Graphics with information about COVID-19 containing UNICEF branding and inaccurate information.
The infographics contain information about COVID -19, how it spreads and what people can do to avoid being infected., Some of the slides are branded with UNICEF logos while others contain the name of the UN agency making them look like they were authored by the organisation., However, UNICEF Kenya has disowned the infographics and directed members of the public to legitimate social media accounts of UNICEF, World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health (MOH) for updates on safety tips on COVID-19, Further, the legitimate UNICEF social media accounts and website do not contain the said infographics but share an explainer containing information and recommendations on how to reduce the risk of infection from COVID 19., The four main precautions against COVID 19, according to the explainer include washing hands frequently using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub, covering mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing, avoiding close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms, and seeking medical care early if you or your child has a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, On 6th March 2020, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Partnerships, Charlotte Petri Gornitzka issued a statement saying misinformation during times of a health crisis can spread paranoia, fear, and stigmatization., To the creators of such falsehoods, we offer a simple message: STOP. Sharing inaccurate information and attempting to imbue it with authority by misappropriating the names of those in a position of trust is dangerous and wrong,” — Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Partnerships, PesaCheck has looked into infographics about COVID-19 claiming to be from UNICEF and finds them to be FALSE., This post is part of an ongoing series of PesaCheck fact-checks examining content marked as potential misinformation on Facebook and other social media platforms., By partnering with Facebook and similar social media platforms, third-party fact-checking organisations like PesaCheck are helping to sort fact from fiction. We do this by giving the public deeper insight and context to posts they see in their social media feeds., Have you spotted what you think is fake news or false information on Facebook? Here’s how you can report. And, here’s more information on PesaCheck’s methodology for fact-checking questionable content., This fact-check was written by PesaCheck Fact-Checker Simon Muli and edited by PesaCheck Deputy Editor, The article was approved for publication by PesaCheck Managing Editor Eric Mugendi., PesaCheck is East Africa’s first public finance fact-checking initiative. It was co-founded by Catherine Gicheru and Justin Arenstein, and is being incubated by the continent’s largest civic technology and data journalism accelerator: Code for Africa. It seeks to help the public separate fact from fiction in public pronouncements about the numbers that shape our world, with a special emphasis on pronouncements about public finances that shape government’s delivery of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) public services, such as healthcare, rural development and access to water / sanitation. PesaCheck also tests the accuracy of media reportage. To find out more about the project, visit pesacheck.org., PesaCheck is a joint initiative of Code for Africa, through its innovateAFRICA fund, with additional funding support from the International Budget Partnership (Kenya) and Twaweza, in partnership with a coalition of local media organisations, and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ)., Written by, Written by
FAKE: These infographics about COVID-19 are not from UNICEF