Covid-19 and error information – Denmark against errors

In recent weeks, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI), which is the National Institute of Public Health’s sister institute in Denmark, has stepped up its efforts to spread misinformation about the corona situation in Denmark on social media.

In particular, they are digital clashes with epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding which has stood out. While Feigl-Ding has close to 700,000 followers on Twitter, SSI has only 20,000 followers on the platform.

– We are naturally concerned about the spread of incorrect information when it happens on the basis of data from SSI. Therefore, we have also actively entered into some Twitter threads to tell what the numbers look like in Denmark. It seems that we have become a piece in an American debate on reopening, but that naturally does not justify distorting or misusing our numbers, says press manager Flemming Platz at SSI to Dagbladet and continues:

– In particular, we have emphasized that omikron has changed the rules of the game and the way we should look at the infection. An increasing proportion of hospitalizations and deaths will not occur due to covid-19, even if one has a positive PCR test.

– What consequences can such dissemination of incorrect information have?

– SSI is a research and emergency preparedness institute that works on a daily basis in an international environment. It can be harmful if the misinformation casts doubt on the credibility and professionalism of the Danish health authorities, and therefore we should also react to that kind, says press officer Platz.