Netflix has released a limited series called ‘Coronavirus Explained’ for subscribers. The 26-minute science and nature documentary elaborates on the origin, spread, and containment methods for COVID-19.
It is an educational web series that serves as a fact-checking tool to refute the viral virus-related misinformation and conspiracy theories. Unfortunately, in the midst of this global health crisis, miscreants are busy in spreading misinformation about the origin of the virus, its cure and the governments’ intentions behind lockdowns to stop the spread of the disease.
Coronavirus Explained – Netflix Educates the Masses on COVID-19
During the pandemic, not only did Netflix’s daily viewership increased, it also gained 16 million new subscribers. A New York Times report illustrated an impressive rise in Netflix streaming by home-bound people. The Wall Street Journal reported that by the 21st April, the service had 16 million additional subscribers from around the world.
Using its increased popularity and viewership for a good cause, Netflix is using its platform to educate subscribers on the virus. Based on scientific and medical data, ‘Coronavirus Explained’ breaks down the process of transmission from animals to humans and then from human to human. Quoting the previous ‘Spanish Flu’ pandemic of 1918s, the web series explains why it is imperative for people to practice social distancing and be in insolation to combat the spread and survival of the virus.
Bill Gates also makes an appearance in ‘Coronavirus Explained’ , along with various other health experts, and shares his thoughts on the pandemic in an interview. Bill Gates had famously shared his concern in a TED talk in 2015 that we are not ready for the next pandemic. He is now actively funding research to speed up the creation of a COVID19 vaccine. Check out the piece Bill Gates wrote on his website titled ‘The first modern pandemic‘.
‘Coronavirus Explained’ documentary has been produced by Vox Media in collaboration with Netflix. As of writing, only the first episode is available to watch. Episodes 2 and 3 are expected to be released during summer 2020.
Coronavirus conspiracy theories
Using social platforms like Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, WhatsApp, and others, conspirators are targeting people, policies and technology as the cause of the disease. For example, blaming the Chinese for the virus has led to an increase in hate crimes in the United States. In China, African descent individuals are facing similar discrimination. Believing that 5G network towers are reducing the level of oxygen in the air, people in the United Kingdom began to set 5G network towers on fire.
Down-playing the effects of the virus and proposing easy cures like drinking hot water or chewing garlic, conspirators have fooled many into disobeying the imposed social distancing and isolation orders by governments. A disturbing spike in the number of infected cases was recorded in places where the masses broke the precautionary measures, like Italy and the United States.
Miscreants are making things worse by flooding social media with claims that coronavirus is the government’s biological tool to reduce the country’s population, and to control their lives. These theories have no substantiating evidence to back up their outrageous claims.
Fortunately, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and others are implementing policies to stop the spread of misinformation and direct users to appropriate authorities like the WHO website for accurate and authentic Coronavirus related information. Recently, Youtube decided to remove medically unverified content related to coronavirus.
On a personal level, people must fact check all COVID-19 information before believing and sharing it with others. Netflix’ ‘Coronavirus Explained‘ is a must-watch web series to understand the current situation we are in, so we can fight it intelligently. Check out the trailer below:
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