Myth: COVID-19 is a disease of the elite, that it only affects Europeans, and Americans and that Africans don’t get sick with it
But this is not true. The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads from person to person and can infect anyone. In fact, the virus has spread to more than 200 countries and territories in the first few months of 2020 and has infected more than 8 million people – of all backgrounds. In Africa in June, the number of cases doubled from 100,000 to 200,000 in just one week. And experts predict a surge in infections across the continent. It can be dangerous to assume you have some kind of immunity to the infection because everyone is vulnerable to COVID-19. Dropping your guard and not following safety guidelines such as wearing a mask and physically distancing can put you at risk of infection.