The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health in the Central African Republic have dismissed the claims made in a viral video that highlights the supposed dangers of using masks of any type or color, deeming these claims as manipulative.
A three-minute and 18-second video that has gone viral on social media platforms, especially WhatsApp, is widely shared and claims that blue-colored masks contain a toxic substance that causes illnesses in some organs of users’ bodies. However, this information is neither recognized nor confirmed by pandemic specialists.
In recent days, this video has gained significant attention, featuring a voice claiming to be Beninese doctor Brissot Anayon, who warns users to stop wearing blue masks. In the video, the doctor claims: “I am issuing a warning! A warning about the blue mask. I have received many patients in recent days who have chest pains and respiratory tract irritations due to excessive use of blue masks.” The video also alleges that the blue masks contain formaldehyde and toluene and suggests that continued use of these masks could lead to throat cancer, brain tumors, and other health issues in the future.
This Information is Completely Rejected by the WHO and the Ministry of Health in the CAR
To demystify this widespread rumor, the Central African Fact-checkers Association (AFC) conducted an interview with Augustin Dibert, a health promotion advisor at the WHO, who refuted these allegations, stating:
“I confirm that nowhere in WHO literature does it say that wearing a blue mask causes additional health problems. On the contrary, it is recommended to wear masks to protect against respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.”
He added: “I receive daily updates from the WHO regarding masks, and I have not seen any questions or responses linked to illnesses that might arise from wearing masks. I advise everyone to stick to science because we cannot fight a disease based on rumors.”
Similarly, Dr. Louis Médard Ouarandji, a pandemic specialist at the Ministry of Public Health and Population, stated:
“This is the first time I’ve heard of this. Since we started using masks, especially blue ones, we have never received patients who complained about using blue masks or masks of any other color. This information is not true, and you should be very cautious about what you read and watch on social media, especially regarding COVID-19, which is often spread by so-called experts or specialists.”
A widely shared three-minute and eighteen-second video on social media claims that wearing protective masks against COVID-19 poses a health risk. After verification by the Central African Fact-checkers Association, it was found that the information in this video is false.
AFC Fact-checking Editorial Team
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