COVID-19

COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus disease 2019, is a highly infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The virus was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and it quickly spread globally, leading to a pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020. COVID-19 primarily affects the respiratory system but can also cause complications in other parts of the body, including the cardiovascular, neurological, and gastrointestinal systems.

The disease is characterized by a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and loss of taste or smell. In severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, organ failure, and death, particularly in older adults and individuals with pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets, close contact, and contaminated surfaces, making measures like wearing masks, maintaining social distance, and hand hygiene essential for prevention.

The global response to COVID-19 involved widespread testing, quarantine measures, lockdowns, travel restrictions, and vaccination campaigns. Various vaccines, including those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson, were introduced from late 2020 onward, significantly reducing severe cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. In India, indigenous vaccines like Covaxin and Covishield were also rolled out as part of the nationwide vaccination drive.

In March 2020, BOOM fact-checked a viral WhatsApp audio clip claiming that India would enter a nationwide lockdown imminently.

The Press Information Bureau's (PIB) Fact Check team confirmed that the assertions were false, clarifying that no such decision had been made at that time.