Hundreds of Thousands of Russian Social Media Bots have Tricked the Public, Hospitals need to do better

View OpEd: https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/covid-19-masking-hundreds-thousands-russian-social-media-bots-have-tricked-public

Source Washington Post -- Click on Picture to Enlarge

References:

1. Science Brief: Community Use of Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dec. 6, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/masking-science-sars-cov2.html

2. Snyder GM, Passaretti CL, Stevens MP. Hospital approaches to universal masking after public health “unmasking” guidance. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. Mar. 22, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2023.9 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/infection-control-and-hospital-epidemiology/article/hospital-approaches-to-universal-masking-after-public-health-unmasking-guidance/37FED1F5374A01D99BA6D77EA9EDF6F6

3. Menn J. Russians boasted that just 1% of fake social profiles are caught, leak shows. Washington Post. Apr. 16, 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/16/russia-disinformation-discord-leaked-documents/

4. Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Sept. 27, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-recommendations.html

5. Emmott R. Russia deploying coronavirus disinformation to sow panic in West, EU document says. Reuters. Mar. 18, 2020. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-disinformation/russia-deploying-coronavirus-disinformation-to-sow-panic-in-west-eu-document-says-idUSKBN21518F

6. Godoy M. With omicron, you need a mask that means business. NPR. Dec. 21. 2021. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/12/23/1066871176/mask-n95-omicron-contagious

7. Hein I. COVID XBB.1.16 Strain 'One to Watch,' Says WHO. MedPage Today. Apr. 4, 2023. https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/103862?trw=no

8. Jefferson T, Dooley L, Ferroni E, et al. Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. Cochrane Library. Jan. 30, 2023. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006207.pub6/full

9. Demasi M. EXCLUSIVE: Lead author of new Cochrane review speaks out. Maryanne Demasi, reports. Feb. 5, 2023. https://maryannedemasi.substack.com/p/exclusive-lead-author-of-new-cochrane

10. Soares-Weiser K. Statement on 'Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses' review. Cochrane Library. Mar. 10, 2023. https://www.cochrane.org/news/statement-physical-interventions-interrupt-or-reduce-spread-respiratory-viruses-review

11. Cowger TL, Murray EJ, Clarke J, et al. Lifting Universal Masking in Schools — Covid-19 Incidence among Students and Staff. NEJM. Nov. 24, 2023. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2211029

12. Talic S, Gasevic D, Maharaj A, et al. Effectiveness of public health measures in reducing the incidence of covid-19, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and covid-19 mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2021;375:e068302. https://www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj-2021-068302