BOOM

Trending Searches

    SUPPORT
    BOOM

    Trending News

      • Fact Check 
        • Fast Check
        • Politics
        • Business
        • Entertainment
        • Social
        • Sports
        • World
      • Law
      • Explainers
      • News 
        • All News
      • Decode 
        • Impact
        • Scamcheck
        • Life
        • Voices
      • Media Buddhi 
        • Digital Buddhi
        • Senior Citizens
        • Videos
      • Web Stories
      • BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos 
        • Facts Neeti
      • Home-icon
        Home
      • About Us-icon
        About Us
      • Authors-icon
        Authors
      • Team-icon
        Team
      • Careers-icon
        Careers
      • Internship-icon
        Internship
      • Contact Us-icon
        Contact Us
      • Methodology-icon
        Methodology
      • Correction Policy-icon
        Correction Policy
      • Non-Partnership Policy-icon
        Non-Partnership Policy
      • Cookie Policy-icon
        Cookie Policy
      • Grievance Redressal-icon
        Grievance Redressal
      • Republishing Guidelines-icon
        Republishing Guidelines
      • Fact Check-icon
        Fact Check
        Fast Check
        Politics
        Business
        Entertainment
        Social
        Sports
        World
      • Law-icon
        Law
      • Explainers-icon
        Explainers
      • News-icon
        News
        All News
      • Decode-icon
        Decode
        Impact
        Scamcheck
        Life
        Voices
      • Media Buddhi-icon
        Media Buddhi
        Digital Buddhi
        Senior Citizens
        Videos
      • Web Stories-icon
        Web Stories
      • BOOM Research-icon
        BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs-icon
        BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker-icon
        Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos-icon
        Videos
        Facts Neeti
      Trending Tags
      TRENDING
      • #Operation Sindoor
      • #Pahalgam Terror Attack
      • #Narendra Modi
      • #Rahul Gandhi
      • #Waqf Amendment Bill
      • #Arvind Kejriwal
      • #Deepfake
      • #Artificial Intelligence
      • Home
      • World
      • Hong Kong Scientist's Joke To Blow...
      World

      Hong Kong Scientist's Joke To Blow Coronavirus With Fan Passed Off As Genuine

      By - AFP |
      Published -  20 Jan 2022 2:33 PM IST
    • Boomlive
      Hong Kong Scientists Joke To Blow Coronavirus With Fan Passed Off As Genuine

      An image that appears to show a top Hong Kong microbiologist with an electric fan attached to his forehead is circulating in social media posts that claim he urged the public to wear the device to "blow away" coronavirus. Some social media users appeared to believe the picture was genuine. In reality, the posts show a digitally altered image. AFP found no credible reports that the health expert gave such advice.

      "Expert advises citizens wear an electric fan to blow away the virus," reads Chinese text superimposed on an image shared on Facebook on January 16.

      The image appears to show Yuen Kwok-yung, a top microbiologist and advisor to the Hong Kong government, wearing a fan strapped to his forehead.

      "This idiot is really crazy, he says we have to wear two masks at the same time, and now even a fan," the Facebook post reads.

      Yuen recommended that people wear two masks to help protect against the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant.


      A screenshot of the misleading post, taken on January 18, 2021

      The same picture was shared on Facebook and Twitter alongside a similar claim.

      Some social media users appeared to believe the posts showed a genuine photo of Yuen.

      "Which means if there's a virus around, it can blow it to the person in front of me?!" one person commented.

      "This group of government anti-pandemic experts will do anything for the 'zero-case' mission for the Chinese government," another wrote.

      Like mainland China, Hong Kong adheres to a strict "zero-Covid" policy that has kept cases low, but has largely cut the financial hub off from the rest of the world.

      However, the image is doctored and was shared in various Facebook posts as a joke, including here and here.

      A reverse image search on Google found the original photo published in a report by Taiwan-based newspaper United Daily News on January 12.

      "Coping with Omicron Hong Kong experts: 2 surgical masks are recommended," the headline reads.

      Yuen recommended Hong Kongers worried about Omicron transmission could wear two surgical masks, but later told the South China Morning Post that a combination of a surgical mask and a cloth mask might provide a better fit.

      The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing a cloth mask on top of a disposable mask, but advises against wearing two disposable masks.

      Below is a screenshot comparison of the doctored photo (left) and the photo in the news report (right).


      A screenshot comparison of the doctored photo (L) and the photo in the UDN news report.

      AFP found no credible media reports that Yuen advised wearing a fan to "blow away" coronavirus.

      (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by BOOM staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

      Tags

      Hong KongFake News
      Read Full Article
      Claim :   Hong Kong expert recommends people to wear fan to blow away coronavirus
      Claimed By :  Posts on social media
      Fact Check :  False
      Next Story
      Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
      Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker. Please reload after ad blocker is disabled.
      X

      Subscribe to BOOM Newsletters

      👉 No spam, no paywall — but verified insights.

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe for free!

      Stay Ahead of Misinformation!

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe Now🛡️ 100% Privacy Protected | No Spam, Just Facts
      By subscribing, you agree with the Terms & conditions and Privacy Policy connected to the offer

      Thank you for subscribing!

      You’re now part of the BOOM community.

      Or, Subscribe to receive latest news via email
      Subscribed Successfully...
      Copy HTMLHTML is copied!
      There's no data to copy!