fear or believe, hence, we end up trusting it. One such viral message doing the rounds on social media is that of WHO protocols or procedures during the lockdown, which is fake.

It chalks out an elaborate plan which the government will follow for controlling the deadly virus and matches with the series of events that have unfolded in India so far.

WHO in a tweet clearly said, “Messages being circulated on social media as WHO protocol for lockdown are baseless and FAKE. WHO does NOT have any protocols for lockdowns.”

The forward speaks of a 1-day trial lockdown on March 22, which was the 1 day Janata Curfew in India. Then a three-week lockdown which is currently underway.

Further, it fuels the fear that the lockdown will be extended, and go on till June with certain relaxations in between.

PIB factcheck has also declared the forward as “fake”. It said, “Claim : A so-called circular, said to be from WHO is floating around on whatsapp, saying that it has announced a lockdown schedule.

Fact: @WHO has already tweeted it as #Fake.”

We, at EastMojo, request you to trust news related to COVID-19 only from reliable media houses and government verified sources.