MEDICAL MISINFORMAT IO
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28,000+ infected 13 Cases in U.S.
1,000+ Killed
4 Different Types
4,000+ Recovered
Information from CBS, New York Times and ABC News.
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THE ORB
Wuhan Coronavirus sparks fear, social media shows xenophobic views Over the years, numerous diseases and sicknesses have risen in a multitude of countries. When the Ebola virus first came under the public eye, fears concerning catching the virus were prevalent in many peoples minds. Recently, the Wuhan Coronavirus has picked up quite a bit of media traction, which has led to misconceptions regarding its effects and victims of the disease. On social media platforms such as “Tiktok”, for instance, numerous memes have created an outbreak of fear and concern among many. These comedic videos have illustrated the virus turning victims blood purple, which is inaccurate. In reality, the virus is as “deadly” as the common cold or the flu and only those with weak immune systems are at a major risk of being effected. “Social media has been using the Cornonavirus situation as a way to get more views on their news outlet sites,” Sophomore Sydnie Hastings said. “The news outlets use it to make more money and have blown it out of proportion in order to stir fear, which they are continuing to profit from.” In some colleges across the United States, there has been an increasing number of students who are under the impression that Asian Americans are the sole victims of this virus. With the added misinformation from social media platforms and the origin of the Coronavirus being in the city of Wuhan in Hubei, China, an increasing number of people with xenophobic tendencies have come forward. At UC Berkley, for example, a post on Twitter was made, claiming that these feelings were acceptable, which can be very misleading to the public. “Even without the introduction of the Coronavirus, there has been racial discrimination against Asians, as seen in the Chinese Excusion Act,” Sophomore Madeline Chu said. “But with this addition, Asian Americans have become isolated from opprotunities and walls are put up against them. We are all the same when it comes down to it, therefore there should be no differences.” As media coverage moves away from the Coronavirus and onto a different subject, those effected continue to face the issues faced during this time. Story by Sophia Tomlin and Bailey Lincoln.
