Misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic– and vaccines to fight it – existed long before the omicron variant arrived to the United States, but it appears to be fueling new and old claims. As scientists continue to learn more about the new strain, public health experts say the dearth of instant data is prompting some to seek out whatever scant information they can find. Others are seizing the opportunity to spread disinformation… “It is just a recycling of prior misinformation that is being fueled by something that is new and in the news,” said Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, professor of epidemiology and medicine at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. “It gives it new life.”
(USA Today) The Omicron Variant is Fueling Misinformation About COVID. Experts Explain Why and How to Spot False Claims.
