COVID-19 and Fake News in the Dominican Republic

Reaching "covidianidad": A qualitative study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the perceived mental health of health care workers in the Dominican Republic

We aimed to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the lives of healthcare workers (HCWs) in the Dominican Republic. We also aimed to identify the types of resources that HCWs felt were needed to support their mental health. We used purposive and convenience sampling in four health centers in the eastern Dominican Republic to recruit 28 HCWs (doctors, nurses, psychologists, and community health workers) between April 2021 and August 2021. Through semi-structured interviews, we elicited HCWs experiences during the pandemic and how they felt these experiences impacted their mental health. Interview transcripts were analyzed using an inductive/deductive thematic approach. Main stressors experienced during the pandemic by HCWs and their sequelae included anxiety due to misinformation and uncertainty, fear of the disease, the robustness of pandemic-related changes they faced in their work and daily life, and COVID-19's economic impact. HCWs reflected on protective factors that transformed their acute sense of crisis felt at the beginning of the pandemic into what HCWs referred to as "covidianidad [everyday COVID]", a situation that became manageable through mechanisms including social support, professional motivation, positive work environment and resilience. Lastly, HCWs identified stigmatization of and limited access to mental health services as challenges to supporting their mental health. While Dominican HCWs were vulnerable to the challenges posed by COVID-19 in sustaining their mental health, for many, the situation became manageable through the evolution of "covidianidad." Further research and interventions are needed to reduce stigmatization of mental health services and foment a positive environment for HCWs' mental health, to promote resiliency to future challenges.

Curbing the COVID-19 digital infodemic: strategies and tools

A problematic manifestation of the COVID-19 pandemic is a related digital 'infodemic' with widespread dissemination of rumors, conspiracy theories, and other misinformation about the impact of the crisis on aspects of political and socio-economic life. Those spreading the misleading information did so through social media. In response, public, private and non-government stakeholders around the world have proposed a wide range of e-government policy approaches to combat this new digital phenomenon. For this Viewpoint I identified, analyzed, and classified the most interesting strategies, platforms, and tools proposed or already used by public decision-makers to combat the spread of false information related to the pandemic in a digital society.

Antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the Dominican Republic

Objective

To describe antimicrobial resistance before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dominican Republic.

Design

Retrospective study.

Setting

The study included 49 outpatient laboratory sites located in 13 cities nationwide.

Participants

Patients seeking ambulatory microbiology testing for urine and bodily fluids.

Methods

We reviewed antimicrobial susceptibility reports for Escherichia coli isolates from urine and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PSAR) from bodily fluids between January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021, from deidentified susceptibility data extracted from final culture results.

Results

In total, 27,718 urine cultures with E. coli and 2,111 bodily fluid cultures with PSAR were included in the analysis. On average, resistance to ceftriaxone was present in 25.19% of E. coli isolated from urine each year. The carbapenem resistance rates were 0.15% for E. coli and 3.08% for PSAR annually. The average rates of E. coli with phenotypic resistance consistent with possible extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) in urine were 25.63% and 24.75%, respectively, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The carbapenem resistance rates in urine were 0.11% and 0.20%, respectively, a 200% increase. The average rates of PSAR with carbapenem resistance in bodily fluid were 2.33% and 3.84% before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively, a 130% percent increase.

Conclusions

Resistance to carbapenems in PSAR and E. coli after the COVID-19 pandemic is rising. These resistance patterns suggest that ESBL is common in the Dominican Republic. Carbapenem resistance was uncommon but increased after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Validity of a scale of Latin American perception of fear and concern transmitted by the media during the pandemic (MED-LAT-COVID-19)

Introduction

The pandemic has caused fear, especially due to the daily disseminated news; however, there is not an instrument to measure this fear in multiple realities.

Objective

To validate a scale for Latin American perception of fear and concern transmitted by the media during the pandemic.

Methodology

This is an instrumental study. The survey was based on an instrument which was pre-validated in Peru and submitted to 15 experts in almost 10 countries. Subsequently, thousands of people were surveyed in 13 Latin American countries, whose answers were used for descriptive statistics for validation.

Results

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) generated two re-specifications, where four items were eliminated from the original scale. With these changes, the global goodness of fit (absolute and incremental) were satisfactory (CFI = 0.978; TLI = 0.964; GFI = 0.976; AGFI = 0.949; RMSEA = 0.075 and RMR = 0.029). The first factor measures the media exaggeration (three questions); the second, the fear transmitted by the media (three questions); and the third, the fear transmitted by others different from the media (two questions). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was higher than 0.70 for the scale and its factors.

Conclusion

The MED-LAT-COVID-19 scale reported a good adjustment. It has eight items in three factors, which could be measured in an isolated way, or along with other tests that assess mental health in the current pandemic context.

Risk Communication in the Alert Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of News Flow at National and Global Levels

This study examined the global media citation network of COVID-19-related news at two stages of the pandemic alert phase, i.e., the national level alert stage and the global level alert stage. The findings reveal that the small-world pattern and scale-free property of media citation networks contributed to the rapid spread of COVID-19-related news around the world. Within the networks, a small number of media outlets from a few countries formed the backbone of the network to control the risk communication; meanwhile, many media of geographical and cultural similarities formed cross-border collaborative cliques in the periphery of the network. When the alert phase escalated from the national level to the global level, the network demonstrated a number of changes. The findings contribute to the understanding of risk communication for international public health emergencies by taking into account the network perspective and evolutionary nature of public health emergencies in analysis.

Public Engagement with Biotechnology Inside and Outside the Classroom: Community-Focused Approaches

Biotechnology offers vast benefits to the environment, animals, and human health, and contributes to improving socioeconomic conditions for the public. However, biotechnology innovations continue to trigger public concern and opposition over their potential social, health, and ecological risks. There is an opportunity to increase knowledge and acceptance of biotechnology through engagement, education, and community participation. In this perspective, we highlight crucial factors that shape the public perception of biotechnology and present opportunities for scientists to effectively communicate their ideas while engaging with local and global communities. Initiatives that seek to involve communities in design, development, and adoption processes are crucial for the successful implementation of biotechnology-based solutions.

#CoronaVirus and public health: the role of social media in sharing health information

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine how factual information and misinformation are being shared on Twitter by identifying types of social media users who initiate the information diffusion process.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a mixed methodology approach to analyze tweets with COVID-19-related hashtags. First, a social network analysis was conducted to identify social media users who initiate the information diffusion process, followed by a quantitative content analysis of tweets by users with more than 5K retweets to identify what COVID-19 claims, factual information, misinformation and disinformation was shared on Twitter.

Findings

Results found very little misinformation and disinformation distributed widely. While health experts and journalists shared factual COVID-19-related information, they were not receiving optimum engagement. Tweets by citizens focusing on personal experience or opinions received more retweets and likes compared to any other sender type. Similarly, celebrities received more replies than any other sender type.

Practical implications

This study helps medical experts and government agencies understand the type of COVID-19 content and communication being shared on social media for population health purposes.

Originality/value

This study offers insight into how social media users engage with COVID-19-related information on Twitter and offers a typology of categories of information shared about the pandemic.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-03-2021-0143/.

Online Information of COVID-19: Visibility and Characterization of Highest Positioned Websites by Google between March and April 2020-A Cross-Country Analysis

Background: The WHO has used the term “infodemic” to describe the vast amount of false and true information that was making it difficult for people to find reliable information when they needed it. The infodemic spreads faster than COVID-19 itself. The main objective of the study was to characterize and analyze content about COVID-19 returned by Google during the pandemic and compare it between countries. Methods: The study was conducted between 30 March and 27 April 2020. The information was searched through local Google websites using the “COVID-19”, “Coronavirus”, “SARS-CoV-2” and “fake news” keywords. The search was conducted in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Singapore, Spain, UK and the USA. The total number of the analyzed webpages was 685. Results: The most frequent types were News websites 47% (324/685) and Governmental 19% (131/685) while the least were Health portals 2% (17/685) and Scientific journals 5% (35/635), p < 0.001. United States and Australia had the highest share of Governmental websites. There was a positive correlation between the amount of preventive information and a number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in countries. The higher the number of tests performed, the higher was the amount of information about prevention available online. Conclusions: Online information is usually available on news and government websites and refers to prevention. There were differences between countries in types of information available online. The highest positioned (the first 20) websites for COVID-19, Coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2 keywords returned by Google include true information.

Sustained ethical analysis of global dilemmas and country-level decision making during and post the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of countries worldwide and their abilities to cope with the fast-paced demands of the research and medical community. A key to promoting ethical decision-making frameworks is by calibrating the sustainability at regional, national, and global levels to incorporate coordinated reforms. We performed a sustained ethical analysis and critically reviewed evidence addressing country-level responses to practices during the COVID-19 pandemic using PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, and CINAHL. The World Health Organization's ethical framework proposed for the entire population during the pandemic was applied to thematically delineate findings under equality, best outcomes (utility), prioritizing the worst off, and prioritizing those tasked with helping others. The findings demarcate ethical concerns about the validity of drug and vaccine trials in developing and developed countries, hints of unjust healthcare organizational policies, lack of equal allocation of pertinent resources, miscalculated allocation of resources to essential workers and stratified populations.

Risk factors for mental health in general population during SARS-COV2 pandemic: a systematic review

The COVID-19 pandemic and its social restrictions have affected mental health globally. This systematic review aims to analyze the psychological responses of the general population and its related sociodemographic risk factors, excluding the most vulnerable groups (e.g., healthcare workers, COVID-19 patients and survivors, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases or preexisting psychiatric disorders). A reproducible search from June 2020 to February 2021 was conducted on PubMed and Google Scholar, following the PRISMA guidelines. Papers that (1) considered the most at-risk populations, (2) did not report sociodemographic data, and (3) did not use validated scales were excluded from our analysis. Non-English papers and review articles were also excluded. Of 1116 papers identified, 25 were included for this review (n = 162,465). The main risk factors associated with the emergence of depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder were: female gender, younger and later age, high level of education, Latino origin, free marital status, living quarantine in a house with no outdoor, negative coping strategies, close proximity to positive cases, high concern about contracting COVID-19 and living in a most affected area. High income, physical activity, resilience, family support, and a high level of knowledge about COVID-19, seems to be protective factors against the onset of psychological symptoms. In a general population, COVID-19 restrictions are linked to risk factors for psychological disorders caused by gender and sociodemographic conditions. In this regard governments should pay more attention to the public’s mental health and its risk and protective factors.

Ações governamentais para enfrentamento da crise de desinformação durante a pandemia da Covid-19

RESUMO A profusão de notícias falsas disseminadas no contexto da pandemia da Covid-19 colocou novos desafios a governos, gestores e profissionais de saúde, mídia e entidades de defesa da saúde e da vida. As ações governamentais de diferentes países frente a esse problema são o objeto deste estudo de revisão integrativa, que analisou 16 artigos, após busca em três bases de dados bibliográficos, no período de novembro de 2020 a janeiro de 2021, utilizando critérios de inclusão e exclusão. Agrupados por continentes (Ásia, Europa e América Latina), os resultados apontaram: existência de dispositivos reguladores; criminalização da desinformação; regulamentação da comunicação digital; uso de tecnologias para aproximar governo e cidadãos; monitoramento e verificação de notícias falsas; uso de plataformas refutadoras; redes digitais para identificação e remoção de notícias e contas; crise de desinformação como fomento para a divergência política; entre outros. Diferenças e desigualdades marcam as ações governamentais frente à desinformação no contexto da pandemia da Covid-19, refletindo coesão social, liderança, confiança institucional ou força coercitiva. Sugerem-se estudos aprofundados, que permitam compreender como as sociedades, com diferentes tipos de governo, economias e regimes políticos, definem as ações desenvolvidas para o controle da desinformação e seu potencial de eficiência.

Government actions to address the disinformation crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The profusion of fake news disseminated in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic posed new challenges to governments, health care managers and professionals, media and entities committed to protect health and life. Government actions from different countries faced with this problem are the object of this integrative review study which analyzed 16 articles, after searching three bibliographic databases, from November 2020 to January 2021 using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Grouped by continents (Asia, Europe and Latin America), the results pointed to: the existence of regulatory devices; criminalization of disinformation; digital communication regulation; use of technologies to bring closer government and citizens; monitoring and verification of fake news; creation of rebuttal news platforms; digital network approaches for identification and removal of news and accounts; disinformation crisis as a foment for political divergence; among other issues. Differences and inequalities marked government actions against disinformation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic reflecting social cohesion, leadership, institutional trust or coercive force. In-depth studies are suggested to understand how societies with different types of government, economies, and political regimes define the actions taken to control disinformation and their potential effectiveness.

Whole-Genome Sequences of SARS-CoV-2 Isolates from the Dominican Republic

Here, we report the genome sequences of five severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains that were obtained from symptomatic individuals with travel histories during community surveillance in the Dominican Republic in 2020. These sequences provide a starting point for further genomic studies of gene flow and molecular diversity in the Caribbean nation. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that all genomes correspond to the B.1 variant.

The causes, impacts and countermeasures of COVID-19 "Infodemic": A systematic review using narrative synthesis

An unprecedented infodemic has been witnessed to create massive damage to human society. However, it was not thoroughly investigated. This systematic review aims to (1) synthesize the existing literature on the causes and impacts of COVID-19 infodemic; (2) summarize the proposed strategies to fight with COVID-19 infodemic; and (3) identify the directions for future research. A systematic literature search following the PRISMA guideline covering 12 scholarly databases was conducted to retrieve various types of peer-reviewed articles that reported causes, impacts, or countermeasures of the infodemic. Empirical studies were assessed for risk of bias using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool. A coding theme was iteratively developed to categorize the causes, impacts, and countermeasures found from the included studies. Social media usage, low level of health/eHealth literacy, and fast publication process and preprint service are identified as the major causes of the infodemic. Besides, the vicious circle of human rumor-spreading behavior and the psychological issues from the public (e.g., anxiety, distress, fear) emerges as the characteristic of the infodemic. Comprehensive lists of countermeasures are summarized from different perspectives, among which risk communication and consumer health information need/seeking are of particular importance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed and future research directions are suggested.

Misinformation on social networks during the novel coronavirus pandemic: a quali-quantitative case study of Brazil

BACKGROUND

One of the challenges posed by the novel coronavirus pandemic is the infodemic risk, that is, a huge amount of information being published on the topic, along with misinformation and rumours; with social media, this phenomenon is amplified, and it goes faster and further. Around 100 million people in Brazil (50% of the inhabitants) are users of social media networks - almost half of the country's population. Most of the information on the Internet is unregulated, and its quality remains questionable.

METHODS

In this study, we examine the main characteristics of misinformation published on the topic. We analysed 232 pieces of misinformation published by the Brazilian fact-checking service "Agência Lupa". The following aspects of each news item were analysed: a) In what social media has it circulated?; b) What is the content classification, sentiment and type of misinformation?; d) Are there recurrent themes in the sample studied?

RESULTS

Most were published on Facebook (76%), followed by WhatsApp, with 10% of total cases. Half of the stories (47%) are classified as "real-life", that is, the focus is on everyday situations, or circumstances involving people. Regarding the type of misinformation, there is a preponderance of fabricated content, with 53% of total, followed by false context (34%) and misleading content (13%). Wrong information was mostly published in text format (47%). We found that 92.9% of misinformation classified as "fabricated content" are "health tips", and 88.9% of "virtual scams" are also fabricated.

CONCLUSION

Brazilian media and science communicators must understand the main characteristics of misinformation in social media about COVID-19, so that they can develop attractive, up-to-date and evidence-based content that helps to increase health literacy and counteract the spread of false information.

Decolonizing Science Diplomacy: A Case Study of the Dominican Republic's COVID-19 Response

The COVID-19 pandemic forced healthcare systems globally to handle a dramatic surge in healthcare utilization while also taxing available testing resources. In the context of healthcare systems in Latin America and the Caribbean, COVID-19 added to the existing burden of infectious diseases related to endemic infections such as arboviruses and HIV. In the Dominican Republic, testing is supplied mostly by the private sector and a national public laboratory. The surge in testing demands laid bare a lack of installed capacities both in laboratory facilities and equipment and trained staff in molecular biology laboratory procedures. This article discusses a case of how science diplomacy and a relatively new law fostering public-private partnerships allowed a university to play a major role in public health response while generating knowledge to inform public policy decisions in an unprecedented manner in the country. Science diplomacy is discussed in the context of decolonization and the importance of the local gaze when creating academic partnerships in the context of global health emergencies.

Should I stay, or should I go? Consumers' perceived risk and intention to visit restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

This study aimed to verify how consumers’ intention to visit restaurants during the pandemic is affected by consumers’ risk perception and different types of trust. The sample was composed of 546 consumers from 89 different cities in Brazil. An adapted 43 items questionnaire with 5-point scales was administered, and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that consumers' trust in a restaurant and brand, fair price, solidarity with the restaurant sector, disease denial, and health surveillance trust predict intention to visit a restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Age has significant moderated effects, reducing disease denial effects. The trust in restaurants and brands was the factor with the largest effect size. In a multigroup analysis, it was found that solidarity with the sector does not affect the intention to visit restaurants for consumers without formal work. It is discussed the implications of an increased consumers' risk perception, directly affecting their intentions. Special attention to consumers’ trust and fair price perception is fundamental, given consumers’ solidary inclination toward helping the restaurant sector. These aspects must be recognized by restaurant owners and managers to be improved and be used to attract consumers.

Rapid ethnographic assessment for potential anti-malarial mass drug administration in an outbreak area of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

BACKGROUND

In the Dominican Republic, a recent outbreak of malaria in the capital, Santo Domingo, threatens efforts to eliminate the disease. Mass drug administration (MDA) has been proposed as one strategy to reduce transmission. The success of MDA is contingent upon high levels of acceptance among the target population. To inform the design of future MDA campaigns, this rapid ethnographic assessment examined malaria-related knowledge and attitudes toward malaria MDA among residents of a transmission focus in Santo Domingo.

METHODS

In October 2019, a rapid ethnographic assessment was conducted in the Los Tres Brazos transmission focus, which had not previously received MDA. National malaria programme staff conducted 61 structured interviews with key informants, recorded observations, and held 72 informal conversations. Using a grounded theory approach, data were analysed during three workshop sessions with research team members.

RESULTS

Among those who had heard of malaria in the structured interviews (n = 39/61; 64%), understanding of the disease was largely based on personal experience from past outbreaks or through word-of-mouth. Community health workers (promotores) were trusted for health information and malaria diagnosis more so than professional clinicians. No participant (0%) was familiar with malaria MDA. After learning about MDA, almost all study participants (92%) said that they would participate, seeing it as a way to care for their community. Reasons for not participating in future MDA included not trusting drug administrators, feeling reluctant to take unprescribed medicine, and fear of missing work. Additional identified challenges to MDA included reaching specific demographic groups, disseminating effective MDA campaign messages, and managing misinformation and political influence.

CONCLUSION

Residents appear accepting of MDA despite a lack of prior familiarity. Successful MDA will depend on several factors: fostering relationships among community-based health workers, clinicians, community leaders, and others; developing clear health messages that use local terms and spreading them through a variety of media and social networks; and contextualizing MDA as part of a broader effort to promote community health.

Prescription, over-the-counter (OTC), herbal, and other treatments and preventive uses for COVID-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly worldwide and has challenged fragile health care systems, vulnerable socioeconomic conditions, and population risk factors, and has led to an overwhelming tendency to misuse prescription drugs and self-medication with prescription drugs, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, herbals products, and unproven chemicals as a desperate preventive or curative measure for COVID-19. In this chapter, we present the legislative differences between prescription drugs, OTC drugs, and herbals. Various approved and nonapproved prescription and OTC drugs as symptomatic treatment for COVID-19 are listed and evaluated based on their reported efficacy, safety, and toxicological profile. We also present the various herbal products that are currently studied and used as treatment and preventive for COVID-19. The efficacy, toxicology profile, safety, and legal issues of some speculative preventive and treatment options against COVID-19, such as Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS), chlorine dioxide solution (CDS), colloidal silver, and hydrogen peroxide is presented. The chapter also emphasizes the specific strategies that need to be implemented to guide the population in the effective and safe use of prescribed medications, such as the Medication Therapy Management or Pharmaceutical Care process. Finally, this chapter aims to provide a deeper insight into the lack of health literacy in the population and the effect that drug utilization research (DUR) has in the decision making of health authorities and general public. We aim to provide the current information about the various treatment and preventive options used for COVID-19.

Infodemia: Another Enemy for Romanian Frontline Healthcare Workers to Fight during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Background and Objectives: The population has been overwhelmed with false information related to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis, spreading rapidly through social media and other channels. We aimed to investigate if frontline healthcare workers affected by infodemia show different psychological consequences than frontline clinicians who do not declare to be affected by false news related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty-six frontline healthcare workers from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Departments in Romania completed a survey to assess stress, depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, between March and April 2020. We split the sample of frontline healthcare workers into two groups based on the self-evaluated criteria: if they were or were not affected by infodemia in their activity. Results: Considering limitations such as the cross-sectional design, the lack of causality relationship, and the sample size, the results show that, the frontline medical workers who declared to be affected by false news were significantly more stressed, felt more anxiety, and suffered more from insomnia than healthcare workers who are not affected by false information related to pandemic time. Conclusions: The infodemia has significant psychological consequences such as stress, anxiety, and insomnia on already overwhelmed doctors and nurses in the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis. These findings suggest that medical misinformation’s psychological implications must be considered when different interventions regarding frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic are implemented.

COVID-19 Blind Spots: A Consensus Statement on the Importance of Competent Political Leadership and the Need for Public Health Cognizance

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, important discoveries and considerations emerge regarding the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) pathogen; its biological and epidemiological characteristics; and the corresponding psychological, societal, and public health (PH) impacts. During the past year, the global community underwent a massive transformation, including the implementation of numerous nonpharmacological interventions; critical diversions or modifications across various spheres of our economic and public domains; and a transition from consumption-driven to conservation-based behaviors. Providing essential necessities such as food, water, health care, financial, and other services has become a formidable challenge, with significant threats to the existing supply chains and the shortage or reduction of workforce across many sectors of the global economy. Food and pharmaceutical supply chains constitute uniquely vulnerable and critically important areas that require high levels of safety and compliance. Many regional health-care systems faced at least one wave of overwhelming COVID-19 case surges, and still face the possibility of a new wave of infections on the horizon, potentially in combination with other endemic diseases such as influenza, dengue, tuberculosis, and malaria. In this context, the need for an effective and scientifically informed leadership to sustain and improve global capacity to ensure international health security is starkly apparent. Public health "blind spotting," promulgation of pseudoscience, and academic dishonesty emerged as significant threats to population health and stability during the pandemic. The goal of this consensus statement is to provide a focused summary of such "blind spots" identified during an expert group intense analysis of "missed opportunities" during the initial wave of the pandemic.

The Peru Approach against the COVID-19 Infodemic: Insights and Strategies

The COVID-19 epidemic has spawned an “infodemic,” with excessive and unfounded information that hinders an appropriate public health response. This perspective describes a selection of COVID-19 fake news that originated in Peru and the government’s response to this information. Unlike other countries, Peru was relatively successful in controlling the infodemic possibly because of the implementation of prison sentences for persons who created and shared fake news. We believe that similar actions by other countries in collaboration with social media companies may offer a solution to the infodemic problem.