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Iris Koh started the Healing the Divide initiative in Singapore to bring back much-needed unity in our society after the differentiated measures have set in regarding the vaccination programme.
Iris Koh – Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com › watch
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Anti COVID-19 vaccination videos on YouTube channel removed for ‘violating community guidelines’: MOH
Ian Chen
07 Nov 2021 04:20PM (Updated: 07 Nov 2021 05:49PM)
SINGAPORE: Anti-vaccination videos on a YouTube channel by Ms Iris Koh have been removed by YouTube.
A group, called Healing the Divide, was founded by Ms Koh and “adopts an anti-vaccination stance and claims to warn people about the dangers of vaccination”, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Sunday (Nov 7).
MOH added that the YouTube channel has “a history of posting and sharing content that perpetuates falsehoods and misleading information about COVID-19 and vaccines”.
The videos removed include “Town Hall Meeting: United We Stand For Choice”, and “Healing the Divide: Remembering Those We Love and Lost”.
They were removed for violating YouTube’s community guidelines, added the Health Ministry.
“We are committed to keeping YouTube safe from harmful COVID-19 misinformation and since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve had clear and established COVID-19 medical misinformation policies,” said a YouTube spokesperson in response to CNA’s queries.
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“The Government takes a serious view of the deliberate communication of these falsehoods and will not hesitate to take action against those who put the public’s health and well-being at risk by spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccines,” said MOH.
The ministry noted that Ms Koh’s Facebook account has also previously been suspended more than once for violating Facebook’s community guidelines.
“We advise members of the public not to speculate and/or spread misinformation which may cause public alarm, and to refer to credible sources of information instead,” said the Health Ministry.
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On Saturday afternoon, the Healing the Divide Facebook page shared screenshots of YouTube’s takedown notices.
“More censorship from big tech,” said the Facebook post.
“Everyone deserves a right to access information freely so that they can decide for themselves the risks vs benefits of certain medical procedures and make their own decision about their medical preferences.”
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ABOUT US
We stand for Unity, Truth and Empathy. We protect our rights to live in a society where diversity is celebrated especially regarding our medical health. We are a group of citizens who are very concerned about the recent management of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
We wish to share with you stories from Singapore and around the world. Voices from the community, data, stats and personal stories from individuals and families and how their lives have changed as a result of the pandemic.
We also wish to share critical research and evidences by scientists, doctors and medical professionals around the world who have startling information presenting a different side of the vaccine story not usually presented in the main stream media and we wish to share these vital and important information with you.
Welcome to our site and feel free to join our community on Telegram.
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Posted by u/yilin_light 10 days ago
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Antivaxxer group Healing The Divide urges followers to flood mental health support National Care Hotline and other MSF, MOH hotlines, claims “Govt seeking feedback”
Overwhelming MOH, MSF hotlines may deny vulnerable people access to help, especially seniors and the visually-impai
https://www.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/q5tbje/antivaxxer_group_healing_the_divide_urges/
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SNN
In our fight against COVID-19, anonymous groups which prey on our fears are more dangerous than the Brad Bowyers
Jewel Stolarchuk 4 weeks ago
SNN Editorial/
So, from 27 September to 24 October, we are headed towards another round of restrictions. The Government’s decision to tighten measures is disappointing, but understandable. The Government was moving towards treating Covid-19 as endemic and was preparing the country to live with infectious disease, but the surge in Covid-19 cases, scuttled this plan.
As at 25 September, there are 1,443 new COVID-19 cases, 1,142 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, 165 need oxygen supplementation, 27 cases are in the intensive care units, and 76 people have died.
The surge has also brought about an enormous strain on our hospital system. As the people appeared confused as to how to deal with the surge and new measures like Home Quarantines and self-testing, the Government had to pause in order to bring some sanity to the ‘madness’.
It is disappointing that almost four months since announcing its plan for a scenario where Covid-19 would become endemic, the Government did not up its capability and capacity, nor sufficiently prepare the people to live with Covid-19. But now is not the time to play the blame game.
We should work hand-in-hand with the Government and its agencies, and abide by the prevailing virus prevention measures so that we and our loved ones can be safe.
Despite seeming half-hearted and indecisive in its implementation, the Government, so far seems to be guided by science and big data in trying to win the battle against the viral infection.
Towards this, it is disappointing that some people like Brad Bowyer are hell-bent on working against the efforts of the Government, just to prove a point or to justify their own fears. But it is easier to reply and rebut the Brad Bowyers who express their views openly online, than to counter people who spread misinformation and rumours through platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Let’s take a look at a video virally circulating on WhatsApp and Telegram from a Group call ‘Healing the Divide’. The video shows an older gentleman who claims to have been badly affected after taking the Covid-19 vaccination. The message from the video is clear – “DO NOT TAKE THE COVID-19 VACCINATION”.
We must all sympathise with the misfortune which struck the man after he took the vaccination.
But what’s not clear is if the vaccine caused the man’s health deterioration. If someone chokes and dies after having a cupcake, do we brand cupcakes as ‘choke hazards’ and ‘dangerous’?
Of course, the Ministry of Health must be proactive in clarifying the facts behind the claims of this man, but isn’t it strange that a group called ‘Healing the Divide’ is actually causing more division?
Campaigns by groups like ‘Healing the Divide’ are especially problematic if they convince our older folks to not take the vaccination. And it is harmful that it is coming at a time when the Government is encouraging our elderly to take booster shots to up their immunity and protect themselves. In some of these closed chat groups, the elderly are being discouraged, or are discouraging one another, to not take the booster shots.
For older people and for those with weakened immune systems, they tend to produce fewer antibodies than healthy people after vaccination. This is why a third shot is necessary for these individuals – to keep them out of the hospitals.
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CLARIFICATION: An earlier version which referred to the 'Healing the Divide' group as a faceless, anonymous group has been edited after Ms Iris Koh wrote to us to claim that she is the founder of the group.
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weehingthong 