Head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova
The head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova called infodemia a new threat to humanity – a deliberate distortion of information about the real situation, including the spread of COVIUD-19. Disinformation interferes with healthcare, she said.
“The new threat of today, if we have learned and understand to a certain extent how to manage the epidemic process, the new threat of today associated with the epidemic process is the process of infodemic, a process when citizens are misled by false messages, false information,” she said Popov at the session of the III International Scientific and Practical Conference “Global Threats to Biological Security. Problems and Solutions” (quoted by RIA Novosti).
The Chief Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation also called the location of biological laboratories near the borders of Russia one of the highest risks. “Misunderstanding of what is happening, the goals and objectives of these laboratories is one of the highest risks for our country,” Popova stressed.
In turn, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov called one of the threats terrorist – attackers can use biological agents, disguising their use as outbreaks of infections. The diplomat recalled that in connection with this threat, Russia five years ago did not come up with an initiative to develop an International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Chemical and Biological Terrorism.
The first case of “covid” fakes was initiated in St. Petersburg last spring. The case was opened in early April last year after a message appeared on social networks about a coronavirus infection in a clinic in the Kurortny District. Then, as a witness, the investigators interrogated activist Anna Shushpanova. Later, the case was closed “due to the absence of a crime event.”
