{"id":2334,"date":"2021-12-02T14:26:57","date_gmt":"2021-12-02T13:26:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/2021\/12\/02\/facebook-post-wrongly-suggests-variants-are-fake-revealed-to-keep-the-fear-going-politifact\/"},"modified":"2021-12-02T14:26:57","modified_gmt":"2021-12-02T13:26:57","slug":"facebook-post-wrongly-suggests-variants-are-fake-revealed-to-keep-the-fear-going-politifact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/2021\/12\/02\/facebook-post-wrongly-suggests-variants-are-fake-revealed-to-keep-the-fear-going-politifact\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook post wrongly suggests variants are fake, revealed to &#039;keep the fear going&#039; &#8211; PolitiFact"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"cfbc967f0983488262956e73eca9483a\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3859091246952232\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- blok -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3859091246952232\" data-ad-slot=\"1334354390\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n<\/div>\n<p> Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. <br \/>We need your help. <br \/> <a href=\"\/membership\/\" class=\"m-disruptor-content__link\">More Info<\/a> <br \/>There are thousands of coronavirus variants, but most never become dominant strains.&nbsp;<br \/>Scientists and public health agencies focus on those variants that pose higher risks to global health. Currently, the World Health Organization lists five &ldquo;variants of concern.&rdquo;<br \/>The omicron and other coronavirus variants are not fake, planned, or being systematically revealed one at a time solely to &ldquo;keep the fear going,&rdquo; as one widespread Facebook post suggested. The COVID-19 pandemic is not a hoax.<br \/>Social media users are sharing a misleading post that claims public health agencies have thousands of fake COVID-19 variants lined up and are revealing them one by one to stoke fear.<br \/>The <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/2YFKK\">Facebook post<\/a> is the latest version of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/dec\/16\/lie-year-coronavirus-downplay-and-denial\/\">conspiracy theories<\/a> about the coronavirus being planned, or faked, or a hoax. It follows similar internet rumors that claimed, also falsely, that the name of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2021\/nov\/29\/omicron-and-other-coronavirus-variants-what-you-ne\/\">new omicron variant<\/a> is evidence that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/nov\/30\/viral-image\/new-coronavirus-variant-named-letter-greek-alphabe\/\">pandemic is a hoax<\/a>, and that the variant was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/nov\/30\/facebook-posts\/no-omicron-variant-was-not-timed-distract-ghislain\/\">timed to distract<\/a> from the sex trafficking trial of Ghislaine Maxwell.<br \/>\u00ab\u00a0Don\u2019t be fooled by the next \u2018Variant,\u2019 the <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/2YFKK\">Nov. 28 post says<\/a>. \u00ab\u00a0There are actually 1000\u2019s of them. They just will pick the next one to keep the fear going.\u00a0\u00bb<br \/>The post was flagged as part of Facebook\u2019s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/help\/1952307158131536?helpref=related\">partnership with Facebook<\/a>.)\u00a0<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.politifact.com\/politifact\/photos\/Screen_Shot_2021-12-01_at_5_09_58_PM.png\" \/><br \/><em>A Nov. 27 Facebook post wrongly suggested that the COVID-19 variants are fake and systematically revealed to stoke fear.<\/em><br \/>The post includes an altered image that shows the face of the White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci on the body of Dr. Evil, the villain in the \u00ab\u00a0Austin Powers\u00a0\u00bb movie franchise, whom the post depicts as making an air-quotes gesture with his hands around the word \u00ab\u00a0variant.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0<br \/>The post also shows a screenshot of a <a href=\"https:\/\/nextstrain.org\/ncov\/gisaid\/global?fbclid=IwAR0U8dnI10Z9dXZDAQttWmlO74I02zdDU_pTRpvbDQU5lIGoLzN9O1JpK0E\">visualization<\/a> from Nextstrain, an open-source bioinformatics project run by a team of researchers.<br \/>But in a statement to PolitiFact, Nextstrain said the post is an example of its charts being distorted by \u00ab\u00a0a few people who want to interpret them to further their misinformation claims.\u00a0\u00bb<br \/>The post makes it sound like public health officials are sitting on a long list of fake variants and announcing new ones every time fears about the others subside. That\u2019s not the case.<br \/>There are thousands of COVID-19 variants in existence, as is to be expected with any virus that mutates. But that doesn\u2019t mean omicron and the other named variants that public health agencies have sounded alarms about are fake or planned. The variants that get elevated in this way are not selected at random or \u00ab\u00a0to keep the fear going,\u00a0\u00bb experts said.<br \/>Viruses, including the one that causes COVID-19, can evolve over time.<br \/><em><strong>RELATED VIDEO<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<a id=\"see-figure-2-on-politifactcom\"><\/a><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YaRxwe__JPQ\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe><br \/>A <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/yYNv5\">variant of the coronavirus<\/a> is one that differs from the original strain that emerged in Wuhan, China. The changes arise via random mutations, especially when circulating at high rates.<br \/>The <a href=\"https:\/\/nextstrain.org\/ncov\/gisaid\/global?fbclid=IwAR0U8dnI10Z9dXZDAQttWmlO74I02zdDU_pTRpvbDQU5lIGoLzN9O1JpK0E\">chart<\/a> featured in the Facebook post \u00ab\u00a0plots the data we have on SARS-CoV-2 genetic code sequences over time,\u00a0\u00bb Nextstrain said in its statement. \u00ab\u00a0It&rsquo;s a little like a virus family tree.\u00a0\u00bb<br \/>But while there are thousands of coronavirus variants, most fade out over time or <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/3VPvp\">never become widespread<\/a> strains, so they are not concerning in the context of the pandemic.<br \/>\u00ab\u00a0New variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are detected every week,\u00a0\u00bb Johns Hopkins Medicine\u2019s Dr. Stuart Ray added in an <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/wip\/4Yuv6\">article on the university\u2019s website<\/a>. \u00ab\u00a0Most come and go.\u00a0\u00bb<br \/>Public health agencies like the <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/wip\/pFttf\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/yYNv5\">World Health Organization<\/a> monitor mutations and watch for changes that could make evolving strains more transmissible, dangerous, or resistant to testing, vaccines and treatments.\u00a0<br \/>Broadly speaking, the agencies designate variants as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2021\/nov\/29\/omicron-and-other-coronavirus-variants-what-you-ne\/\">\u00ab\u00a0variants of concern\u00a0\u00bb<\/a> when there is observed evidence that the variants behave this way. The agencies label variants as <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/pFttf#anchor_1632158885160\">\u00ab\u00a0variants of interest\u00a0\u00bb<\/a> if they display genetic markers that could potentially send them down this path.<br \/>These are the variants scientists warn about \u2014 like the delta variant, which has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2021\/nov\/29\/omicron-and-other-coronavirus-variants-what-you-ne\/\">for months accounted<\/a> for more than 99% of all coronavirus infections in the U.S. The WHO <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/yYNv5\">currently lists<\/a> five variants of concern: alpha, beta, delta, gamma and omicron.<br \/>\u00ab\u00a0The reason that we only hear about a few of the variants is because they are not all of equal importance,\u00a0\u00bb said Cindy Prins, a clinical associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida. The ones we hear about on the news \u00ab\u00a0are the ones that have the potential to have a greater effect on public health.\u00a0\u00bb<br \/>Despite the Facebook post\u2019s claims, the variants are not rolled out at random or to \u00ab\u00a0keep the fear going.\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0<br \/>Instead, they are designated as variants of interest or concern according to public health agencies\u2019 working definitions and a process that is \u00ab\u00a0scientific, well thought-out, and designed to focus only on those that need to be prioritized,\u00a0\u00bb Prins said. Omicron is only the 13th variant to receive a Greek alphabet name under the WHO\u2019s classification system.<br \/>\u00ab\u00a0They are very much not picked at random,\u00a0\u00bb Nextstrain said in its statement.<br \/>\u00ab\u00a0Scientists and public health agencies definitely do not just pick the next variant and try to scare people with that,\u00a0\u00bb Prins added. \u00ab\u00a0Even with omicron, scientists and public health agencies are urging the public not to panic because we still need to learn more.\u00a0\u00bb<br \/>A Facebook post said, \u00ab\u00a0Don\u2019t be fooled by the next \u2018Variant\u2019! There are actually 1000\u2019s of them. They just will pick the next one to keep the fear going.\u00a0\u00bb<br \/>There are thousands of coronavirus variants, but they are not fake, or planned, or being systematically revealed to \u00ab\u00a0keep the fear going,\u00a0\u00bb as the post suggests.<br \/>The handful of variants that have been named variants of interest or concern were classified as such because they met criteria that gave public health agencies reason to raise alarms.<br \/>We rate this Facebook post Mostly False.<br \/>Facebook <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo\/?fbid=450572976437255&amp;set=a.276202997207588\">post<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.md\/2YFKK\">archived<\/a>), Nov. 28, 2021<br \/>Nextstrain, <a href=\"https:\/\/nextstrain.org\/ncov\/gisaid\/global?fbclid=IwAR0U8dnI10Z9dXZDAQttWmlO74I02zdDU_pTRpvbDQU5lIGoLzN9O1JpK0E\">&quot;Genomic epidemiology of novel coronavirus &#8211; Global subsampling,&quot;<\/a> accessed Dec. 1, 2021<br \/>U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fcases-updates%2Fvariant-proportions.html#variant-proportions\">&quot;Variant Proportions,&quot;<\/a> accessed Dec. 1, 2021<br \/>World Health Organization, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/en\/activities\/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants\/\">&quot;Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants,&quot;<\/a> accessed Dec. 1, 2021<br \/>U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/variants\/variant.html\">&quot;What You Need to Know about Variants,&quot;<\/a> Nov. 27, 2021<br \/>Johns Hopkins University, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/health\/conditions-and-diseases\/coronavirus\/a-new-strain-of-coronavirus-what-you-should-know\">&quot;COVID Variants: What You Should Know,&quot;<\/a> Oct. 5, 2021<br \/>U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/variants\/variant-info.html\">&quot;SARS-CoV-2 Variant Classifications and Definitions,&quot;<\/a> Oct. 4, 2021<br \/>PolitiFact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/nov\/30\/viral-image\/new-coronavirus-variant-named-letter-greek-alphabe\/\">&quot;The new coronavirus variant is named for a letter in the Greek alphabet,&quot;<\/a> Nov. 30, 2021<br \/>PolitiFact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2021\/nov\/29\/omicron-and-other-coronavirus-variants-what-you-ne\/\">&quot;Omicron and other coronavirus variants: What you need to know,&quot;<\/a> Nov. 29, 2021<br \/>PolitiFact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/aug\/25\/facebook-posts\/evidence-shows-covid-19-variants-are-largely-sprea\/\">&quot;Evidence shows that COVID-19 variants are largely spread among unvaccinated people,&quot;<\/a> Aug. 25, 2021<br \/>PolitiFact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/article\/2020\/dec\/16\/lie-year-coronavirus-downplay-and-denial\/\">&quot;Lie of the Year: Coronavirus downplay and denial,&quot;<\/a> Dec. 16, 2020<br \/>Email statement from Nextstrain, Dec. 1, 2021<br \/>Email interview with <a href=\"https:\/\/phhp.ufl.edu\/profile\/prins-cindy\/\">Cindy Prins<\/a>, clinical associate professor of epidemiology and assistant dean for educational affairs at the University of Florida, Nov. 30, 2021<br \/> <a href=\"\/article\/2018\/feb\/12\/principles-truth-o-meter-politifacts-methodology-i\/\"> The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter <\/a> <br \/> In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts. <\/pc> <a class=\"c-button c-button--large\" href=\"\/membership\/\"> Sign me up <\/a> <br \/> <a href=\"#\" class=\"org\"> <strong>District of Columbia<\/strong> <\/a> <br \/> <span class=\"adr street-address\"> 1100 Connecticut Ave. NW<br \/> Suite 1300B <\/span><br \/> <span class=\"adr locality\">Washington, DC<\/span> <span class=\"adr postal-code\">20036<\/span> <br \/> <a href=\"#\" class=\"org\"> <strong>Florida<\/strong> <\/a><br \/> <span class=\"adr street-address\"> 801 3rd St. S <\/span><br \/> <span class=\"adr locality\">St. Petersburg, FL<\/span> <span class=\"adr postal-code\">33701<\/span><br \/> <span class=\"tel\">727-821-9494<\/span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2021\/dec\/01\/facebook-posts\/facebook-post-wrongly-suggests-variants-are-fake-r\/\">source<\/a><\/p>\n<!--CusAds0-->\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info There are thousands of coronavirus variants, but most never become dominant strains.&nbsp;Scientists and public health agencies focus on those variants that pose higher risks to global health. Currently, the World Health Organization [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAow1sXXCw:productID":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-non-classe"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2334"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2334\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2334"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monblogeur.tech\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}