The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is notable among infectious diseases for its distinctive impact, which has halted millions of livelihoods owing to strict social distancing rules and lockdowns. Consequently, millions of individuals have turned to online sources, particularly social media, to remain informed about the virus. The transition to digital sources has resulted in an abundance of information, including both accurate and misleading or false content being shared and consumed on online platforms, contributing to what is commonly referred to as an “infodemic.” Although these platforms have been valuable tools for healthcare professionals and public health authorities in disseminating crucial public health messages, they have also aided in the spread of misleading and false information. The widespread dissemination of false information has been instrumental in propagating harmful beliefs and behaviors such as vaccine hesitancy, promoting discriminatory attitudes, and endorsing false beliefs about the efficacy of certain therapeutic products for treating COVID-19. False information has undoubtedly become a challenge and burden for governments, health professionals, and the general population. This review has three main objectives: (1) to assess the scope of the “infodemic” issue, including investigating the factors contributing to the spread of false information online; (2) to examine the multifaceted consequences resulting from false information; and (3) to argue that an interdisciplinary, multi-layered approach, encompassing a focus on prevention, deterrence, and education, should be adopted to prevent the conception and dissemination of false information in this modern digital age.
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Methods A total of 217 low-risk patients (n=217) were admitted to the Nowon Residential Treatment Center between August 22 and October 14, 2020. The following criteria were met at the time of admission: patients (1) were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, (2) had either a controlled or no underlying chronic disease, and (3) did not need oxygen treatment. Among them, 202 patients who were eligible for inclusion in the study were retrospectively investigated through periodic interviews.
Results Of the 202 patients, 153 satisfied the criteria for symptomatic isolation standards, and 25 for asymptomatic isolation standards. The clinical conditions of 24 patients were aggravated, and these patients were transferred to other hospitals, among which 12 had persistent fever and 13 were suffering dyspnea with oxygen saturation (SpO2) <95%.
Conclusion In the event of another large-scale epidemic, it would be appropriate to prioritize accommodating patients who are elderly or have underlying diseases and self-isolate young patients with no underlying diseases and provide them with SpO2 meters and thermometers to self-measure SpO2 and body temperature.
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