Some social media users have latched onto a recent Australian news segment error to falsely claim Queen Elizabeth II is taking the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin to treat COVID-19.
A Feb. 21 Instagram post features a screenshot of a post from "A Current Affair," a news program on Australia's Nine Network, about the queen battling COVID-19. The post includes an image of stromectol, a brand name of ivermectin.
"OMG, THE QUEEN USES HORSE MEDICINE," reads the caption on the post, which accumulated more than 1,000 likes in one day.
Buckingham Palace announced Feb. 20 that Queen Elizabeth II had tested positive for COVID-19. The fully-vaccinated, 95-year-old monarch is reportedly experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms.
Another Feb. 21 Instagram post shows a video of Dr. Mukesh Haikerwal discussing treatment options for elderly COVID-19 patients on "A Current Affair." Footage of ivermectin is shown in the clip.
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“Rules for thee, but not for me,” reads the video caption. “The Queen that lives in the Capitol, while we’re confined to our districts has a different treatment plan to (sic) the rest of us.”
The claim has also spread on Twitter, where a 35-second clip of the broadcast generated more than 2 million views. Users cited the video as proof that the queen is taking ivermectin, which is not proven to treat COVID-19.
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