With so much misinformation being disseminated via various channels (mainly looking at you, WhatsApp) in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the latest celebrity to become a victim of false claims is Sana Hashwani of designer duo Sana Safinaz.
Hashwani took to Instagram to confirm that she had tested negative for the virus. calling the social media rumours “uncalled for and unproductive slander”:
“We are sharing Sana Hashwani’s test results in order to dispel the rumours that she has Covid19. Sana returned from the UK and took the test as a precaution so as not to endanger family members with compromised immunity. She tested negative but nonetheless placed herself under self-isolation as any sensible person returning from abroad should do at this time,” read the official statement.
“The virus can affect anyone and it is our social moral and religious duty to fight against it in whichever way we can. Using another person’s photograph is a gross violation of her privacy and an incredibly callous act.”
We’re glad to hear that she hasn’t been affected by the highly contagious virus. That said, although Hashwani had travelled recently, we’re assuming she displayed no symptoms as it was merely “precautionary”. The fact that she was able to get tested so swiftly highlights the inequality of our healthcare system.
Recently, Humayun Saeed, Adnan Siddiqui and Jibran Nasir came under fire on social media for getting tested for the novel virus while displaying no tell-tale signs (despite having travel history) and were accused of wasting scarce test kits in the country when a two-week quarantine would’ve sufficed.
Sickening ELITE PRIVILEGE.
Jibran Nasir, Humayun and Adnan Siddiqui types wasting the limited Corona test kits (despite no symptoms at all), just because they have the ‘connections’.
Shame on you guys. You are absolute privileged scum at the end of the day https://t.co/28IMKK4v2b— نا شناس (@WuzgarX) March 21, 2020
Jibran, are tests with no symptoms necessary?
With test kits in short supply, isn’t it more appropriate to undergo a 14-day self quarantine?
This’d be relevant to 800,000+ people reported to have traveled since Feb
What’s the govt’s advice? @MJibranNasir @LumosNotNox @zfrmrza https://t.co/vIqbnym225
— Osama Bin Javaid (@osamabinjavaid) March 18, 2020
Of course mass testing is critical and has shown to be very effective in some countries like South Korea but Pakistan lacks enough resources as it is. If you are low-risk, have no symptoms and can afford to self-isolate instead, do that and leave the test kit for someone who may be critical ill. At least until we’re better equipped.
