because the U.S. nears seven hundred,000 deaths due to COVID-19, older and excessive-risk american citizens are receiving booster shots to stave off the particularly contagious delta variant.
but across the Atlantic Ocean, in response to some social media users, the coronavirus isn't concept to be extra deadly than a run-of-the-mill flu infection.
"Norway reclassifies Covid-19: No more dangerous than average flu," reads a headline in a screenshot shared to fb on Sept. 27.
The publish collected more than 200,000 shares inside three days. an identical claims have racked up heaps of interactions on fb and Instagram, in response to CrowdTangle, a social media insights device.
The source of the headline is a Sept. 23 article from a site known as Free West Media, which describes itself as a supply of news "from a western perspective."
"Covid-19 is handled within the mass me dia as a really bad disorder," the article reads. "however in Norway, it has now been determined to treat it like different respiratory illnesses, equivalent to influenza or the bloodless virus, as a result of in keeping with the Norwegian Institute of Public fitness it is not any longer extra unhealthy than these."
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That claim is deceptive.
Norway has lifted its coronavirus restrictions amid frequent vaccination and a reduce in new daily instances. despite the fact, the Norwegian Institute of Public health has no longer reclassified the coronavirus as "no more bad than standard flu," as different truth-checkers and media outlets have pointed out. That claim distorts comments from a public health professional suggested with the aid of a Norwegian tabloid.
usa these days reached out to Free West Media and the fb consumer who shared the declare for remark.
declare distorts Norwegian public health respectable's feedbackNorway's precise public health agency has no longer likened the danger of COVID-19 to that of the flu.
Story continues
"It is not proper that the Norwegian Institute of Public health has claimed that 'Covid-19 is no greater bad than regular flu,'" Line Vold, branch director at the Norwegian Institute of Public fitness, mentioned in an announcement emailed to u . s . these days.
On Sept. 25, Norway lifted its coronavirus restrictions as new every day coronavirus infections dropped by way of more than 50% in two weeks. greater than 70% of the population is thoroughly vaccinated.
Vold referred to the claim in the Instagram publish "is probably a misinterpretation" of an interview in Verdens Gang, a Norwegian tabloid newspaper.
The headline of the Sept. 20 article, translated to English the usage of Google Translate, says "we will now evaluate the coronavirus with the flu." The newspaper cites feedback attributed to Geir Bukholm, deputy director on the Norwegian Institute of Public health.
"We at the moment are in a brand new part where we have to seem on the coronavirus as one among a couple of respiratory illnesses with seasonal adaptation, says assistant director Geir Bukholm," reads the translated article.
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That doesn't mean "disease from coronavirus and the seasonal flu are identical," Vold observed in the remark despatched to united states these days.
"Our place, as mentioned in the information article, is that at this aspect in the pandemic we should birth coming near COVID-19 as one in all several respiratory ailments circulating with seasonal model," she spoke of. "This skill that the manage measures that could be relevant for a number of respiratory ailments would require the equal degree of societal preparedness."
usa these days has debunked a number of claims that examine the severity of COVID-19 to that of influenza.
"doctors and scientists are working to estimate the mortality expense of COVID-19," Johns Hopkins drugs says on its site. "At current, it's concept to be considerably bigger – might be 10 instances or greater – than that of most strains of the flu."
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whereas there are some similarities between the viruses, COVID-19 "looks to spread greater comfortably than flu" and can be contagious for a longer length of time, in accordance with the centers for disease handle and Prevention. it can additionally "cause extra serious illnesses in some americans."
"serious COVID-19 disease leading to hospitalization and demise can happen even in healthy americans," the CDC says on its site.
Our rating: Partly falsein accordance with our research, we price PARTLY FALSE the claim that Norway has reclassified the coronavirus as "no more bad than regular flu." Norway has certainly changed the style it techniques COVID-19, and a public fitness reliable observed this potential the disorder could be dealt with in a similar fashion to different seasonal respiratory illnesses. but the health agency did not say the danger is an identical as the flu. Johns Hopkins estimates COVID-19 may well be up to ten instances greater lethal.
Our fact-examine sources:country these days, accessed Sept. 30, US COVID-19 map: monitoring cases and deaths
The big apple instances, Sept. 25, Norway lifts coronavirus restrictions after 561 days.
CrowdTangle, accessed Sept. 30
Norwegian Institute of Public fitness, Sept. 30, Emailed statement from Geir Bukholm
Reuters, accessed Sept. 30, COVID-19 Tracker: Norway
u . s . nowadays, Dec. 17, fact determine: COVID-19 is much worse than the influenza outbreaks of 1976, as meme claims
united states of america these days, Dec. 31, truth verify: post claims COVID-19 is yet another flu strain, misattributed to Cornell professor
u . s . nowadays, Oct. 6, truth check: Satirical submit falsely claims COVID-19 isn't any worse than the flu and impacts essentially no person
Google Translate, accessed Sept. 30
Verdens Gang, Sept. 20, FHI: we will now compare the coronavirus with the flu
Snopes, Sept. 30, Did Norway Reclassify COVID-19 because the Flu?
Newsweek, Sept. 29, reality check: Did Norway Reclassify COVID As Flu?
facilities for s ickness manage and Prevention, accessed Sept. 30, Similarities and transformations between Flu and COVID-19
us of a these days, Aug. 20, 2020, reality investigate: COVID-19 is deadlier than the 1918 Spanish flu and seasonal influenza
Johns Hopkins medication, Sept. 28, COVID-19 vs. the Flu
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this article in the beginning regarded on u . s . these days: fact verify: Norway hasn't 'reclassified' COVID-19 as comparable to flu
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