The COVID-19 pandemic has gripped the world, halting everyday lives as restrictions are in place to curb the further spread. It has been over a year since the COVID-19 epidemic was declared a pandemic, and now we are facing a more serious crisis in the second wave. While efforts to curb the further spread and saving lives of those infected are on, several false claims go viral on social media, spreading misinformation about the already lesser-known virus. Tweets have gone viral on the internet with screenshots of an article that claims that the ongoing pandemic was planned. The viral claim states that a testing method for COVID-19 was patented by Richard Rothschild in 2015 with a Dutch government organisation. Is it true? Here’s the truth you must know before falling prey to any misinformation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

What’s the viral claim? Several tweets have surfaced on the internet claiming that in 2015, a ‘System and Method for Testing for COVID-19’ was patented by Richard Rothschild, with a Dutch government organisation. It portrays that four years, even before the virus was known, a testing method for COVID-19 was developed. COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment Can Be Booked Through WhatsApp? PIB Fact Check Reveals The Truth Behind Viral Image. 

Check Tweets:

The Pandemic Was Planned?

Vaccine Passports Were Planned Before COVID-19 Pandemic?

The viral tweets are supported by screenshots of an article that was fact-checked by many media outlets, including Reuters last year. The same claims went viral in 2020, months after the outbreak was declared a pandemic. According to the World Bank, the page used in the article in question was created in April 2020 to make it easier to find all the previously existing products currently being used for COVID-19 testing. So, you can understand why this might have caused some confusion. The chemical products listed on the site have had other uses for many years, and the World Bank re-categorised it to ease the tracking of items that are particularly important to tackle the coronavirus.

The World Bank further clarified that in light of misinterpretations, the “labeling in the WITS site has been updated to reflect the reality: COVID-19 tests did not exist before 2020.” The article further added, what was labelled on WITS as a “COVID-19 Test Kit” is now labelled on the WITS COVID section as “Medical Tests.”

In times of a global crisis, misinformation creates panic and makes it even more challenging to address the ongoing issues. Before believing in such claims, it is advisable to research or follow only authentic resources. Now that you know the truth, we urge you to spread the information to everyone you know.

Fact check

COVID-19 Testing System Patented in 2015 by Richard Rothschild? Viral Tweets Claiming the Pandemic Is Planned Is Fake, Know the Truth
Claim :

Richard Rothschild Did Patent Test for COVID-19 in 2015

Conclusion :

The viral tweets are supported by screenshots of an article that contains a list was created in April 2020 to make it easier to find all the previously existing products currently being used for COVID-19 testing. The World Bank clarified the same last year.

Full of Trash
Clean

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 16, 2021 04:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).