Infodemic- A new rapidly evolving virtual communicable pandemic with global threat! Hypothetical or real?

Abstract

‘Infodemic’ is a pandemic of misinformation spread in a pandemic manner regarding health issues of global concern. Globally, Infodemic is rapidly rising and more adverse outcomes are observed in social, economic and family lives. Infodemic is reported first time during SARS in 2003 & now during evolution of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Infodemic is more rapidly spreading pandemic than any communicable disease due to its ultrafast method of transmission by means of electronic & social media in the form of print or digital platform. Here, in Infodemic, the culprit is ‘misinformation’ spread without any scientific evidence regarding health issues of global concern. During COVID-19 pandemic infodemic evolved parallel with actual natural viral disaster and documented comparable effects on mankind globally. Infodemic is considered a global issue of concern for this decade. Infodemic in COVID-19 pandemic was documented as source of agent to cause & its evolution globally, available treatment options such as Remdesivir and its safety with efficacy & lastly, COVID-19 vaccines and its role in preventing and protecting COVID-19 disease with adverse events. Infodemic needs more stringent steps to control before its evolution, which includes active involvement of health experts, medical scientists, government agencies and trust organizations working worldwide. Timely shared right and scientifically evidenced proof information is a key step in controlling misinformation and ‘infodemic’.