Last Updated on August 10, 2021 by Team THIP
Quick Take
A series of social media posts have erupted on social media claiming that the World Health Organization has said that Social distancing and masks are not required since Asymptotic corona patients no longer transmit the disease. We investigated and found that all these posts are misinterpreted from a comment made by a WHO official, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, in a press conference in June 8 where she said asymptotic Coronavirus patients do not spread the disease. BUT, on following day, she has clarified her comment saying “it was taken out of context” and emphasized on the need to wear masks. WHO also has not changed their official recommendation related to social distancing norms. Because of that, we term these claims as false.
The Claim
Multiple posts on various social media platforms claim “has taken a complete U turn and said that Corona patients neither need to be isolated nor quarantined”. Some of them use the video bytes of Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove from the press conference. Archived version of these posts can be seen here and here. Snapshots given below.
Fact Check
Did WHO give any advisory to end lockdown, stop wearing mask and stop social distancing?
WHO did not ask people to stop wearing masks. Rather WHO has upgraded their recommendation related to masks and has asked people to wear masks more. Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead expert on COVID-19, has clearly mentioned,”We are advising governments to encourage that the general public wears a mask. And we specify a fabric mask – that is, a non-medical mask.”
Has WHO mentioned that Asymptotic patients do not need to maintain social distancing or wear masks?
Dr. Kerkhove in a Press Conference on June 8 had initially said, “It actually seems rare that an asymptomatic person actually transmits (novel coronavirus) onward to a secondary individual.”
BUT, later in a LIVE session in June 9 she clarified that the sentence was taken out of context. Rather she emphasized on the need to wear masks citing that even Asymptotic patients can spread the disease. The recording of the session can be seen in the tweet video below.
Also, as on 17th July, 2020, WHO has not given any official statement or changed its recommendation related to relaxing social distancing norms.
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