Twitter flags Donald Trump's tweet claiming he is 'immune' from COVID-19

WASHINGTON: Twitter on Sunday (local time) flagged the US President Donald Trump's tweet on being immune from COVID-19, claiming it has violated rules on spreading misleading information regarding COVID-19.

"A total and complete sign off from White House Doctors yesterday. That means I can't get it (immune), and can't give it. Very nice to know!!!" Trump had said in a tweet.

Twitter maintained that the particular tweet violated rules about spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to COVID-19. However, it also determined that it may be in the public's interest for the tweet to remain accessible.

Although viewers can still see the US president's tweet after going through a warning, commenting and sharing options have been disabled.

This action by Twitter is in line with its policy that it rolled out this May, in which it announced that it will begin labeling coronavirus-related tweets that contain potentially misleading information but that don't clearly violate company misinformation policies.

Trump earlier in an interview with "Sunday Morning Futures" host Maria Bartiromo, had claimed that he was immune to the virus

"Yes, and not only that, it seems like I'm immune, so I can go way out of a basement, which I would have done anyway," Trump told Bartiromo, according to Fox News.

On Saturday, White House physician Dr Sean Conley had said that the president was no longer considered a 'transmission risk' to others.

In a written memorandum, Dr Conley said: "This evening I am happy to report that in addition to the President meeting CDC criteria for the safe discontinuation of isolation, this morning's COVID PCR sample demonstrates, by currently recognized standards, he is no longer considered a transmission risk to others."

Last week, Trump had returned to the White House after departing from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was admitted for treatment of COVID-19.