Message on COVID Has Been Falsely Attributed to Ganga Ram Hospital

The media relations officer of the hospital said that the message has been falsely attributed to the hospital.

A viral message on things one should follow amid the coronavirus pandemic is being falsely attributed to Sir Ganga Ram hospital in Delhi.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

CLAIM

A viral post on social media claims that a doctor working in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, has shared a message that lists few important points about the coronavirus pandemic.

The message advises people to 'postpone foreign travel for two years, not to eat outside food for one year, prefer vegetarian food, be careful while at a barber shop, do not go to cinema hall, crowded market for six months', among others similar sugestions.

The Facebook Page of Yogesh Mishra, editor-in-chief of Newstrack, has also shared the viral message making the same claim.

You can view the archived version here.(Source: Facebook/ Screenshot)

Some social media users have attributed the message to Dr Uma Shanker, clinical observer, while other have mentioned Dr NP Singh’s name.

You can view the archived version here.(Source: Facebook/ Screenshot)

You can view the archived version here.(Source: Twitter/ Screenshot)

(Click here for live updates on COVID-19. Also visit Quint Fit for comprehensive coverage on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.)

TRUE OR FALSE?

The message has been falsely attributed to Sir Ganga Ram hospital. Speaking to The Quint, the media relations officer of the hospital, Ajoy Sehgal said that no doctor by the name of Uma Shanker or NP Singh works at the hospital.

WHAT WE FOUND OUT

The media relations officer of Ganga Ram Hospital, Ajoy Sehgal, told The Quint that the the doctors mentioned in the viral messages do not work with the hospital. Further, he confirmed that no such message has been initiated by the hospital.

“There is no Dr NP Singh or Uma Shanker working with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and the hospital dissociates it self from any of the messages made by above people.”

Ajoy Sehgal, media relations officer of Gangaram Hospital

Commenting on the claims made in the message, Dr Sumit Ray, a critical care specialist in Delhi NCR, told The Quint, “This lockdown has been imposed to flatten the curve but the infection is not going to go away for a long time. Rather, the infection should spread at a much slower rate so that over a period of time, more and more people are immune to the virus, so that herd immunity develops.”

However, he further said that “clear cut negations” cannot be made at this point.

“Having said that, it does not mean that one should completely stop travel. We can’t put forward a clear cut negation as of now. Only time will tell about what precautions should be taken and to what extent,” he added.

While The Quint is not debating the merits of the content of this message, it is pertinent to note that it has been falsely attributed to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital to add a sense of authenticity.

To receive authentic information related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), The Quint’s WebQoof advises its readers to refer to the resources and guidelines available on the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and World Health Organization.

You can read all our fact-checked stories here.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)