Coronavirus: fake drug news spread - clinic and ministry appeal to the population

The corona pandemic brings a lot of uncertainty. This is what panic makers use to spread false reports. Even across national borders.

• The corona virus * keeps humanity in suspense and raises various questions.
• In the uncertain times, false reports are also spread.
• One of them focuses on a popular drug .

Munich - What is particularly dangerous about the current pandemic is the fact that relatively little is known about the new corona virus . A vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 is being researched feverishly. Otherwise, speculations predominate. For example, when it comes to the question of the infection routes and possible protective measures .

This not only opens the door to speculation. But also false reports - whether deliberately or out of ignorance. The first category clearly includes the news circulated through various social media channels and in various versions that taking the drug ibuprofen *, which helps with pain, inflammation or fever, increases the risk of infection .

Coronavirus: University Hospital Vienna is said to have "brought virus and ibuprofen together"

This was pretended to be by many users with reference to the Medical University Clinic in Vienna . For example, in this news, a woman referred to information from a friend who worked at that facility. The “virus and ibuprofen were brought together” in the laboratory - after it had previously been found that many hospital patients with severe symptoms had taken ibuprofen before they were admitted to the hospital .

The Pharmaceutical Newspaper already stated that this was not surprising, "after all, fever and body aches are typical symptoms ". In addition, the experts write that it seems "not plausible, according to which mechanism ibuprofen should accelerate the replication of a virus".

Coronavirus: Correction based on alleged research results on ibuprofen

The supposed research result was finally relegated to the realm of fables through the reaction of the University Hospital Vienna . This made it clear: "We would like to expressly point out that this is fake news that has no connection with MedUni Vienna!"

Attention, the WhatsApp text and voice messages currently circulating around alleged research results of the "Wiener Uniklinik" on a connection between Ibuprofen and Covid19 are #FakeNews, which have no connection with #MedUniWien.

There was support from the Austrian Ministry of Health . This spoke in a statement of " false reports " and appealed to the population: "Please help to stop the spread of this fake news and correct it." The important note: "Only trust the communications of the public authorities and the responsible ministries ! "

At the moment, there are increasing false reports claiming that the active ingredient ibuprofen in pain relievers increases the spread of the #Coronavirus. Please help stop the spreading of this fake news and correct it. # covid19 pic.twitter.com/XQuLI5U3e3

Coronavirus: Spahn denies report of further massive restrictions for citizens

In Germany, troublemakers also use the corona crisis in the cheapest way to scare people . Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn emphatically denied the announcement that the federal government would soon announce massive further restrictions on public life. "This and similar false information is currently unsettling many citizens, " emphasized the CDU politician: "Please help to stop it from spreading and correct it. Right now, let's stay calm and trust each other even under stress. "

A clairvoyant is said to have indicated the corona crisis more than 20 years ago. In his comment on the situation, Merkur editor-in-chief Georg Anastasiadis * calls CSU chief Markus Söder a driver in the crisis.

Germany could soon face “Italian conditions” in the pandemic. Chancellor Angela Merkel makes a huge demand in a video message.

* merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

mg