MOH Calls Out Post About Preschooler’s Passing From Covid-19
Since children under the age of 12 aren’t eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, parents understandably worry about their safety. So when a Facebook post claimed that a preschooler’s demise from the virus went had gone unreported, the Ministry of Health (MOH) was on high alert.
Addressing the matter publicly, MOH called out the post for spreading falsehoods.
Post about preschooler’s alleged passing from Covid-19 goes viral
On Saturday (14 Aug), a Facebook user wrote a post claiming that a 3-year-old girl had passed away from Covid-19.
The post is no longer available, but MS News managed to get a screenshot.
In the post, the netizen claimed that the young girl, a student at a Sparkletot preschool, had come down with a high fever on 8 Aug.
She was conveyed to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) where she allegedly tested positive for Covid-19 the same day.
She later succumbed to the virus on 12 Aug.
Netizen accuses authorities of not being transparent
Noting that the young girl’s passing was not included in MOH’s recent reports, the netizen expressed her dissatisfaction with their lack of transparency.
She also reminded parents to take care of their children and said it’s okay if they’d rather keep their kids at home.
She even said that she did so as a parent herself.
MOH debunks viral Facebook post
After her post gained traction on Facebook with over 180 shares in 3 hours, MOH released a post calling her account out.
Calling the post “completely untrue and a total fabrication”, MOH explained that no child has passed away from Covid-19 at KKH as of 14 Aug.
They then reminded the public to avoid spreading rumours and misinformation.
Verify information before sharing
While heartbreaking stories are no doubt moving and concerning, we must remember to verify the details before sharing them.
This is especially if the story has the potential to incite panic in the community.
We hope the netizen who shared it will remember this moving forward. And may the authorities take the necessary actions if need be.
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