Two videos are currently being shared on Facebook in which a woman passes on numerous allegations and supposed information to her audience in German, with repeated requests to share the video. Mimikama does the fact check!
Note: The videos have been embedded at the end of this article!
1. Statement of the video: According to the lady in the video, a 4-month-old child was admitted to the hospital suffering from a high fever and died a short time later.
Fact check: Despite an extensive search, it was not possible to find out whether a 4-month-old child died of Corona in Italy. Since no more precise information was given in the video about how and where this death occurred, an exact fact check is not possible. In fact, Italy has suffered the most deaths from Covid-19 in the world; the number of deaths rose to 3,405 since the beginning of the epidemic on February 21, 2020 by Thursday, March 19, 2020.
2. What the video says: If fever occurs, children and adults should immediately take fever-reducing medication and call the relevant hotline.
Fact check: From a biological point of view, fever is a defense mechanism of the body to combat unwanted pathogens. Since bacteria and viruses multiply more poorly at high body temperatures, the body can take better action against them. An actual fever occurs when the temperature is measured at 38 degrees.
It must be noted at this point that Mimikama does not provide medical advice, which is why the fact check about the effectiveness of various fever-reducing agents will not be continued here.
If a child or adult develops a fever, the responsible Corona hotline should be called and if the temperature is above 39 degrees, the normal rescue service can also be contacted. Not every fever is a sign of the Corona virus, but can also be a “normal flu”. Nevertheless, it is better to call the hotline or the doctor to find out more!
In any case, it does not make sense to take medication randomly without consulting a doctor first, especially in the case of children and prescription medications.
3. Statement of the video: You should not buy disinfectants from DM and Rossmann
Fact Check: Although demand remains high, disinfectant can be purchased at some grocery stores, drugstores, and pharmacies. Since the video does not go into detail as to why disinfectants should not be purchased from these two stores in particular, it can only be stated that DM and Rossmann only have a range that is almost identically available in all drugstores and pharmacies.
4. Statement of the video: The video recommends buying Chlorex, spirit (window cleaner) and Aqua Ossigenata.
Fact check: First of all, it should be noted that Aqua Ossigenata is sold in Germany as hydrogen peroxide.
If you divide the recommendation into cleaning the skin and cleaning clothes, it is clear that applying Chlorex and alcohol (the video even mentions window cleaner) is not healthy. On the contrary, both agents have a high pH content and are not used to remove viruses from the skin. Every bottle of window cleaner and chlorine cleaner usually contains a note about skin intolerance.
Such drastic measures are not necessary as normal soap and disinfectants remove the virus from the skin. Please pay attention to the package leaflet and the instructions on the back of the soap and disinfectant packaging.
Cleaning clothes with Chlorex and alcohol is also completely excessive. Clothes in private households can be washed in the washing machine at 40 degrees using any commercially available detergent. The washing machine should be idle at 60 degrees once a week to avoid viral and bacterial deposits inside the washing machine.
According to infectiologist Heinz Burgmann from MedUni Vienna, the risk of infection from clothing is already very low.
The Corona virus is a so-called enveloped virus, which means that the envelope is destroyed upon contact with soap and the virus is no longer infectious from this point on. Therefore, cleaning with soap is completely sufficient. Please refer to our article regarding cleaning
5. Message from the video: Shoes and clothing must be removed before entering the apartment.
Fact check: The University Hospital in Ulm has actually recommended that risk groups take off their shoes before entering the apartment, but this is recommended for hygiene reasons anyway.
As already mentioned above, the risk of infection from clothing is very low if the wearer does not work in a healthcare profession or is constantly in direct contact (nurse, paramedic, doctor, etc.) with Corona patients. By maintaining sufficient physical distance and washing your hands frequently, the risk of infection is largely averted. The message in the video is only partially correct, shoes should be taken off, taking off clothes is excessive and not necessary.
6. Statement of the video: 80% of all information shared on Facebook is untrue and the remaining 20% that is true are deleted.
Fact check: In fact, the spread of false reports and scaremongering, especially via social media, has increased. The problem is that virtually anyone can claim to be an expert and spread crude theories on the Internet. Both the Austrian and German Interior and Health Ministries have warned against fake reports on the Internet and appealed to both populations to treat information from the Internet that does not come from official bodies with caution and, if you are unsure, to ask official bodies instead.
The rate of 80% to 20% cannot of course be proven, but from Mimikama's point of view it can be stated that the spreading of false reports is currently very popular. Why and by whom the supposedly “20% true reports” are deleted is not explained in detail in the video, but this can clearly be classified as untrue.
7. Statement of the video: The virus is also transmitted by the wind. You should therefore only leave the house with a mask and sunglasses.
Fact check: In most cases, coronaviruses are transmitted via droplet infections, but in some cases also via contact and smear infections. A droplet infection is possible via all mucous membranes, including noses, mouths, eyes, ears and all body openings.
Transmission by wind over long distances has not been proven or proven. According to scientific consensus, the coronavirus was spread primarily through droplet and smear infections. In the classic case, people do not wash their hands after coming into contact with the virus, but instead touch their mouth, nose or eyes.
According to the Science Media Center Germany, wearing respiratory masks is only slightly effective against infection. Ventilating the inside of the mask creates condensed breathing air, which removes the protection of the mask after approx. 20 minutes. Normal face masks are not intended to prevent viruses anyway and medical-grade masks are very expensive, even as individual pieces, and are only intended for medical staff. It should also be noted at this point that measures such as keeping sufficient distance, washing hands and reporting symptoms in a timely manner are much more effective than wearing respiratory masks and sunglasses.
8. Message of the video: Pacifiers should be left at home and strollers should be covered.
Fact check: According to the Robert Koch Institute, risk groups for the coronavirus are primarily older people, people with immunodeficiency or other previous illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, severe asthma, etc.
There is no increased risk for pregnant women and children; although they can also become infected, the course of the disease is statistically mild and not life-threatening. In principle, the distance and hygiene rules still apply to small children. It is therefore not recommended to bring small children in strollers into crowds or other risky places. The reverse also applies here: the infection in the child could be so mild that it is not noticeable, but still lead to infections in potentially high-risk patients.
With regard to pacifiers, the Austrian Society for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine recommends that pacifiers be boiled regularly, but not in the dishwasher.
The video's statement that shopping should be done without children is fundamentally correct, but both the pacifier and the stroller cover claims are completely exaggerated if distance rules and hygiene measures are adhered to.
9. What the video says: The virus stays on the ground for 9 hours.
Fact check: At this point we refer to our fact check entitled: The lifespan of the coronavirus on surfaces!
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In the meantime, a second video from the same lady has appeared, which is why the fact check will be continued chronologically at this point.
The first video starts off talking about the death of a 4 month old baby, the second video (for fact checking order) talks about mixing disinfectants. Since some statements were repeated congruently, this fact check will only address new or differentiated statements.
10. What the video says: Mix alcohol and hydrogen peroxide in a 1:1 ratio and disinfect your hands with it after washing your hands.
Fact check:
The products mentioned are NOT intended to treat viruses or bacteria on the skin. In any case, mixing chemical liquids yourself is not recommended; instead, you should use normal soap from the drugstore or grocery store. If too highly concentrated agent is used, under certain circumstances this can lead to chemical burns or skin irritations. Use on children can also lead to health problems if they subsequently touch their eyes or other mucous membranes. The cleaning agents mentioned are only used to clean surfaces, at this point we would like to refer you again to our article!
11. What the video says: The virus remains in the air for up to 9 days and on the ground for up to 9 hours.
Fact check:
This statement is false. In tests in the laboratory (it is questionable to what extent this would work in the real world), the virus persisted on plastic and stainless steel for up to 3 days and in the air for up to three hours. For more information, see “The lifespan of the coronavirus on surfaces!”
13. Message of the video: There are no funerals in Italy, cemeteries are closed. The bodies are collected in churches.
Fact check:
In fact, so many people have died in Italy that the crematoriums cannot keep up with the burning of the victims. Especially in the Lombardy area, which is the hardest hit, the coffins are distributed in the surrounding area by military transport vehicles. Further information can be found at: “ Italy: Military transports bodies from Bergamo! “
According to a report by Focus and kirche-und-leben.de, even in Bergamo, funerals take place in the closest family circle (without the public) and in compliance with strict hygiene measures.
Since the video does not mention where the lady lives, the fact check for this region cannot be clearly carried out, although it should be noted that Bergamo is considered the epicenter of the epidemic in Italy.
14. What the video says: There are two forms of the virus.
Fact check: Basically, the entire statement is not entirely comprehensible. The virus does not exist in different forms. Statistically speaking, the virus just has different effects depending on the person who is sick. Covid-19 usually starts with fever, cough, shortness of breath, in short, classic flu symptoms. In contrast to the “classic” flu, in rare cases there are also headaches, body aches and the urge to sneeze. The cough is usually dry and fever symptoms increase slowly and remain constant over a period of about ten days. Around 80% of those affected only experience mild symptoms, some so insignificant that their existence goes unnoticed, especially in children and young women. This statement in the video tends to be incorrect because the virus does not have two forms, but rather has a stronger or weaker effect on the sick person depending on the course of the disease.
Summary and Conclusion (Please read)
Mimikama would like to point out at this point that the lady in the video certainly gives the impression that she is worried about the Corona epidemic, which is why, despite this fact check, we would like to emphasize that any hate comments should be rejected. These have already been posted numerous times under the respective videos. Much of the information in the videos is partly correct, some of it is not, especially that about cleaning the skin and the lifespan of the virus.
Such videos are difficult when they imply that the truth is being concealed and that “they” (whoever “they are in Germany”) are not telling the population the truth or that the “truth” is being suppressed or deleted.
It should also be emphasized that the lady in the video is wearing gloves, a breathing mask and sunglasses, but she still repeatedly touches her face and ears, making an infection very likely if she actually came into contact with the virus.
It provides a vivid representation of how often a person unconsciously touches their face, especially in stressful and distracting situations.
We would also like to strongly advise our readers not to trust information that is not published by officially verified bodies, as these often cause more harm than good, even if they are well-intentioned, as in these videos.
The two videos are available for viewing
References:
Fever in children
Novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
Corona – take ibuprofen or not?
Fever
Uncertainty caused by ibuprofen reports
How harmful is chlorine for the skin?
Coronavirus: Why garbage and clothing are not infectious
"Swimming in chlorinated water helps against coronavirus" - Fact check
Coronavirus Listen now
Coronavirus: This is how you now have to pay attention to hygiene in the household
How can individuals prepare for a COVID-19 pandemic?
Special risks caused by coronavirus What you need to pay attention to when doing sports Is
there a coronavirus danger on door handles and table tops?
Suck carefully: The pacifier must not be a plug
What is a 'novel' coronavirus?
Older, weak, sick people: These people belong to the coronavirus risk group.
Together against the coronavirus.
The most important information and how we protect ourselves. Most dead in Italy “We go to the slaughterhouse ourselves”: Doctors in the Corona epicenter Bergamo despair
Because of the virus: No public church services throughout Italy
Coronavirus – symptoms, course, treatment
The typical symptoms of the coronavirus
Infection & illness At a glance: The facts about the coronavirus
Author: Alexander Herberstein
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )

