‘Myths stating that coronavirus does not exist or is no different than the flu, or that you need to go to the sauna or drink something stronger to protect yourself from the virus are damaging. People are not safe, they go to places of mass concentration, the numbers of infections are increasing, hospitals are more burdened. Both financial losses and workloads for medics are increasing, ‘ said Tomas Čeponis, an analyst of the Strategic Communication Department of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

Coronavirus as a tool of authoritarian states to spread lies
‘People should not get the impression that all myths and lies are created artificially or that it all happens by itself and the myths are created by random people. People are curious, they are interested in various things,’ said the specialist.

‘Offices of authoritarian states working with information operations have realized that the coronavirus is a great opportunity to create myths, conspiracy theories, messages that would spread disinformation and propaganda,’ explained T. Čeponis.

‘It is not difficult to understand how certain incorrect information relates to one state or another. It is enough to join the propaganda programs of Russian television, which explains that the virus was created in the United States, and the name came from the fact that the American President once held beauty contests and gave crowns to the winners. Many myths are broadcast on television channels viewed by millions of people,’ he said.

When asked what causes the rapid spread of false news, the specialist highlighted the changed information age, social networks and anonymity.

‘False information spreads four times faster than serious scientific facts. Also, thinking seems to be difficult, it requires strength. It is easier to believe a myth or conspiracy theory than to read a scientific article.

The changed information age also allows lies to spread faster. If we go back to the days of traditional media, a newspaper could print fake news only once. It would then go to court, call the editor, who would be responsible for it. Social networks and anonymity are also helpful in spreading false news,’ explained Čeponis.

He believes that anonymity is a challenge for the future, and information is one of the sectors of power whose sluggish regulation is significant for states pursuing certain negative goals.

‘Such states as Russia, China or North Korea have realized that the information space, which has been greatly strengthened by the global Internet field, allows them to disseminate information in enormous amounts for their own purposes and thus weaken other countries,’ T. Čeponis pointed out.

Masks protect against coronavirus and the virus exists
It ca be often heard, that coronavirus does not exist at all. Immunologist Aurelija Žvirblienė calls such information a myth and says that the existence of the virus is clearly visible in the laboratory.

‘If people cannot see or smell the virus, it is very difficult to prove that it exists. Viruses are too small to be detected, smelled, but there is clear scientific evidence that such a virus exists. In addition, it is a completely different virus than the flu, because its genome is different. The virus can be seen under an electron microscope, so there is no doubt in the world of science that it exists. However, some people do not believe this,’ the immunologist noted.

‘Lies and myths are popular when they contain a drop of truth,’ emphasized A. Žvirblienė. For example, the myth that the virus is more dangerous to the elderly is partly true, as young people and children often do not experience such severe complications. But this does not mean that young people can walk and spread the virus as they have parents and grandparents that can get infected from them too.

There are also opinions claiming that the virus enters the body through eyes and ears, not through the mouth or nose.

‘We know that the virus gets to our bodies through the airways, but it can also get through our eyes. If a person who is sick scratches their nose or mouth and then touches the surface, and then another person touches it, touches his or her eye, it is possible to get infected. It is definitely not possible for the virus to pass through skin or ears, ‘ explained A. Žvirblienė.

Do masks protect against the virus, or maybe just against fines?
The immunologist confirmed that masks help to protect us against the virus, and the initial position of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the questionable effectiveness of masks is a communication error.

‘It was the position of the World Health Organization, which changed later. There is a great deal of credible scientific evidence showing that masks help, but at the very beginning the message was different. It was a communication problem. It is possible to understand why it is difficult for people to remember all the changing rules,’ she said.

‘When there is a new situation and a lot of information, and there are many limitations in our lives, it is natural for people to look for alternative sources of information. In this case, however, I strongly urge everyone to trust only the information provided by official authorities. It is evaluated by scientists and specialists; therefore, it is worth following their advices,’ said the Minister of the Interior Rita Tamašunienė.

Information of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania