Medical journal The Lancet on Friday called on Indian leaders to respect scientific evidence and not provide false optimism to people amid the raging coronavirus crisis. The journal said that a “too positive spin” on the situation would not only cloud the reality but also adversely affect public health initiatives.
The journal said in an editorial that not reporting negative news about the coronavirus honestly will discourage people from taking the health crisis seriously. “Perpetuating unrealistic claims or failing to honestly report negative news creates uncertainty among the public and health-care professionals, discouraging people from taking preventive action or taking public health messages seriously,” it said.
The editorial added that India has the potential to handle the coronavirus and stressed on the need for the country’s leaders to pay attention to…