Canadians’ best defense against COVID-19 is to stay informed and be prepared.

Soon after the world started getting used to the terms coronavirus and COVID-19, the World Health Organization coined another word: "infodemic" — an overabundance of information and the rapid spread of misleading or fabricated news, images, and videos. Like the virus, it is highly contagious and grows exponentially. It also complicates COVID-19 pandemic response efforts.

The WHO estimates that 30% of the population needs to understand good information in order to protect communities against misinformation. Since misinformation originates in communities and can spread in private messaging and conversations among friends and families, the WHO encourages individuals to fact-check with their loved ones when necessary. More information is available from the WHO regarding the “infodemic” and COVID-19 mythbusters. 

The following are credible sources of information about COVID-19 and vaccines: 

Global resources

Federal resources

Government of Canada

National Advisory Council on Immunization (NACI): Statements and publications - Canada.ca

Provincial resources

Government of Ontario

Public Health Ontario 

Local resources

Videos

 

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