Jamaica Has Had Cases of Coronavirus
The Claim
Jamaica has had no reported cases of coronavirus.
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Emerging story
In mid-March 2021, a meme that says “JAMAICA has not recorded any case of the CORONAVIRUS. Are you thinking What I’m thinking?” went viral on social media, with nearly 7K shares. The meme also includes an image of rapper Snoop Dogg smoking cannabis.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation found that the claim is false. Jamaica has had over 35,000 reported cases of coronavirus.
The implied notion behind the meme – that cannabis stops the spread of COVID-19 – is also false. However, it shows promise as a mitigating factor for those infected by COVID-19. Early studies show that “cannabis compounds that exhibit anti-inflammatory activity in lung epithelial cells, yet substantially induce polarization, phagocytosis and IL expression in macrophages in vitro.” What this means is that cannabis can help treat patient cytokine storms. However, as COVID-19 affects the lungs, any form of smoke inhalation may prove dangerous.
Finally, while Snoop Dogg did briefly immerse himself in Rastafarianism (during which he briefly became Snoop Lion), he is American, not Jamaican.
