All section Close
Image Credit: Facebook
Dr Tarun Kothari Spreading Misinformation About COVID Is Not Dean Of Mumbai's Nair Hospital
Writer: Jakir Hassan
A journalist at heart loves the in-depth work of reporting, writing, editing, research, and data analysis. A digital and social media enthusiast.
India, 25 July 2021 1:59 PM GMT
Editor : Bharat Nayak |
As the founding editor, Bharat had been heading the newsroom during the formation years of the organization and worked towards editorial policies, conceptualizing and designing campaign strategies and collaborations. He believes that through the use of digital media, one could engage the millennial's in rational conversations about pertinent social issues, provoking them to think and bring a behavioral change accordingly.
Creatives : Jakir Hassan
A journalist at heart loves the in-depth work of reporting, writing, editing, research, and data analysis. A digital and social media enthusiast.
A video is viral in which a doctor can be seen making several false claims about the COVID pandemic with the claim that he is dean of BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai. The Logical Indian Fact Check team verifies the claims.
A video of Dr Tarun Kothari followed by a message is viral on social media. In the video, the doctor can be seen making several false claims about the COVID pandemic. In the one and a half minute long video, the doctor is surrounded by some people, and he is appealing to the public not to wear masks, maintain social distancing, and get vaccinated. The video is shared with the claim that Dr Tarun Kothari is the dean of Nair Hospital of Mumbai.
Dr Tarun Kothari says, "No matter who says it, but you should not wear a mask. Wearing a mask will prompt various types of new diseases. It will reduce the oxygen level that will cause breathing issues. It may lead to your hospitalisation, and poor treatment at hospitals will result in your death, which will be counted as a COVID casualty." He further adds, "My video should reach everyone; I appeal to India's public, do not wear a mask, do not maintain social distancing and do not get vaccinated. The vaccine has caused more deaths than the COVID virus."
Dr Tarun Kothari calls COVID an insignificant virus, which is not deadly and equivalent to seasonal flu cases.
The video is widely shared on Facebook.
Claim:
The viral video is of Dr Tarun Kothari, dean of Mumbai's Nair Hospital.
Fact Check:
The Logical Indian Fact Check team began its investigation by searching Dr Tarun Kothari's profile on the internet. According to his LinkedIn profile, he did his MBBS from Dr Sampurnanand Medical College and MD from Ravindra Nath Tagore Medical College, Udaipur.
The video of Dr Tarun Kothari makes four major claims:
Dr Tarun Kothari is the dean of Mumbai's Nair Hospital and is a TB expert.
The video caption reads, "Dr Tarun Kothari Din of Nayar Hospital Mumbai (M. B. B. S / M. D.) Sp. MRD TB". The words dean and Nair are misspelt as din and Nayar. He is a radiologist who runs a diagnostic centre named 'Indo-American Health Care' in Paschim Vihar, New Delhi. However, in the caption, he is claimed to be a TB expert. The current dean of BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai is Dr. Ramesh Bharmal.
Earlier, in conversation with the Boom, Dr Tarun Kothari said that he is an independent practitioner and is in no way linked to Mumbai's BYL Nair Hospital.
Dr appeals not to wear a mask as it will reduce oxygen levels.
He claims that wearing a mask will reduce oxygen levels, but the health authorities worldwide, including the World Health Organisation, recommend wearing a mask to control the spread of COVID-19.
Dr appeals not to get vaccinated as it has caused more deaths than the COVID virus.
He claims that the vaccine has caused more deaths than the COVID virus. This claim is entirely false, as, in India, the casualties due to COVID has crossed over the 4 lakh mark. However, the actual number can lie between 10 lakh to 50 lakh. Also, according to the National Adverse Events Following Immunisation committee, only one person has died after vaccination.
Dr says COVID is an insignificant virus, which is equivalent to seasonal flu cases.
He claims COVID is an insignificant virus, which is not deadly and equivalent to seasonal flu cases. Such claims have surfaced ever since the outbreak of the pandemic. But, it is noteworthy here that COVID-19 is caused due to SARS-CoV-2, which is a coronavirus, whereas an influenza virus causes the flu. The only similarity between the two is that they both cause respiratory diseases. In comparison, the critical difference is in the reproductive and mortality rates caused by the two.
According to World Health Organisation, the reproductive rate of COVID-19 (number of people infected from one person) is much higher than the flu. And the rough mortality rate of COVID-19 is above 2%; the accurate rate is yet to be determined. Whereas flu's mortality rate is 0.1%, much lower than COVID's.
Also, a person recovering from COVID does not necessarily mean to return to their normal condition. Long COVID is a term suggested by the studies for the people undergoing the effects of COVID. According to the British Medical Journal, 45% of people admitted with COVID-19 would need continuous support. Hence, the COVID and flu can not be equalised in any way.
Conclusion:
Dr Tarun Kothari is a known voice opposing the government's COVID guidelines. He is against the use of masks, maintenance of social distancing, and getting vaccinated. He has written a book, 'Corona Pandemic Scandal: The biggest scam in the history of mankind' alleging COVID-19 is a scam and an international conspiracy against India. However, we could not find any of his research papers on COVID-19 printed in any reputed medical journal. Therefore, all the claims made by him are sensational and do not have any scientific backing. There are no studies that can support his claims whatsoever.
If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343.
Also Read: Man Insulting Indian Flag Is Siraj Raisani, Leader Of Balochistan Awami Party, Not Haroon Bilour
Must Reads
We are an independent and public-spirited digital media platform for Indian millennials. We report news and issues that matter as well as give you the opportunity to take action.
