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The outbreak of the novel COVID-19 pandemic led to a large amount of information circulated mainly on the internet. Among the huge amount of information there was also an increase in misinformation.
The term "Infodemic" was formulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to describe the overabundance of information due to the pandemic. This overabundance makes it difficult for the average internet user to find reliable sources of information.
One part of the Infodemic is misinformation related to conspiracy theories. Some typical examples that have gained popularity are that the virus is a biological weapon developed by the U.S. or China, that the virus was created for population impairment, and that combined with the 5G network the virus becomes a weapon to control humanity.
It is certain that the misinformation about the new coronavirus will continue. New conspiracy theories will spread heavily; despite their outrageousness, they will find resonance in a large portion of the public. The Infodemic is a serious threat because it makes it difficult to access reliable information.
For the reasons mentioned above, people should be informed by reliable sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), as well as health professionals.
