Fact Check: Is the video showing COVID-19 pandemic simulation linked to Epstein files real?

WASHINGTON, DC: Following the release of the massive tranche of files linked to the convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein, a video has been circulating on social media platforms claiming to show a simulation of patient treatment in preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic. The video is claimed to be from the Epstein files. Let us fact-check the claim.

Claim: The viral COVID-19  pandemic video is linked to Epstein files

The video includes two main clips. The first clip shows a hospital scene with several healthcare workers in hazmat suits, while the second clip shows a group of people in hazmat jackets exiting an ambulance and then dancing in a circle.

The video is spread with the claim that it is a simulation of patient treatment in preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic

According to viral posts, the video is sourced from the Epstein Files, which were recently released to the public.

The video posted on Instagram and X has sparked speculation, with many questioning its authenticity.

Fact Check: The clips are not related to Epstein files

A Google reverse image search shows that the video is promotional material for a hospital in Israel. The first clip showing patients being treated at a hospital is an excerpt from a promotional video for the Shamir Medical Center in Be'er Ya'akov, Israel. 

The Israeli government-owned medical center released the documentary video on its YouTube channel on March 26, 2021.

A visual comparison showed that the circulating video matches the original footage, which includes a room with thin blue partition walls marked with serial numbers.

This confirms that the clip was not a secret pandemic-planning simulation but a publicly released promotional content for public health facilities.

The second clip is from a wedding celebration in Israel, which was posted on Hamal News Instagram page on July 8, 2020. 

A search on the official Department of Justice website for the keyword "pandemic simulation strain" returns no results matching the video.

Release of millions of files linked to Jeffrey Epstein 

The video surfaced after the release of millions of additional pages of records linked by the Justice Department to Epstein on January 30. 

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the release also included more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.

The decision came after weeks of criticism that the department was not following a federal law passed in November, which required all Epstein-related files to be made public by December 19.