The World Health Organization (WHO) has banned all April Fools pranks amid the COVID-19 crisis. The worldwide embargo was made after a study by top scientists discovered that, with everything that has happened so far in 2020, people were now prepared to believe just about anything, leading to potentially hazardous levels of gullibility.

In a further blow to the media industry, as well as banning April Fools, WHO has advised against the publication of all but the most necessary fake news stories. Early indications are that Facebook shares will plunge at the opening of the stock market, amid fears it will lose up to 99.9% of its content.

The ban is set to be lifted at noon on April 1.

[Cover Image via NIAID-RML]