Karnataka: Govt order bars doctors from spreading misinformation about Covid-19

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 18 : Kerala government on Tuesday restricted medical practitioners from spreading incomplete, inaccurate, and unsubstantiated information about COVID-19 to the public on various media platforms.
In an official statement issued by the Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfares services, the state government said, "such misinformation leads to confusion in public at large on the prevailing COVID-19 scenario in the state and encourages them to deviate from well laid out guidelines issues by health and revenue authorities."
It further suggested that medical practitioners being proficient in fields should exercise utmost care and caution while communicating with the public on COVID-19.
It is expected that medical practitioners shall refer to the guidelines or orders issued by the government of Karnataka and any media platform, the statement read.
The state government warned that any misinformation on COVID-19 shared on such platforms would be initiated as per section 54 of the Disaster management act 2005 and sec 4(K) of the Karnataka Epidemic Disease Act, 2020.