Social media users shared a photo of a television report on World Health Organization (WHO) rules ranging from the mask to be worn only through those who care about the sick, physical care staff and those with symptoms such as fever and cough. These are overridden rules that have since been modified.
Examples can be seen here and here.
One article says: “For the last 24 hours, this is the mask-related protocol: BAM! Let him know!”
The message shows a quote from WHO public health specialist Dr. April Baller, dated March: “Masks can only be worn through fitness workers, caregivers or others with symptoms such as fever and cough.”
The virtual edition of this Fox News report is available here. Although Baller said so in March, the article is dated May 29.
This recommendation on the WHO online page in March 2020 (archive.vn/cwkJ3, Dr Baller’s video can also be viewed here). The organization said in April that this was a shortage of medical masks due to widespread use among the public (here).
In June 2020, WHO updated its guidelines, which now require the public to wear a cloth mask in spaces where network transmission occurs and where social estrangement cannot be maintained (here). An archived edition of the online page can be seen at that time archive.vn/4GI5a.
By August 2020, WHO rules on mask use remain the same (here). The organization also explains that the medical mask can also be used through fitness workers, others with symptoms, others threatened, and others concerned about suspected or shown cases.
The WHO press told Reuters via email that the rules discussed in the allegations are “no longer valid” and “date back to February 2020.” He added that WHO “regularly updates its direction and recommendations to the public based on new clinical discoveries as the epidemic evolves” and refers to its most recent August 5 rules here.
Since then, Fox News has published reports that reflect adjustments to WHO guidelines, see here.
Reuters recently discredited similar claims that replaced the rules of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (here and here).
False. Who are the rules and the Fox News report and have been updated ever since.
This article was prepared through the Reuters Fact Check team. Learn more about our data verification paintings here.
All quotes were delayed for at least 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of transactions and delays.
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