Dödligt virus från Kina orsakar panik (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19)

A message, which has been copied and pasted across Facebook, falsely claims that people should “just stop getting tested” to prevent a second lockdown - and that stopping testing would make the pandemic disappear.
The text was originally shared at the beginning of September, but it has resurfaced on a number of local Facebook groups in recent days after announcements about new coronavirus restrictions in the UK - and evolved.
The message is now being attributed to “a nurse who works at Southend hospital”. At the beginning of the pandemic, we often saw posts attributed to vague sources like an unnamed NHS worker or a friend’s neighbour.
The text - which has been shared thousands of times on Facebook and less widely on Twitter - expresses legitimate concerns about the impact of future restrictions during winter months, but it also makes dubious claims about needing to mix with one another “to get germs to thrive”.
At the end, it asks users to “copy, paste and share”, whilst other versions finish with “turn off your TV, ignore the propaganda, THINK FOR YOURSELVES”.
It's a reminder to pause before sharing and to turn to reliable sources for information and updates about the pandemic, rather than just your Facebook feed.
Your Facebook friend's best mate probably knows less about Covid-19 than scientists, doctors and virologists.