Coronavirus: Here’s who to trust as concern rises over disease – leader comment

Our advice about the Covid-19 coronavirus is simple: don’t panic, trust the experts, seek out reputable sources of information like the NHS website, and don’t believe conspiracy theorists or social media influencers with an over-inflated ego.
Coronavirus has spread to a number of countries around the world (Picture: Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)Coronavirus has spread to a number of countries around the world (Picture: Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)
Coronavirus has spread to a number of countries around the world (Picture: Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)

When Dr Li Wenliang tried to warn other health staff about the outbreak of deadly coronavirus in China on 30 December, he was summoned by local police and told to sign a letter saying he had been “making false comments” and “spreading rumours”. Days later, Dr Li started coughing, then developed a fever and, earlier this month, he died of the disease, sparking outrage over the initial attempt by the authorities to suppress his expert opinion.

If you live in a one-party state, there are sometimes reasons to believe ‘conspiracy theories’ because it’s hard to trust the people in power.

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However, in a democracy, where doctors and scientists are free to pursue the truth – as Dr Li tried to do – without fear of political interference, the conspiracy theorists are the ones to distrust.

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Coronavirus: Gathering in large numbers could be banned in Scotland, top medic w...

Social media ‘influencers’ peddling bogus ‘cures’ because of an over-inflated view of their own opinion, or just for the clicks and likes, or because they deliberately want to spread disinformation are a scourge of the modern world – and never more so in serious, potentially life-threatening situations.

The World Health Organisation’s website now has a special ‘myth busters’ page debunking a host of fake news about the Covid-19 coronavirus. For example, it stresses there is “no evidence” that rinsing your nose with saline or eating garlic is effective against the disease and that antibiotics do not work because this is a virus, not bacteria.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, has now said large gatherings of people could be banned as part of efforts to contain the disease if a cluster of cases is found, as has already happened in Italy where football games have been played behind closed doors and church services have been cancelled.

Some people might object to such measures, while others might go to the opposite extremes and start loudly making unreasonable demands.

It really should not need to be said but it feels like it must be – no one should panic and no one should show contempt for the advice of genuine experts.

Instead, we must put our faith in the advice from the NHS, safe in the knowledge that its doctors and staff have our best interests at heart. Sometimes we all have to do what we are told by those who know better than we do.