Snowmen against Putin, Netanyahu’s chatbot and Kim Jong-un’s fake vaccine
Welcome to the Infodemic. We are tracking how disinformation surrounding the coronavirus crisis is reshaping our lives. Below are the narratives, both real and fake, that have grabbed our attention and deserve yours.
Earlier this month, Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei ordered his government to spurn Western-made vaccines, prompting Iran’s Red Crescent to cancel its order of 150,000 Pfizer shots. The decision caused outrage across the country, with opposition leaders condemning it as irresponsible. But now an open letter, signed by 2,500 doctors and academics, has surfaced in support of the government. The letter, published by Iran’s state media agencies, contains fake claims, including that mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer’s “cause unknown and possibly irreversible side-effects.” It turns out that some of the signatories are fake too. The fact-checking site Fact Nameh says some of the names don’t even show up on the medical register, while others are notorious conspiracy theorists and purveyors of unproven traditional medicine.
“If you know someone who is nervous about getting vaccinated, send me their name and number,” Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Facebook followers last week. “Maybe they’ll get a surprise phone call from me – I’ll convince them.” Netanyahu encouraged his followers to give him their relatives’ details using his chatbot, which automatically replies to people who message him. Facebook removed the video, saying it broke its privacy rules, and temporarily blocked the bot.
Ecuadorian police have shut down a fake medical center in Quito, after it gave out 70,000 fake Covid-19 vaccines to local patients. The secret operation masqueraded as a “slimming massage spa,” and its owner told reporters that he was just giving out “vitamins and serums to boost the immune system.” Authorities seized boxes and boxes of the fake vaccines, which had been administered in three doses, costing $15 each. According to local media, neighbors were upset when the police closed the business. One man told Ecuador’s El Comercio: “I got sick with Covid-19 and the doctor saved me. I believe the Virgin protects him.” Ecuador has so far recorded almost 10,000 Covid deaths, and just began its real vaccine rollout, with the first shipment from Pfizer arriving last week.