Users on social media are sharing a photograph of a woman carrying what looks like a body bag with one hand to imply that people are not really being killed by the coronavirus. This claim is false. The photo shows a symbolic funeral during a demonstration in Miami.
The claim reads “This is a photo of a woman carrying a dead ‘coronavirus victim’ with one hand… at arm’s length. If you’ve ever had to carry a body, you know why its’s called ‘dead weight’. Raise your hand if you believe this crap. Now… slap yourself with it”. Examples of the posts are visible here , here and here .
The photo in the claim, visible here , was captured on May 27, 2020 by photographer Cristobal Herrera for EFE News Agency.
The caption says: “An activist carries bags, representing dead bodies during a symbolic funeral protest against the economy reopening without Coronavirus relief” in a park in downtown Miami.
The same woman (see red sneakers) can also be seen carrying and arranging the symbolic bags in a video of the protest ( youtu.be/a5ll3Ean2fU?t=66 ). Other footage of the event is visible here .
VERDICT
False. This photo shows bags representing dead bodies during a protest in Miami. It has been used out of context to falsely cast doubt on whether people are dying of COVID-19.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here .
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.