Quick Take
The National Security Council is warning Americans of a “FAKE” rumor circulating on social media that falsely claims President Donald Trump will impose a nationwide “mandatory quarantine.” President Donald Trump said his administration “may look at certain areas,” but it is not considering anything that would affect the whole country “at this time.”
Full Story
A rumor inciting Americans to “stock up” on two weeks of supplies, claiming a “mandatory” nationwide quarantine will soon be implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been circulating online. It’s false.
The rumor started as a text message and migrated to social media as a screenshot meme, claiming: “within 48 to 72 Hours… The president will order a two week mandatory quarantine for the nation. Stock up on whatever you guys need to make sure you have a two week supply of everything. Please forward to your network.”
Different versions of the rumor attribute this misinformation to various sources, including “military friends,” the “DC mayor,” and “a physician at the Clev. Clinic.”
Each version is false.
The White House’s National Security Council addressed the claim in a statement on Twitter, saying: “Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown.”
Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown. @CDCgov has and will continue to post the latest guidance on #COVID19. #coronavirus
— NSC 45 Archived (@WHNSC45) March 16, 2020
President Donald Trump also rejected the idea that his administration is considering a “nationwide lockdown.” When asked about it by a reporter on March 16, Trump said: “We may look at certain areas, certain hot spots as they call them.” But, he added, “at this moment,” they are not considering anything that would affect the whole country.
The day before, Trump had urged Americans not to panic. Following a call with the CEOs of more than a dozen major grocers and food suppliers on March 15, he said that the U.S. supply chains are “powerful” and “[t]here’s no need for anybody in the country to hoard essential food supplies.”
The only thing the rumor gets right is its reference to the Stafford Act, which Trump invoked when he declared a national emergency on March 13. Before making the false claim about the mandatory quarantine, it says: “within 48 to 72 Hours the president will evoke what is called the Stafford act.”
However, Trump’s use of that federal disaster relief law actually allows for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help state and local governments dealing with the outbreak.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that organizers cancel events that host more than 50 attendees. It also has suggested strategies that communities can implement to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, but there is currently no federally mandated “quarantine.”
Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here.
Sources
National Security Council (@WHNSC). “Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown. @CDCgov has and will continue to post the latest guidance on #COVID19. #coronavirus.” Twitter. 15 Mar 2020.
President Trump and Coronavirus Task Force Hold News Conference. C-SPAN. 16 Mar 2020.
Trump, Donald. Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing. White House. 15 Mar 2020.
Trump, Donald. Letter from President Donald J. Trump on Emergency Determination Under the Stafford Act. White House. 13 Mar 2020.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. President Donald J. Trump Directs FEMA Support Under Emergency Declaration for COVID-19. 13 Mar 2020.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Implementation of Mitigation Strategies for Communities with Local COVID-19 Transmission. 12 Mar 2020.