A recent urban myth has been spreading on social media, which wrongfully asserts that the use of cocaine can help to cure the coronavirus or prevent people from coming down with it.
Per a recent report by the British news website The Independent, the misinformation regarding the coronavirus have gotten so widespread this week that the French government has been forced to issue an official statement denying cocaine's effectiveness.
Be safe, be aware, and watch this video on how you can spot the early symptoms of the coronavirus:In a statement posted on its official Twitter account, the French Ministry of Social Affairs and Health tweeted: "No, cocaine does NOT protect against Covid-19. It is an addictive drug that causes serious side effects and is harmful to people's health."
According to the Evening Standard, in the UK, the National Health Service has also responded to false news by highlighting a fake Twitter account it had suspended.
The fake account posed as the official twitter of a hospital in Andover, Hampshire, and posted a number of inaccurate tweets alleging that patients who had contracted the coronavirus had recently been admitted.
In an official statement, NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: “Ensuring the public has easy access to accurate NHS advice however they search for it, not only will support people to take the right action but will also help the country’s response to coronavirus."
He continued: "The NHS has already been battling coronavirus fake news, from working to take down false Twitter accounts to speaking out against misleading treatments being promoted by homeopaths online."
He added: "It’s right that social media platforms and search engines take any action so they can help ensure the public are directed to NHS advice first."
