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Saturday 3 OctOber 2020
Misinformation spikes as Trump confirms COVID-19 diagnosis

Continued from Front virus from Trump during the
debate. Biden and his wife
Misinformation was not tested negative Friday for
only promoted in the fringe the virus.
spheres of the internet but "Individual citizens shouldn't
by everyday social media amplify any speculation,"
users as well, said Shane Cirone said. "Nefarious ac-
Creevy, head of editorial tors are banking on the
at Kinzen, an Ireland-based (likelihood) that citizens will
company that works to be very concerned about
monitor misinformation on- this and accidentally
line. spread fake news."
"The conspiracy part of In perhaps a sign of what's
the internet is like outside to come, state-backed
the mainstream, but even Russian television channel
among regular users we are RT tweeted a story sug-
seeing quite a lot of crazy gesting that Biden's pro-
thinking pushed out there longed coughing from the
from people who should debate raised concerns for
know better," Creevy said. the former vice president
Other social media us- after Trump's test. In the
ers were suggesting that last presidential election,
Trump's diagnosis is a hoax Russia launched an online
aimed at generating sym- The White House is shown Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, in Washington. misinformation campaign
pathy among voters or Associated Press with bogus social media
even getting out of the "Is Trump faking COVID to this is a disaster is because or appearing ill to prema- accounts that aimed to
next presidential debate avoid narcissistic injury of there are no trusted infor- turely claim that they have sway U.S. voters' opinions
against Democratic presi- losing the election?" one mation sources remaining tested positive for the virus. in the race, and there are
dential nominee Joe Biden. Twitter user asked in a post that have not been under- In fact, social media users signs that the Kremlin is at it
That speculation shows up retweeted more than 4,000 mined by the president," he have already employed a again.
in Facebook comments on times Friday morning. said. similar strategy when they Watts said Russian-backed
news stories about Trump. Clint Watts, a disinforma- The news is also ripe for shared video clips of Biden accounts are mostly only
"It is a lie," one Facebook tion expert with the Foreign foreign and domestic in- coughing during an event trolling the president and
user wrote on a TV news Policy Research Institute, ternet instigators to exploit in Pennsylvania on Wednes- the White House so far, but
network's post about published a report in July in a disinformation cam- day to suggest he was they are just getting started
Trump, calling it a "Strategy describing one or both of paign, and opens the door sick. The video resurfaced — especially given that the
to not debate Biden any- the candidates contract- for people to unwittingly again — getting more than president has only begun
more." ing COVID-19 as a scenario spread misinformation, said 160,000 views on Twitter by his quarantine.
Similar posts making the for prompting an onslaught Cirone, the Cornell profes- Friday morning — with so- "They are going to position
groundless claim were of disinformation in the sor. She predicted that in- cial media users suggesting all sorts of conspiracies or
shared hundreds or thou- campaign. ternet users will share video that Biden either infected amplify American conspir-
sands of times online. "The biggest reason why clips of politicians coughing Trump or had caught the acies," Watts said.q

How long could I be contagious before a positive virus test?

By The Associated Press comes back negative -- could
How long could I be conta- they still be contagious?
gious before a positive virus Maybe.
test? A negative test within less than
Studies have shown that peo- seven days after exposure
ple may be contagious for "is a very, very poor indica-
about two days before devel- tor of whether you have virus
oping COVID-19 symptoms. on board," said Dr. Alan Wells
In fact, right before develop- of the University of Pittsburgh
ing symptoms is when people Medical Center.
are likely the most contagious, Some tests are less accurate
said Dr. Werner Bischoff, an in- than others, and you have to
fectious disease specialist at factor in the incubation pe-
Wake Forest University. riod, he said.
People who never develop A negative test between sev-
symptoms can spread infec- en and 10 days of exposure is
tion, too. That's a problem a better indicator, Wells said,
because many people would but even then some people
never seek testing unless they might not test positive until
developed symptoms or knew later.
they'd been exposed. "That is why if you have had a
But there's a more complicat- credible exposure, you should
ed part to this question: What wear a mask and you should
if someone knows they were self-quarantine if there's any
exposed but their virus test question," he said.q