COVID-19 Mis-Information and Odd Police Calls in Southern Tier
A lot of unsubstantiated information or just plain false reports continue to circulate concerning the coronavirus ranging from claims of cures to warnings about over-the-counter drugs fueling the virus.
Tioga County Sheriff Gary Howard responded to something on facebook that claimed a post on the Village of Owego page said a Tioga County Sheriff Deputy had tested positive. Sheriff Howard says “This information is NOT true.”
It’s not clear the motivation behind the false report.
There had earlier been false rumors about cases of coronavirus in area county jails. There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in local correctional facilities according to Sheriff's offices.
Aside from the posting of misleading information, there are other peculiarities that seem to be related to people being told to stay home during the crisis. Broome County Emergency Services officials say they have been getting numerous reports of not only loud music at all hours but also complaints about fireworks. Dispatchers say they have been getting calls from the City of Binghamton and the Villages of Johnson City and Endicott since last week.