The Manitoba Human Rights Commission (MHRC) is warning of fake pamphlets linking the commission to fake information about COVID-19 vaccines.
In a release Friday, the MHRC said pamphlets making the rounds in Manitoba look like they’ve been issued by the commission and include the commission logo and information about the human rights code, as well as misinformation regarding COVID-19 vaccinations.
“It in fact copies the layout and content of one of the pamphlets we do circulate and then if you flip it over it has some information about the COVID-19 vaccine, which again is just information that has been debunked, so it does look quite like a document that our organization may produce,” MHRC executive director, Karen Sharma told 680 CJOB.
The commission is asking the public to destroy any pamphlets they may have and to stop distributing them.
The organization is also urging people to get their information about COVID-19 from trusted sources such as public health officials and the vaccine website.
“There’s a lot of misinformation and a lot of unreliable sources with respect to information about COVID-19,” Sharma said.
The commission says it recognizes the critical role that vaccines play in protecting the health and well-being of our communities. Growing vaccination rates have led to a corresponding drop in the transmission of the virus, lower hospitalization rates and fewer deaths, the organization’s release says.
Increased vaccination rates safeguard human rights by protecting individuals most at risk of severe COVID-19-related outcomes and reduce the need for restrictive public health measures, the commission added.
“If there is anyone that has any questions, go to our website we have a guideline on human rights and vaccines and that’s good information for you to be able to credibly rely upon in determining whether you have a human rights issue on your hands,” said Sharma.
The MHRC asks anyone who has received fraudulent or unreliable information about COVID-19 and human rights bearing the logo or visual identity of the commission to report it to the commission.
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