WebQoof Recap: Misinformation Around Omicron Variant & UP Polls

From misinformation around Omicron variant to Akhilesh Yadav's wedding photo shared with misleading claim.

From misinformation around Omicron variant to Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav. 

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

From misinformation around the new Omicron variant to the upcoming elections in the state of Uttar Pradesh, here's what misled the public the public this week.

1. No, This 1957 Comic Strip Didn't Talk About the 'China Virus'

A panel of a comic strip showing classic superhero the Phantom, asking others to "tie as I do. This will protect you from the 'China Virus' in the valley" is being shared on social media to push the oft-repeated conspiracy theory that the COVID-19 pandemic was pre-planned.

The claim stated that the comic strip was published in 1957.

An archived version of a claim can be found here.

However, we found that the original comic strip reads 'Sleep Death' and not 'China Virus' as claimed. In the comic, Phantom helps people around him protect themselves by using a face mask from a powdered mushroom compound which puts people to sleep on inhalation.

You can read our fact-check here.

2. Akhilesh Yadav's Wedding Photo With Vajpayee Shared With Misleading Claim

A photo of late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee presenting a flower bouquet to Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav on their wedding day is being shared on social media with the claim that Yadav had not offered his condolences when Vajpayee passed away in 2018.

The photo is massively shared on Facebook.

However, we found that the Samajwadi Party president had gone to Delhi on 17 August 2018 and paid tributes to the late prime minister.

You can read our fact-check here.

3. No, a 1963 Sci-Fi Movie Wasn't Titled 'The Omicron Variant'

Social media users shared a poster of a movie titled 'The Omicron Variant: The Day The Earth Was Turned Into A Cemetery (sic)' with the claim that the movie was released in 1963. The photo was also shared by filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma.

An archived version of a claim can be seen here. 

However, we found out that the text 'The Omicron Variant' has been digitally altered on the poster of another sci-fi movie called 'Phase IV' which was released in 1974.

Further, a movie called 'Omicron' was released in 1963, however, it wasn't about a virus or the variant of a virus.

You can read our fact-check here.

4. Video From UP Falsely Shared as 'Delhi Government School Converted Into Madrasa'

A viral video of a group of men accompanied by police entering a classroom full of people is being shared to claim that the video shows a government primary school in Delhi that is being converted to madrasas, schools of religious instruction in Islam.

The claim targets Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

However, we found that the video is from Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad. In the video, the people and the police are seen entering a government primary school in Vijay Nagar, Ghaziabad on 19 November.

You can read our fact-check here.

5. Image of Protesters From Rajasthan Falsely Linked to UP TET Exam

A photograph showing people sleeping on the road at night is being widely shared across social media to claim that it shows candidates who had travelled long distances to appear for the Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UP-TET).

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

However, we found that the photograph showed members of the Rajasthan Berojgar Ekikrat Mahasangh sleeping outside Eco Park in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

You can read our fact-check here.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)