19th Ave New York, NY 95822, USA
8/20/21
There’s no truth that VAERS system shows 6,000 ‘died because of’ COVID vaccines
Source: Poynter
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System is a United States program for vaccine safety. (VAERS) received 6,490 reports of death (0.0019%) among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine. But VAERS...
8/20/21
The Pfizer vaccine, teenagers and myocarditis
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: A CDC study on 12 to 17 year-olds who got the Pfizer vaccine found 397 reports of heart inflammation. OUR VERDICT: It’s true 397 cases of myocarditis...
8/20/21
There’s no evidence that vaccines are causing the summer surge in COVID-19 cases
Source: Poynter
A doctor in a viral video says the surge in COVID-19 cases is caused by “antibody mediated viral enhancement” from the COVID-19 vaccines. There is no evidence that the rare...
8/20/21
What do we know about Covid-19 vaccines and fertility?
Source: Full Fact
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) which is the professional association of pregnancy, childbirth, and women's reproductive and sexual health says that there is “no evidence” to suggest...
8/20/21
Covid variants weren’t planned
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: All of the Covid-19 variants have planned release dates. OUR VERDICT: They don’t. These claims come from a document that seems to be fake that has been...
8/20/21
How long should you wait between vaccines if you’re pregnant?
Source: Full Fact
The guidance from NHS England is to wait seven days between the Covid-19 vaccine and any other vaccination you might get during pregnancy (not including the anti-D injection). It says:...
8/20/21
What we know about Covid-19 vaccines and miscarriages
Source: Full Fact
There is no scientific reason the vaccine might be expected to affect pregnancy. A new, as yet not peer-reviewed, study looking at 2,456 pregnant women who got an mRNA vaccine...
8/20/21
No, Pfizer CEO got Covid vaccine – and old video clip out of context
Source: Africa check
In an interview with Axios on HBO, a US current affairs programme, Bourla confirmed that he had received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. He said that he had waited...
8/20/21
No, Uganda didn’t revoke Covid-19 cash relief and prime minister didn’t tweet about it
Source: Africa check
The prime minister’s office turned to Twitter on 2 July to warn the public that the tweet circulating on social media claiming the Uganda Government was stopping COVID-19 cash relief...
8/20/21
Did Schwarzenegger Urge People to Trust Experts on COVID-19?
Source: Snopes
Claim: A viral social media post penned by Arnold Schwarzenegger urged people to trust experts on COVID-19 vaccine information. Rating: Correct
8/20/21
No, a Canadian Court ‘Victory’ Didn’t Prove COVID ‘Is a Hoax’
Source: Snopes
Claim Patrick King of Alberta, Canada, won his court case, thus forcing the government to drop COVID-19 restrictions and admit the virus is a hoax. Rating: False. The government didn’t...
8/20/21
Medical Product Alert N°4/2021: Falsified remdesivir
Source: WHO
This WHO Medical Product Alert refers to two batches of falsified remdesivir (antiviral drug) injection 100mg/20ml (5mg/ml)identified in the WHO Region of the Americas and reported to WHO in July...
8/20/21
Medical Product Alert N°5/2021: Falsified COVISHIELD vaccine
Source: WHO
This WHO Medical Product Alert refers to falsified COVISHIELD ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Oxford/AstraZeneca) Corona Virus Vaccines (Recombinant)) identified in the WHO African Region, and the WHO South-East Asia Region. The falsified...
8/9/21
Fauci did not say there was a COVID-19 variant that can evade detection
Source: Poynter
Despite a viral Facebook post's claim, we found no evidence of Dr. Anthony Fauci saying anything about any variants that could avoid detection
8/9/21
CDC test can’t differentiate between COVID and the flu? That’s wrong.
Source: Poynter
Posts circulating on Facebook and Instagram claim the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will stop using its COVID-19 test because it cannot differentiate between the COVID virus and flu...
8/9/21
Australian government hasn’t admitted vaccines are a dangerous poison
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED The Australian government has admitted Covid-19 vaccines are a poison. OUR VERDICT Under Western Australian legislation, vaccines (alongside medicines such as paracetamol) are classed as poisons. This...
8/9/21
There are ways of testing for the Delta variant
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED There is no Delta variant test. OUR VERDICT Genetic analysis of positive tests allow scientists to identify different variants of Covid-19, including the Delta variant.
8/9/21
Vaccine deaths are not higher than Covid-19 deaths
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: Official data shows twice as many people have died due to the Covid-19 vaccines in six months than people who have died of Covid-19 in 15 months....
8/9/21
Yellow Card data isn’t proof of Covid-19 vaccine deaths
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: There have been 1,517 deaths and 1,102,228 adverse reactions caused by the Covid-19 vaccines in the UK. OUR VERDICT: These figures relate to the Yellow Card reports....
8/9/21
Did CDC Say That COVID-19 Vaccines Are ‘Failing’?
Source: Snopes
Claim: During a press briefing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that COVID-19 vaccines were “failing” and that vaccinated individuals were considered “superspreaders.” Rating: False. The CDC did...
8/9/21
No, the mRNA Vaccines Do Not Contain Graphene Oxide
Source: Snopes
Claim: COVID-19 mRNA vaccines contain graphene oxide. Rating: False. Vaccines do not contain graphene oxide
8/9/21
Global public health security and justice for vaccines and therapeutics in the COVID-19 pandemic
Source: Lancet
A Lancet Commission for COVID-19 task force is shaping recommendations to achieve vaccine and therapeutics access, justice, and equity. This includes ensuring safety and effectiveness harmonized through robust systems of...
8/9/21
Fraudulent “COVID-19 Compensation Lottery Prize” scam, falsely alleges association with WHO and others
Source: WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been made aware of correspondences being circulated by scammers (acting under the name of Capital Finance, Inc. London). The “COVID-19 Lottery Compensation Prize” is...
8/13/21
A Facebook post showing a photo of Mike Tyson with an anti-vaccine T-shirt is fake
Source: Poynter
A similarly altered Tyson photo was used once before in connection with COVID-19 misinformation. On April 29, 2021, Full Fact debunked a claim that Tyson was wearing a shirt with...
8/13/21
Fact checks of 10 prominent types of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines
Source: Poynter
“The COVID-19 vaccines do not work.” FACT: They do. “The COVID-19 vaccines were not properly tested or developed.” FACT: They were “The COVID-19 vaccines are mandatory.” FACT: They aren’t. “The...
8/13/21
Social media post misrepresents preliminary data on miscarriages and COVID-19 vaccines
Source: Poynter
An Instagram post claims that a scientific paper found an 82% miscarriage rate among women who got an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine between 30 days and 20 weeks pregnant. The Instagram...
8/13/21
When will the COVID-19 vaccines get full FDA approval?
Source: Poynter
The FDA on July 16 formally accepted Pfizer and BioNTech’s application for approval of the vaccine for people age 16 and older Moderna said in June that it had started...
8/13/21
Pouring diluted cordial onto a Covid-19 test won’t give an accurate result
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Diluted cordial poured onto a lateral flow test appears to test positive, meaning the tests are a farce. OUR VERDICT The tests are not designed to have...
8/13/21
Vaccinated people sometimes die of Covid-19—but very rarely
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Public Health England (PHE) released a report revealing 62% of Covid-19 deaths are people who have been vaccinated. OUR VERDICT PHE’s report suggests 61% of Covid-19 deaths...
8/13/21
Covid-19 mutated long before mass vaccine roll-outs
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Covid-19 barely mutated before vaccines were rolled out. OUR VERDICT This is untrue. All four variants of concern, designated as such by the World Health Organisation, were...
8/13/21
Video in a car shares misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Covid-19 has never been isolated in a laboratory. It has never been proven to exist. OUR VERDICT Covid-19 is the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This...
8/13/21
Why school testing data doesn’t tell the whole story
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED 80% of children in England are not being tested for coronavirus. OUR VERDICT This is based on data which only includes tests reported, not the number of...
8/13/21
Video shares falsehoods about face masks and asymptomatic spread of Covid-19
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Asymptomatic carriers of Covid do not spread disease. OUR VERDICT This isn’t true. As the pandemic has gone on, it has become clear that asymptomatic transmission can...
8/13/21
US fact checking site did not endorse a Fox News broadcast
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED A video suggests US fact checking organisation PolitiFact endorsed a Fox News recording of Americans discussing health conditions that developed after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine. OUR VERDICT...
8/13/21
New study estimates mask wearing could cut R number by 25%, not 0.25
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED According to a University of Bristol study, mask-wearing by large numbers of people can reduce the R rate by 0.25. OUR VERDICT The study estimated that if...
8/13/21
A Portuguese court hasn’t said there have only been 152 Covid deaths
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED A Lisbon court found only 152 deaths have been caused by Covid-19 in Portugal. OUR VERDICT False. A Lisbon court found doctors from the Ministry of Justice...
8/13/21
Adverse event reports after vaccines are not necessarily due to vaccines
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED In the USA there have been 387,087 reports of adverse events after the Covid-19 vaccination. OUR VERDICT Adverse event reports after vaccination are not proof that the...
8/13/21
The Pfizer vaccine isn’t 99% graphene oxide
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED The Pfizer vaccine is 99% graphene oxide. OUR VERDICT False. The MHRA has told Full Fact that this is ‘completely incorrect’.
8/13/21
Photo doesn’t show Covid protest in Paris
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Photograph of people filling the streets of Paris was taken during protests against Covid-19 regulations on 17 July 2021. OUR VERDICT False. Although there were protests in...
8/13/21
A fall in death rates doesn’t prove Covid-19 isn’t killing anyone
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Death rates in England and Wales are lower than previous years, which proves Covid-19 hasn’t killed or is killing anyone. OUR VERDICT While death rates in England...
8/13/21
Free paper repeats falsehoods on deaths following vaccination
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED There have been 1,400 deaths and one million injured from Covid-19 vaccinations in the UK. OUR VERDICT These are deaths and potential side effects reported following the...
8/13/21
Young people do face a small risk from Covid
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Young people are not at risk from Covid-19 at all. OUR VERDICT Incorrect. Both children and young adults face a very low risk of death or serious...
8/13/21
Vaccines have not caused daily cases to increase
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED The vaccine is causing new daily cases of Covid-19 in the UK, or at least isn’t stopping them. OUR VERDICT Real world evidence and data from trials...
8/13/21
Average Covid-19 victim dies years before they otherwise would
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED The average age of Covid-19 deaths is higher than the average life expectancy, which means that people who get Covid live longer. OUR VERDICT This isn’t how...
8/13/21
Vaccines reduce the risk of death but don’t eliminate it altogether
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Unvaccinated people are not dying from Covid-19. OUR VERDICT This is untrue, unvaccinated people are dying from Covid-19.
8/13/21
Fruit Shoot and oranges can’t test positive for Covid-19
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: Fruit Shoot and oranges can test positive for Covid-19 using a lateral flow test. OUR VERDICT: No, they can’t. What looks like a positive test result is...
8/13/21
The CDC has not said PCR tests don’t work
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED The CDC is removing its request for emergency use authorisation of PCR tests. This is evidence that PCR tests don’t work, are fraudulent and cannot distinguish between...
8/13/21
5G tower with ‘Delta’ power system is not related to Covid-19
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: A 5G tower powered by a “Delta” power system, suggests a link between 5G and Covid-19. OUR VERDICT:The power system is supplied by Delta Group, an infrastructure...
8/13/21
Daily cancer deaths not higher than those from Covid during last 40 days
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: Fewer people have died from Covid-19 in the past 40 days than one day of cancer deaths. OUR VERDICT: The data used when the claim was made...
8/13/21
No, South Africa didn’t deploy 70,000 soldiers during Covid-19 lockdown
Source: Africa check
In the wake of widespread unrest in South Africa, the media has reported that only 2,500 soldiers have been deployed in comparison to over 70,000 during the country’s 2020 Covid-19...
8/13/21
No proof Mega Oxygen boosts oxygen levels or cures Covid-19, as viral Facebook video claims
Source: Africa check
Claim: A video on Facebook claims that Mega Oxygen, with magnesium peroxide as an ingredient, boosts oxygen levels in the body and heals Covid-19. Medical experts said scientific evidence did...
8/13/21
No, cash fines for violating Covid-19 rules not in place in Uganda – beware of fake notice
Source: Africa check
Fines have not yet been implemented. The notice in this claim does not appear on the verified Facebook and Twitter pages of the Ugandan police. On 11 June, the police...
8/13/21
This photo shows nothing sinister about Covid-19 tests. Here are the facts
Source: Africa check
The photo shows nothing unusual The testing kits shown in the picture are “Sars-CoV-2 antigen” tests designed by a company called Acon Laboratories. They are designed to provide a rapid...
8/13/21
No, asymptomatic Covid patients can transmit the virus, and masks work
Source: Africa check
CDC studies don’t conclude that asymptomatic patients can’t transmit the virus. And other studies have found that asymptomatic patients do transmit the virus. The CDC has published studies supporting the...
8/13/21
No, Covid vaccines cannot make you magnetic as videos claim
Source: Africa check
This claim has been widely debunked. Some fact-checking organisations have also made the point that even if the vaccines did contain magnetic metals, one dose could not possibly cause a...
8/13/21
Beware! Details in viral message about Discovery Health and oxygen tanks for Covid-19 patients misleading and dangerous
Source: Africa check
The WHO recommends that patients with oxygen levels lower than 90% should contact their doctor and go to hospital, not seek treatment at home.
8/13/21
Mike Tyson’s Anti-Vaccine Shirt Photo Is Fake
Source: Snopes
Claim: A photograph shows former boxer Mike Tyson wearing a shirt that says "I believe in God, not in vaccines." Rating: False This isn’t the first time that a photograph...
8/13/21
No, AstraZeneca vaccine not made year before Covid-19 emerged
Source: Africa check
The image appears to be a screenshot of a Facebook post with a Polish caption, which shows the packaging of an AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. A pink arrow points to the...
8/13/21
No, 5 JetBlue Pilots Didn’t Die From the COVID-19 Vaccine
Source: Snopes
Claim: Five JetBlue pilots died as the result of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Rating: False This claim “False” because it comes from an unreliable source with a track record for...
8/13/21
No, There Weren’t More COVID-19 Vaccine Deaths Than COVID-19 Deaths
Source: Snopes
Claim: There have been more deaths from COVID-19 vaccines than deaths from the actual virus. Rating: False Junk news site Gateway Pundit published a misleading story with a headline falsely...
8/13/21
Did Macron Say This About the Unvaccinated?
Source: Snopes
Claim: French President Emmanuel Macron said, in part, "This time you stay at home, not us" about the unvaccinated. Rating: Misattributed- No evidence exists that the French president made this...
8/13/21
Did 45K People Die Within 3 Days of Getting COVID Vaccine?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Some 45,000 Americans died within three days of receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. Rating: False Despite claiming to have evidence to prove that 45,000 individuals died within three days of...
8/13/21
Yes, the CDC Just Reversed Its Policy on Wearing Masks Indoors
Source: Snopes
Claim: On July 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed its policy on wearing masks indoors in places with high COVID-19 transmission rates. Rating: True. After an...
8/13/21
No, French President Macron’s Security Detail Did Not Quit Over COVID-19 Rules
Source: Snopes
Claim: In the summer of 2021, France's Republican Guard resigned en masse in protest against the COVID-19 vaccine passports introduced by President Emanuel Macron's government. Rating: False. There is no...
8/13/21
Did the CDC Recall PCR COVID-19 Tests Because They ‘Failed Full Review’?
Source: Snopes
Claim: The FDA announced that the CDC's PCR test for COVID-19 “failed its full review” because it is "unable to differentiate between COVID and flu," resulting in the diagnostic tool’s...
8/13/21
Does This Chart Show When COVID-19 Variants Will Be ‘Released’?
Source: Snopes
Claim: A chart that surfaced online in summer 2021 accurately displayed COVID-19 variants and when they would first be detected and covered in news reports. Rating: False. The image is...
8/13/21
Covid-19: Vaccines journal retracts controversial paper after editorial board members quit
Source: BMJ
A research paper that was promoted by anti-vaccination activists has been retracted by the journal Vaccines after several members of its editorial board resigned. Retracted: The Safety of COVID-19 Vaccinations-We...
6/27/21
The WHO did not reverse its position on kids getting COVID-19 vaccines
Source: Poynter
A social media post on Instagram claims that the World Health Organization recently flipped its policy recommendation about children receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. This is based on the misinterpretation of...
6/27/21
Hydroxychloroquine study not all that it seems
Source: Fullfact
Claim: A new study shows hydroxychloroquine can increase Covid-19 survival rates by 200%. Verdict: False. This very small study has not been peer-reviewed and it does not show that hydroxychloroquine...
6/27/21
You do not need a doctor’s letter to prove exemption from face coverings
Source: Fullfact
Claim: You are not exempt from wearing a face covering unless you have a supporting letter from a doctor, and wearing the invisible disability exemption badge is illegal in the...
6/27/21
Vaccinated people are not warned against flying
Source: Fullfact
Claim: Airlines in Spain and Russia have warned people vaccinated against Covid-19 not to fly. Verdict; This is not true.
6/27/21
Government modelling not proof of vaccine ‘genocide’
Source: Fullfact
Claim: A government document showing that 60-70% of Covid deaths over the summer will be among the vaccinated is proof that vaccines are intended for genocide. Verdict: False.
6/27/21
Instagram post gets it wrong about Covid-19 vaccines and animal testing
Source: Fullfact
Claim: Covid-19 has a survival rate of 99.998%. Verdict: While there is no completely accurate statistic, based on the sheer number of people who died from Covid-19 we know the...
6/27/21
The BMJ didn’t say PCR tests are useless
Source: Fullfact
Claim: A BMJ article is proof that the use of PCR tests are a massive part of the problem. Verdict: The BMJ article illustrates some of the concerns around potentially...
6/27/21
No, Four British Airways Pilots Did Not Die From COVID-19 Vaccine
Source: Snopes
Claim: In the summer of 2021, COVID-19 vaccination killed four British Airways pilots. Rating: False.
6/27/21
Nearly 4K COVID-19 Patients in Massachusetts Had Been Vaccinated. Here’s the Full Story.
Source: Snopes
Claim: Nearly 4,000 fully vaccinated people in Massachusetts tested positive for COVID-19. Rating: True. The CDC stated in the past that such breakthrough cases (where the vaccine does not provide...
6/10/21
Anthony Bourdain did not tweet about eating bat soup in Wuhan
Source: Poynter
Anthony Bourdain didn’t tweet about bat soup in Wuhan, as an image now spreading on social media makes it appear. Nothing was found confirming that Bourdain visited Wuhan or ever...
6/9/21
There’s no evidence Covid-19 vaccines make the disease worse
Source: Full Fact
Antibody dependant enhancement is a rare but genuine risk when it comes to creating new vaccines. There is good evidence that this does not occur with the current COVID-19 vaccines...
6/10/21
Covid-19 is real and not a government euthanasia policy
Source: Full Fact
COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This has been proven using laboratory testing and seen through medical imaging. There’s no evidence that these have been falsified.
6/11/21
Possible link between Pfizer second dose and mild heart inflammation in young men
Source: Full Fact
Researchers reporting to the health ministry in Israel have found a possible link between mild myocarditis in young men and the second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
6/10/21
Reddington hospital didn’t send WhatsApp message warning of third Covid wave in Nigeria
Source: Africa Check
On 20 May the hospital tweeted a response to the WhatsApp message. The hospital’s testing centres had “so FAR not seen cases that corroborate” the message, which “did not originate...
6/10/21
Anthony Bourdain did not tweet about eating bat soup in Wuhan
Source: Poynter
Anthony Bourdain didn’t tweet about bat soup in Wuhan, as an image now spreading on social media makes it appear. Nothing was found confirming that Bourdain visited Wuhan or ever...
6/10/21
Covid-19 is real and not a government euthanasia policy
Source: Full Fact
COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This has been proven using laboratory testing and seen through medical imaging. There’s no evidence that these have been falsified.
6/9/21
There’s no evidence Covid-19 vaccines make the disease worse
Source: Full Fact
Antibody dependant enhancement is a rare but genuine risk when it comes to creating new vaccines. There is good evidence that this does not occur with the current COVID-19 vaccines...
6/10/21
Reddington hospital didn’t send WhatsApp message warning of third Covid wave in Nigeria
Source: Africa Check
On 20 May the hospital tweeted a response to the WhatsApp message. The hospital’s testing centres had “so FAR not seen cases that corroborate” the message, which “did not originate...
6/11/21
Possible link between Pfizer second dose and mild heart inflammation in young men
Source: Full Fact
Researchers reporting to the health ministry in Israel have found a possible link between mild myocarditis in young men and the second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
6/6/21
COVID-19 vaccines do not create coronavirus variants
Source: Poynter
The COVID-19 vaccines help reduce the spread of the virus, decreasing the likelihood that it will mutate and create new variants.
6/6/21
Covid-19 vaccines are very effective
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The Covid-19 vaccines offer very little protection against the disease. Verdict: This is not true.
6/6/21
This Morning guest makes misleading claims on vaccine efficacy
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The Covid-19 vaccine doesn’t stop you catching the disease. Verdict: Data shows that even one dose can significantly reduce your chances of getting infected, even without symptoms.
6/6/21
Piers Corbyn makes misleading claims about vaccine deaths
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Covid-19 vaccines have caused 859,481 adverse reactions. Verdict: Slightly fewer adverse reactions have been reported but it doesn’t mean they have been caused by the vaccine.
6/6/21
Covid 19: How harm reduction advocates and the tobacco industry capitalized on the pandemic to promote nicotine
Source: BMJ
Scientific papers suggesting that smokers are less likely to fall ill with covid-19 are being discredited as links to the tobacco industry are revealed.
5/30/21
There’s no proof that hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin caused a drop in cases in India
Source:
The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. Bothy drugs have been repeatedly tested and have been found to...
5/30/21
Why did the federal guidance about wearing face masks change?
Source:
Currently, the CDC says that “fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required.
5/30/21
There’s no proof that COVID-19 vaccine has injured or killed 943 kids
Source: Poynter
An Instagram post suggests that parents ought to be worried about the safety of vaccines in children. There’s no proof that the COVID-19 vaccine has injured or killed 943 kids.
5/30/21
Can scientific uncertainties about COVID-19 be fact-checked?
Source: Poynter
Fact-checkers went from knowing almost nothing about a strange new virus to monitoring its every effect. In the process, they had to get more comfortable with the nature of scientific...
5/30/21
Should I get a COVID-19 vaccination? Here are some answers to common questions about vaccines.
Source: Poynter
These are some of the questions we came across in a recent Instagram post that lists things “critical thinkers” are asking about the vaccines.
5/30/21
Getting a Covid-19 vaccine doesn’t mean you can connect to Bluetooth
Source:
Claim: The COVID-19 vaccine makes you magnetic at the injection site. Verdict: False. The vaccine does not make any part of you magnetic.
5/30/21
The Moderna vaccine contains SM-102 not chloroform
Source:
WHAT WAS CLAIMED The Moderna vaccine contains SM-102 which could cause health complaints such as cancer, fertility damage and damage to the nervous system, kidneys or respiratory system. OUR VERDICT...
5/30/21
The Covid-19 vaccines have not only been tested on healthy people as claimed
Source:
Verdict: People who are immunosuppressed are advised not to have live vaccinations and not to be in close contact with people who have received certain live vaccinations. The Covid-19 vaccines...
5/30/21
No evidence Nobel Laureate said vaccinated people will die in two years
Source:
Claim: Luc Montagnier has said there is no chance for survival for people who receive a Covid-19 vaccine. Verdict: No evidence he said that.
5/30/21
Ian Brown wrong to claim Japan refuses blood from anyone who’s been vaccinated
Source: Full Fact
Claim: All Japanese citizens who have received their Covid-19 vaccine are not permitted to give blood. Verdict: This is not true.
5/30/21
Did Pope Francis Say COVID-19 Vaccine Is Required To Enter Heaven?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Pope Francis declared that COVID-19 vaccination would be required in order to get into heaven. Rating: Originated as Satire. The Pope did not say this.
5/30/21
SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivity Is Not Associated with Low Vitamin D Levels
Source: NEMJ
These results add to the now generally accepted belief that vitamin D levels are not associated with risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
5/23/21
What we know and don’t know about the origins of COVID-19
Source:
Much uncertainty remains about the origins of COVID-19. Scientists who have studied the coronavirus have generally concluded that it resembles naturally occurring viruses.
5/23/21
Covid-19 pandemic was not planned by Rockefeller Foundation
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The Rockefeller Foundation planned the Covid-19 pandemic under the name ‘Operation Lockstep’. Verdict: This is entirely false.
5/23/21
Claims about Russia, Covid-19 and 5G are almost all false
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Russia was the first country in the world to dissect Covid-19 corpses (going against WHO’s criminal orders of no autopsies.) Verdict: This is false.
5/23/21
Trade data doesn’t show we knew about Covid in 2018
Source: Full Fact
Claim: People knew about Covid-19 in 2018. Verdict: Incorrect.
5/23/21
The risk of dying from a Covid vaccine is lower than 1 in 31,000
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The risk of a child dying of Covid-19 is around one in 3.5 million. Verdict: The risk of a child dying of Covid is very low.
5/23/21
Freedom March video littered with false claims about Covid-19 cures
Source: Full Fact
Claim:: Vitamin D, Ivermectin, zinc and hydroxychloroquine are safe and effective treatments for Covid-19. Verdict: There is no robust evidence yet that any of these can treat or prevent Covid
5/23/21
Having a Covid-19 vaccine doesn’t make you more vulnerable to the disease
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Covid-19 vaccines cause vaccine enhancement syndrome which makes you even more vulnerable to the disease. Verdict: This is not true.
5/23/21
Did Eric Clapton Say He Feared Never Playing Guitar Again After COVID-19 Vaccination?
Source:
Claim: Eric Clapton described his “disastrous” experience after receiving a second dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in a letter penned to friend and lockdown opponent, Robin Monotti.
5/23/21
Did Fauci Fund ‘Gain of Function’ Research, Thereby Causing COVID-19 Pandemic?
Source:
Claim: NIH Director Anthony Fauci helped fund the gain of function research at a facility in Wuhan, China, and that research ultimately led to the COVID-19 pandemic. Verdict: Unproven.
5/23/21
What the ‘Choosing Your COVID-19 Vaccine’ Meme Gets Wrong
Source: Snopes
Claim: A viral meme titled "Choosing Your COVID-19 Vaccine" was a factual representation of the histories of Pfizer, Moderna, J&J, and AstraZeneca. Verdict: Mixed.
16-05-2021
Viral video includes lots of false claims and half truths
Source: Full Fact
Guidance from regulatory bodies explicitly says that do not resuscitate orders should not use a ‘blanket approach.
16-05-2021
Viral video spreads misinformation about ethylene oxide and Ivermectin
Source: Full Fact
Overexposure to ethylene oxide itself can cause health problems such as cancer, but there is no suggestion that using something that has been sterilised by ethylene oxide is harmful.
16-05-2021
Honey, ginger and pepper isn’t approved treatment for Covid-19
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: Honey, pepper and ginger can ‘100%’ eliminate the effect of Covid-19 and has been approved by the WHO.
16-05-2021
A mistake in the New York Post has been misconstrued as a sign of Covid-19 conspiracy
Source: Full Fact
This image actually comes from a video taken in 2020 after a gas leak in Visakhapatnam, India. The outlet has since corrected the mistake, and there is nothing to suggest...
16-05-2021
It’s not clear whether bald people get more ill with Covid-19
Source: Full Fact
Being older raises the risk of severe Covid-19, but based on the research we have so far, it is not yet clear whether baldness itself has any effect.
16-05-2021
There’s no AI in vaccines creating fertility problems in unvaccinated people
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: Vaccinated people are “transmitting artificial intelligence synthetic ‘affliction’ to the unvaccinated” with multiple effects including menstruation/fertility issues.
16-05-2021
Covid-19 vaccines do not make you magnetic
Source: Full Fact
This is false. The vaccines do not contain a microchip and there is nothing in a vaccine that could cause a magnet to stick to your skin after getting it.
16-05-2021
1,102 people haven’t died ‘of’ the Covid-19 vaccine
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: There are eight vaccine deaths per day. VERDICT: False. Since we started vaccinating people in the UK, about eight people a day or 1,102 overall have died...
16-05-2021
No, the death rate for vaccinated people is not higher than that of unvaccinated people
Source: Poynter
It is widely misleading to use these numbers as evidence that vaccines are dangerous and ineffective, and the post leaves out crucial facts about breakthrough infections.
16-05-2021
Dr. Anthony Fauci says he never could have anticipated the level of COVID-19 misinformation
Source: Poynter
Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday he never could have anticipated the level of misinformation that has arisen from the pandemic.
16-05-2021
Top official gets it wrong: Kenya nowhere near seventh in world for Covid-19 vaccination
Source: Africa check
Global health experts said the claim was “difficult” to make, and any ranking should be based on the percentage of the population that had been vaccinated. By this measure, Kenya...
16-05-2021
Russian and Chinese Covid-19 jabs better? South Africa’s EFF wrong to compare vaccines
Source: Africa check
Trials show that the mRNA vaccine developed by Moderna in the United States has higher efficacy than the Russian and Chinese vaccines.
16-05-2021
Did Pope Francis Offer This COVID-19 Vaccine Prayer?
Source: Snopes
Rating: False - The Pope did not say this and has encouraged people to get vaccinated as it is the "moral choice".
16-05-2021
Did a 1930s Cartoon Warn of Vaccine Misinformation?
Source: Snopes
Rating: True - The cartoon lampooning people ignoring the smallpox vaccine illustrates an old social issue.
16-05-2021
Do Videos Show Magnets Sticking to People’s Arms After COVID-19 Vaccine?
Source: Snopes
Rating: False - There is no evidence that vaccines contain metal devices and magnets do not stick to the skin after vaccination.
16-05-2021
Did Merriam-Webster Change Definition of ‘Anti-Vaxxer’ Amid COVID-19?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Merriam-Webster changed or expanded its definition of "anti-vaxxer" in 2021, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic Rating: False.
16-05-2021
What fuels the use of unproven COVID-19 therapies?
Source: WHO Africa
Professor Lucille Blumberg discusses the causes, the risks and how to tackle unproven COVID-19 cures.
2/9/21
No symptoms after a COVID-19 vaccine? Don’t worry, the vaccine is still working.
Source: Poynter
While the symptoms show your immune system is responding to the vaccine in a way that will protect against disease, evidence from clinical trials showed that people with few or...
2/9/21
The risk of vaccination does not rise when Covid-19 becomes scarcer
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said that when Covid-19 is low in the community the risk of developing a blood clot for the under-30s increases. OUR VERDICT: This is...
2/9/21
The term ‘double mutants’ doesn’t mean much
Source: Full Fact
The number of mutations that a variant has is less relevant than what characteristics the mutation effects, and if the mutations could enhance each other's impact
2/9/21
Did Michael Yeadon Say COVID-19 Vaccine Will Kill Recipients Within 2 Years?
Source: Snopes
Until 2011, Michael Yeadon worked as the vice president and chief scientist of Pfizer. Many of the claims he made were unfounded and lacked scientific or empirical evidence.
5/2/21
Covid-19 child vaccine trial paused over clot concerns, not clot death
Source: Full Fact
A trial in children aged 6-17 has paused new vaccinations as a precaution, but no child involved died.
5/2/21
BBC wrong to say puppies died of Covid-19
Source: Full Fact
Verdict: This is wrong. These puppies had canine coronavirus. It is not the same as Covid-19
5/2/21
Ketchup did not ‘test positive’ for Covid-19
Source: Full Fact
Evidence shows you are more likely to get a false negative result than a false positive using lateral flow test.
5/2/21
No evidence rapper DMX had Covid-19 vaccine before his death
Source: Full Fact
There’s no evidence DMX had a Covid-19 vaccine just before his heart attack and no evidence that Covid-19 vaccines cause heart attacks.
5/2/21
Influencer video full of untrue vaccine claims
Source: Full Fact
The Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed that all of the Midazolam stockpiled in the UK for the Covid-19 crisis was sourced within the UK and was produced...
5/2/21
Did Scientists ‘Confirm’ the Pfizer Vaccine Causes Neurological Damage?
Source: Snopes
False. There is no proof that the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccine causes neurological damage.
5/2/21
Joe Rogan (Not a Doctor) Spreads Anti-Vaccine Misinformation
Source: Snopes
Whether or not someone should worry is a subjective decision, but any implication that young people are at no risk of serious COVID-19 complications is fiction.
4/25/21
Nairobi’s Covid-19 positive cases tie Kenyan president, health ministry and major media house in knots
Source: Africa Check
Experts say it was more likely that 60% of all cases testing positive had come from Nairobi county, but this also didn’t mean that 60% of people in Nairobi had...
4/25/21
Ivermectin for Covid-19 remains controversial
Source: Full Fact
There has been much debate about the drug Ivermectin and how it could be used to treat or prevent COVID-19.
4/25/21
We don’t know if the ‘Nigerian variant’ is more deadly
Source: Full Fact
Verdict: Unproven. At the time of writing there is not enough data to know whether this variant is more deadly or not.
4/25/21
Results of Covid-19 vaccine trials have been published and peer-reviewed
Source: Full Fact
COVID-19 vaccine trials have been published in peer reviewed journals. Data collection and analysis are ongoing to allow up to two years of follow up.
4/25/21
Being near to people vaccinated against Covid-19 won’t give you side effects
Source: Full Fact
False: There is nothing in the COVID-19 vaccines used in the UK that could cause vaccine shedding.
4/25/21
Error-strewn paper claims face masks are ineffective and harmful
Source: Full Fact
False: A peer-reviewed paper from Stanford University shows face masks don’t work. The paper isn’t from Stanford and is strewn with basic errors.
4/25/21
There’s more to the claim only 32 vaccinated people were hospitalised with Covid-19
Source: Full Fact
A study looking at hospitalisation for Covid-19 between 8 December and 5 March, found only 32 people were hospitalised three weeks after vaccination.
4/25/21
Did a 2-Year-Old in Virginia Die After Getting COVID-19 Vaccination?
Source: Snopes
The claim is based solely on a dubious report from the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System, a database that anyone can submit reports to that is frequently abused by anti-vaccine...
4/25/21
Has Israel Ended Its Outdoor Mask Mandate?
Source: Snopes
In April 2021, Israel lifted the requirement that everyone wear masks outdoors
4/25/21
Does COVID-19 Vaccine Cause Herpes?
Source: Snopes
There's no evidence to suggest that the COVID-19 vaccine causes herpes, but that it may elicit an immune response resulting in a dormant virus breaking out.
4/25/21
Do You Have To Wait To Donate Blood After Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine?
Source: Snopes
FDA advised that individuals who either received a live-attenuated COVID-19 vaccine should wait two weeks before donating blood.
4/18/21
Factually: US Fact-checkers pause to explain J&J
Source:
The mechanics of rare blood clots and why six cases out of 6.8 million J&J vaccine shots were concerning enough to pause rollout.
4/18/21
Answers to common questions and concerns about coronavirus vaccines
Source:
PolitiFact looks at the science to answer some of the most common questions and misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines,
4/18/21
Fact-checking unproven claims that DMX suffered a heart attack after COVID-19 vaccine
Source:
The claim about DMX mirrors other social media posts that wrongly blamed COVID-19 vaccines for the deaths of other celebrities.
4/18/21
The weekend Covid-19 death figures need more context
Source:
Number of deaths reported on Saturday may not reflect the actual number of death of Covid-19 due to lags in reporting on weekend.
4/18/21
Facebook post makes misleading claims about Covid-19 passports and death rate
Source:
No suggestion certificates will be mandatory, plans are under discussion. Estimates suggest the overall death rate for COVID-19 is between 0.5% and 1%.
4/18/21
Fibres from masks and swabs aren’t ‘Morgellons’
Source:
There is nothing sinister about fibres from face masks and test swabs. There is some debate as to whether Morgellons is a real disease.
4/18/21
Covid-19 vaccine did not kill every animal it was tested on
Source:
This claim is based on a 2012 study looking at different vaccines. The animals were euthanized as is standard procedure.
4/18/21
Claims that a quarter of all Covid-19 deaths weren’t caused by the virus misinterpret the data
Source:
This is true for deaths registered in England and Wales for the week ending 2 April 2021, not the entire pandemic.
4/18/21
The government hasn’t said vaccine will cause a third wave of deaths
Source: Full Fact
This is a government document modelling different scenarios. This modelling suggests that when a third wave occurs, hospitalisations and deaths will mostly be in those who’ve been vaccinated because they...
4/18/21
Did CDC Recommend Everyone Wear Tin Foil Face Masks To Prevent COVID-19?
Source:
False, this was a satirical article
4/18/21
Is ‘Luciferase’ the Name for the COVID-19 Vaccine?
Source:
False. Luciferase is a real scientific term. However, no COVID-19 vaccine is “called” luciferase or contains luciferase. Luciferase has been used in some COVID-19-related research
4/18/21
Did CDC Recommend Temporary Pause in US J&J Vaccine Distribution?
Source:
Outdated. After calling for a temporary pause, CDC advisory panel recommended resumption of inoculations with a warning label.
4/18/21
Are COVID-19 Tests Sterilized With a Chemical Linked to Cancer?
Source:
EtO is used to sterilize some medical equipment however it must meet recognized standards to ensure that levels remain within safe limits.
4/18/21
Did Mick Jagger Come Out as a Lockdown Sceptic?
Source:
False, while lamenting the impact of lockdowns, Mick Jagger has never indicated he sceptical of their necessity
4/18/21
Did Ted Nugent Ask Why There Were No Lockdowns for ‘COVID 1 Thru 18’?
Source: Snopes
True, the musician amplified several bogus claims and conspiracy theories. There was no COVID 'one through eighteen'.
14/02/2021
False death figures go viral
Source: FullFact
Claim: Up to week 47 of 2020, there were only 511,883 deaths in England and Wales, 20,000 fewer than the number of deaths in 2019. VERDICT False. Up to and...
14/02/2021
Covid-19 survival rate is not 99.991% for under 60s
Source: FullFact
Claim: According to NHS data, as of 21st January there have been 4,717 COVID-19 deaths of people between the ages of 0-59 in the UK. Verdict: This is not true....
14/02/2021
Study doesn’t say most vapers are 17% more likely to transmit Covid
Source: FullFact
Claim: Vapers with COVID-19 are up to 17% more likely to transmit the virus. Verdict: The study found this may be the case in a small minority of vapers. However,...
14/02/2021
Covid vaccine hasn’t caused increase in care home deaths
Source: FullFact
Claim: Deaths in care homes are up 81% since the start of the Covid-19 vaccination rollout. Verdict: Deaths in care homes are up considerably, although we haven’t been able to...
14/02/2021
Can You Buy COVID-19 Vaccines on the Dark Web?
Source: SNOPES
Claim: COVID-19 vaccines are for sale on the dark web. Verdict: On some dark web marketplaces, there are listings for COVID-19 vaccines. These listings are almost always — if not...
14/02/2021
Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States
Source: US CDC
Very detailed report on reasons and circumstances to withhold vaccines (contraindications) from certain patients. Appendix B has a triage chart for vaccination and Appendix C has a full list of...
14/02/2021
COVID-19: Dementia as Risk Factor / SARS-CoV-2 Origin?
Source: NEJM
Report on Research article Dementia as risk factor: Adults with dementia have twice the risk for COVID-19 as those without dementia, The team says it's "extremely unlikely" that it resulted...
14/02/2021
Officials Investigating Reports of Thrombocytopenia After COVID-19 Vaccine
Source: NEJM
Report from New York times Out of 31 million people who've received at least one vaccine dose, nearly 40 cases of thrombocytopenia (low level of platelets in the bloodstream reducing...
14/02/2021
Why did a German newspaper insist the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine was inefficacious for older people—without evidence?
Source: BMJ
Opinion piece Reporting information from single anonymous sources that turns out to be false could erode public confidence in the vaccines that are crucial to controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Handelsblatt...
21/02/2021
Covid-19 survival rate is less than 99.8%
Source: FullFact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED The Covid-19 vaccines are experimental. OUR VERDICT All the Covid-19 vaccines being used in the UK have been safety tested and approved for use by the Medicines...
21/02/2021
Evidence doesn’t show 400,000 people have long Covid ‘right now’
Source: FullFact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED 400,000 people in the UK are living with long Covid. OUR VERDICT This is not accurate. This estimate is based on a small sample size, and assumes...
21/02/2021
We don’t know how much Test and Trace affects the spread of Covid-19
Source: FulFact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED In October, Test and Trace was reducing R by between 0.3 and 0.6. (in the UK) OUR VERDICT We don’t know this for sure. A small part...
21/02/2021
The Covid-19 vaccine programme isn’t a medical experiment
Source: FullFact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED The Covid vaccination programme is a medical experiment. OUR VERDICT No it isn’t. The vaccines have been approved for use after clinical trials.
21/02/2021
A Bangladesh study doesn’t show that depression follows Covid-19
Source: FullFact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Research says that nearly half of people who catch COVID-19 develop depression afterwards. OUR VERDICT This is not what the research says. It measured rates of depression...
21/02/2021
Did Biden Claim There Was No COVID-19 Vaccine When He Came Into Office?
Source: SNOPES
What's True At one point during a CNN town hall on Feb. 16, Biden said: "It’s one thing to have the vaccine, which we didn’t have when we came into...
21/02/2021
What does 95% COVID-19 vaccine efficacy really mean?
Source: The Lancet
Opinion piece It means that in a population such as the one enrolled in the trials, with a cumulated COVID-19 attack rate over a period of 3 months of about...
21/02/2021
Covid-19: No evidence that vaccines can affect fertility, says new guidance
Source: BMJ
Opinion piece There is “absolutely no evidence” that COVID-19 vaccines can affect the fertility of women or men, says new expert guidance. “We’ve seen a lot of blatant misinformation that...
21/02/2021
Selected Adverse Events Reported after COVID-19 Vaccination
Source: US CDC
Results from monitoring efforts are reassuring. Some people have no side effects. Many people have reported only mild side effects after COVID-19 vaccination.
21/02/2021
Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines
Source: US CDC
Millions of people have safely received a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
21/02/2021
What to Expect after Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine
Source: US CDC
You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should...
21/02/2021
Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination
Source: US CDC
This article provides answers to commonly asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination. CDC also has information for busting common vaccine myths available as facts about COVID-19 vaccines.
7/3/21
Vaccine gaslighting, mask falsehoods and fake cures dominate recent claims added to the CoronaVirusFacts Alliance Database
Source: Poynter
False claims about vaccines made up a third of fact checks submitted to the database since the start of 2021.
7/3/21
There is no evidence that people are dying from the Covid-19 vaccine
Source: FullFact
Claim: Reports to the Yellow Card scheme suggest that the Covid vaccine from AstraZeneca is not safe. Verdict: This is not true. The Yellow Card scheme has collected reports of...
7/3/21
The link between vitamin D and Covid-19 is complex
Source: FullFact
Claim: The death rate in Andalucía almost halved between November and December following the introduction of their vitamin D policy. Verdict: The death rate in Andalucía did drop, but numbers...
7/3/21
Covid-19 is not a rebrand of flu
Source: FullFact
Claim: COVID-19 is a rebrand of flu. Verdict: False. Although there has been a reduction of flu this year there is no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 is simply influenza...
7/3/21
Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine will not change your DNA
Source: FullFact
Claim: Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is designed to change people’s DNA. Verdict: False. mRNA vaccines like Moderna’s instruct cells in the body to make proteins. They do not change their DNA.
7/3/21
Tests can detect the Covid-19 virus
Source: FullFact
Claim: The COVID-19 virus cannot be detected with tests. Verdict: This is not true. PCR tests can detect it very accurately.
7/3/21
mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines won’t wreak ‘Havoc on The Lungs’ in 4 to 14 months
Source: Snopes
Claim COVID-19 mRNA vaccines will become deadly a few months after administration because the antibodies they create have been shown to cause deadly immune reactions resulting in damage to the...
7/3/21
WHO Recommends Against Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 Prevention
Source: NEJM
Report on peer review article The WHO recommendation against Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 prevention, published in The BMJ, is based on a meta-analysis of six randomized trials comprising over 6000 people...
7/3/21
Guillain-Barré Syndrome and COVID-19: Causation or Coincidence
Source: NEJM
A retrospective national epidemiologic study does not support a causal association between COVID-19 and Guillain-Barré Syndrome
14/03/2021
Covid-19 vaccines haven’t caused 460 deaths
Source: FullFact
Claim: Government data shows 460 deaths and 243,612 injuries from Covid-19 vaccines in the UK. Verdict: False. Deaths and other 'injuries' may occur after someone has had a vaccine, but...
14/03/2021
There is no XMRV virus in Covid-19 vaccines
Source: FullFact
Claim: The XMRV virus is in vaccines. Verdict: False. There is no evidence that this virus is present in any vaccines or that it is linked to disease in humans.
14/03/2021
Side effects from the Oxford and Pfizer vaccines are about the same
Source: FullFact
Claim: The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine causes more side effects than the Pfizer vaccine. Verdict: False. This misunderstands a summary of the evidence from the MHRA. Clinical trial data suggests that...
14/03/2021
J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Does Not Contain Aborted Fetal Cells
Source: Snopes
Claim: Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine contains aborted fetal cells. Verdict: False. The vaccine formula does not contain aborted fetal tissue.
14/03/2021
Getting COVID-19 Vaccine Does Not Disqualify You From Life Insurance Benefits
Source: Snopes
Claim: Receiving the COVID-19 vaccination could disqualify policyholders from receiving life insurance benefits if they died as result of the vaccine because the immunization is considered “experimental.” Verdict: False. Vaccines...
21/03/2021
6 things we’ve learned from a year of misinformation about the coronavirus
Source: Poynter
A review of key points learnt over the last twelve months whilst reviewing misinformation about COVID-19.
21/03/2021
15 of PolitiFact’s weirdest COVID-19 fact checks
Source: Poynter
A review of 15 of the stranger fact checks carried out by Politifact on COVID-19.
21/03/2021
Do masks really work? Here are PolitiFact’s answers for mask skeptics.
Source: Poynter
Masks are most effective as “source control,” which means preventing infected people from spreading the virus to other people. If an infected person is wearing a mask, it will catch...
21/03/2021
European fact-checkers try to explain the confusing move to stop using the AstraZeneca vaccine
Source: Poynter
European fact-checkers are trying to explain the confusing move to pause administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine. They say the lack of scientific evidence justifying the move is giving oxygen to...
21/03/2021
When will we reach herd immunity? Here’s what the experts say.
Source: Poynter
A recent analysis suggested as many as nine states were already reaching the coveted 'herd immunity' status. This article suggests that this figure does not hold up.
21/03/2021
Why European governments took a closer look at AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine
Source: Poynter
There have been relatively few cases of blood clots — a few dozen among the 17 million people who have been vaccinated in Europe and the United Kingdom — and...
21/03/2021
Extrapolating figures around long Covid in kids is not the way to go
Source: FullFact
Claim: 74,000 children are living with ‘long Covid’. Verdict: The ONS figures that these estimates are based on are ‘experimental statistics’ which have measured prevalence of some long COVID symptoms...
21/03/2021
Marvellous Marvin Hagler Did Not Die From COVID-19 Vaccination?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Marvellous Marvin Hagler's death in March 2021 was caused by his receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. Rating: False. This claim has been refuted by Marvellous Marvin Hagler’s wife.
21/03/2021
17 countries haven’t ‘banned’ the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
Source: FullFact
Claim: Seventeen countries have banned the AstraZeneca vaccine outside of the UK. Verdict: This is not the case. At the time of writing, 17 countries in Europe have temporarily stopped...
21/03/2021
Does AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Cause Blood Clots?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Does the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine cause blood clots? We did not apply a traditional truth rating to this claim, as this matter is still under review. The European Medicines...
21/03/2021
Is Horseshoe Crab Blood Required for COVID-19 Vaccines?
Source: Snopes
Claim: The blue blood of horseshoe crabs is required for the production of COVID-19 vaccines. Rating: Partly true. A chemical compound found in the blood of horseshoe crabs is widely...
21/03/2021
Does Drinking Alcohol Impair Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccine?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Drinking alcohol between COVID-19 doses can impair the effectiveness of the immunization. Verdict: Research In Progress. There is currently no formal recommendations to avoid alcohol before or after receiving...
28/03/2021
AstraZeneca does not translate to ‘weapon that kills’
Source: FullFact
Claim: AstraZeneca translates to ‘weapon that kills’. Verdict: It doesn’t. This claim is made by selectively choosing definitions from different languages and cultures. AstraZeneca’s name was created from a merger,...
28/03/2021
Oranges don’t test positive for Covid-19
Source: FullFact
Claim: An orange has tested positive for Covid-19 using a lateral flow test. Verdict: This is not accurate. The fruit appears to have broken the test, making it appear like...
28/03/2021
Inaccurate Covid vaccine ‘Q&A’: fact checked
Source: FullFact
Claim: The mRNA Covid-19 vaccines are experimental. Verdict: The mRNA vaccines have been tested for safety and effectiveness like any other vaccine. While this is the first time mRNA vaccines...
28/03/2021
Covid-19: Behind the death toll
Source: FullFact
It is true that, as of 26 March 2021, that just 697 people under 60, and without pre-existing health conditions, have died so far of Covid-19 in English hospitals after...
28/03/2021
Viral instagram video falsely claims Covid-19 was planned
Source: FullFact
Claim: A second wave of Covid-19 is being planned and the vaccines will kill people. Verdict: Both claims are false. There is no evidence that the creation or spread of...
28/03/2021
Is This Joker Right That ‘COVID’s Over, Baby’?
Source: Snopes
Claim: "COVID is over, baby." Rating: False. Defining when the COVID-19 pandemic will not be easy or clear cut
28/03/2021
COVID-19, cults, and the anti-vax movement
Source: The Lancet
Opinion piece Lessons from studying cults (which are less pejoratively called new religious movements) can inform approaches to the anti-vax movement. Viewing the anti-vax movement as a religious phenomenon, involving...
28/03/2021
Social media & COVID-19: A global study of digital crisis interaction among Gen Z and Millennials
Source: WHO
WHO wants young people to be informed about COVID-19 information, how to navigate their digital world safely, and make choices to not only protect their health but also the health...
4/4/21
How COVID-19 vaccines can be safe when they were developed so fast
Source: Poynter
The development of the first COVID-19 vaccines may have seemed to occur at a dizzying pace. But the research underpinning these vaccines isn’t that new at all, vaccine experts say.
4/4/21
False COVID-19 vaccine claims persist on Facebook, despite a ban. Here’s why.
Source: Poynter
A Facebook page has published out-of-context news stories about vaccine side effects and skirted moderation by misspelling the word “vaccine” in posts questioning whether vaccination is safe.
4/4/21
Lateral flow tests are not unsafe
Source: FullFact
Claim: Ethylene oxide is used to sterilise lateral flow tests. Ethylene oxide is not safe. Verdict: Exposure to ethylene oxide can be unsafe. However, it is commonly used to sterilise...
4/4/21
Social media video makes false claims about Covid-19
Source: FullFact
Claim: The “corona vaccine” is not safe or effective. Verdict. False. Clinical trials have shown that vaccines for Covid-19 work and are safe.
4/4/21
COVID-19 Did Not Originate in a Market 400 Meters From CCP Lab Studying Coronaviruses
Source: Snopes
Claim: A "CCP lab studying coronaviruses derived from bats" is located 400 meters away from the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China, that saw some of the earliest cases of...
4/4/21
This Image Does Show ‘Moist’ Coronavirus
Source: Snopes
Claim: A scientific illustration of SARS-CoV-2 shows what appears to be a “moist” version of the virus’ structure. Rating. True. The graphic was shared by The Lancet medical journal.
4/4/21
Viral Facts Africa initiative to combat dangerous health misinformation
Source: WHO Africa
Viral Facts Africa, a first of its kind African initiative to combat health misinformation online, was launched today by the WHO, a network of fact-checking organizations and leading public health...
11/4/21
The Gateway Pundit falsely claimed two vaccines used in the US caused deaths and injuries in Europe
Source: Poynter
The Gateway Pundit claimed two of the vaccines being used in the United States are behind thousands of deaths and injuries in Europe. The Facebook post was flagged as part...
11/4/21
Fears about vaccines accounted for half of fact checks submitted to the Alliance database in March
Source: Poynter
The database, which combines the work of more than 90 fact-checking organizations from more than 70 countries writing fact checks in more than 40 languages, has compiled more than 12,000...
11/4/21
Rusty hand sanitiser stand doesn’t prove hand gel is poison
Source: Full Fact
What was Claimed: A photo shows that hand sanitiser is poison because it degrades metal. Our Verdict: The photo shows a metal hand sanitiser stand that has probably rusted due...
11/4/21
Viral video contains several false pandemic claims
Source: Full Fact
What was Claimed: The COVID-19 vaccines in use are poorly tested experimental vaccines. Our Verdict: This is not true. The currently approved Covid-19 vaccines have all been proven safe and...
11/4/21
Covid-19 is not the same as a common cold
Source: Full Fact
What was claimed: A 1989 medical textbook lists the common cold as a disease caused by coronaviruses. Our Verdict: True, but coronaviruses are a family of viruses we’ve known that...
11/4/21
What’s going on with the AstraZeneca vaccine?
Source: Full Fact
In the period up until 31 March, 20.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine had been given in the UK, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) received...
11/4/21
What’s a PCR test cycle threshold and why it matters
Source: Full Fact
What was Claimed: The World Health Organisation confirmed that the PCR test is flawed and all tests with a high cycle threshold (Ct) are invalid. Out Verdict: False. It reiterated...
11/4/21
The chance of being killed by a cow and other AstraZeneca vaccine risk comparisons explained
Source: Full Fact
What was Claimed: The chance of getting a blood clot after the AstraZeneca vaccine is almost the same as being killed by a cow. Our Verdict: The risk of getting...
11/4/21
Why you can’t compare deaths after a positive Covid-19 test with deaths after a vaccine
Source: Full Fact
The answer is that both types of death are assessed by a doctor, and they are quite different.
11/4/21
No, Pfizer’s CEO Did Not Refuse to Take the COVID-19 Vaccine
Source: Snopes
Claim: Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla refused to take the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Rating: False. Bourla has taken the vaccine.
11/4/21
Do ‘Disposable Blue Face Masks’ Contain Asbestos-Like Substance?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Disposable blue face masks were found to contain a toxic, asbestos-like substance that destroys lungs. Rating: Mixed What's True The Canadian government issued an advisory against the use of...
11/4/21
Did DMX Take COVID-19 Vaccine Days Before Heart Attack?
Source: Snopes
Claim: DMX took the COVID-19 vaccine days before he suffered a heart attack. Rating: Unproven Context: This rumour comes from an unnamed source quoted in a gossip magazine that has...
11/4/21
Did 4 States Halt Administration of J&J Vaccine Due to Safety Concerns?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Four states have stopped administering the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in response to adverse effects. Rating: Mixed What's True Adverse reactions documented in Iowa, Georgia, Colorado, and North...
11/4/21
Did Pfizer Announce COVID-19 Vaccine Upgrade That Includes Microsoft Chip?
Source: Snopes
Claim: In April 2021, Pfizer announced that it planned to integrate Microsoft’s Pluton processor chip into an upgraded COVID-19 vaccine in order to “reduce symptoms associated with the vaccine.” Rating:...
11/4/21
Does Blood Group Type A Confer Excess Risk for SARS-CoV-2 Infection?
Source: NEJM
Report on peer review article The positive findings in this study for risk associated with age and sex strengthen the validity of the negative findings for blood group type. If...
20/01/2021
Clear Thinking About Conspiracy Theories In Troubled Times
Source: Skeptical Inquirer
This article discusses the latest polls, particularly concerning COVID-19 conspiracy theories. It describes what drives belief in conspiracy theories and why these become popular or not. It also considers what...
20/01/2021
Covid-19: Vaccine trials need more transparency to enable scrutiny and earn public trust, say experts
Source: BMJ
Jason Schwartz, assistant professor of public health at Yale School of Public Health says that transparency about vaccines is crucial to ensure that the scientific community can review and scrutinise...
20/01/2021
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Mythbusters
Source: WHO
This WHO resource aggregates and debunks myths related to COVID-19. It covers the following topics: 5G Mobile networks, Alcohol, Antibiotics, Bleach, Cold weather, snow, Dexamethasone, Drugs, Garlic, Hand dryers, Holding...
20/01/2021
PCR tests do not diagnose COVID-19, but rather collect human genetic materials. Swab sticks used for taking nasal smear may damage brain membrane.
Source: Poynter
Claim: PCR tests do not diagnose COVID-19, but rather collect human genetic materials. Swab sticks used for taking nasal smear may damage brain membrane. Finding: False PCR tests are especially...
20/01/2021
Israel will issue “green passports” to those residents who get a nanotechnology-based vaccine with the luciferase enzyme that alters human DNA. A swab stick is used not for taking a nasal smear, but for implanting nanotechnology in humans during COVID-19 testing, from where “nanoparticles” enter the brain.
Source: Poynter
Claim: Israel will issue “green passports” to those residents who get a nanotechnology-based vaccine with the luciferase enzyme that alters human DNA. A swab stick is used not for taking...
20/01/2021
Africa controlled COVID-19 by using ivermectin
Source: Poynter
Claim: Africa controlled COVID-19 by using ivermectin Finding: Mixed There is no proof of the effectiveness of Ivermectin. Experts caution that there are many factors that should be taken into...
20/01/2021
1,000 deaths discovered after vaccination against COVID-19 in England
Source: Poynter
Claim: 1,000 deaths discovered after vaccination against COVID-19 in England Finding: False The publication was on a satirical website. It even warns that it is a joke
20/01/2021
The first package of vaccines against COVID-19 that has arrived in Spain has the logo of a microchip company
Source: Poynter
Claim: The first package of vaccines against COVID-19 that to arrive in Spain had the logo of a microchip company Finding: False The logo that appears on the vaccine package...
20/01/2021
Argentina’s vice-president pretended to receive vaccine for COVID-19
Source: Poynter
Claim: Argentina’s vice-president pretended to receive vaccine for COVID-19 Finding: False The image used to support this rumour is from 2013 during a flu vaccination.
20/01/2021
A Covid-19 diagnostic test won’t pick up other coronaviruses
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Covid-19 tests detect any coronavirus, not just the one that causes Covid-19. Finding: False Covid-19 diagnostic tests are not perfect, but they won’t misdiagnose other coronaviruses as the virus...
20/01/2021
The inventor of PCR never said it wasn’t designed to detect infectious diseases
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Kary B Mullis invented the PCR test that’s being used as the Covid-19 test. He died suddenly in August 2019. Facebook posts have claimed that Mullis said that the...
20/01/2021
A video claiming to be from 1956 did not predict Covid-19
Source: Full Fact
Claim: A film from 1956 predicted the Covid-19 pandemic Finding: False The video is not from 1956, it’s from February 2020. The creator of the video told the AFP news...
20/01/2021
A Covid-19 vaccine is not being administered via Covid-19 nasal swab tests
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The Covid-19 test is the vaccine and if you get tested you have been vaccinated. Finding: False COVID-19 tests which swab the nose and/or the the back of the...
20/01/2021
The Covid-19 recovery rate is not 99.9%
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The recovery rate from Covid-19 is 99.7% to 99.9%; the post also states that the Pfizer vaccine is 90% effective. Finding: False The recovery rate is far lower. This...
20/01/2021
RNA Covid-19 vaccines will not change your DNA
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The COVID-19 vaccine is an RNA vaccine. This will actually change your DNA. Finding: False Some of the Covid-19 vaccine candidates are RNA vaccines. These don’t alter your DNA,...
20/01/2021
There are no foetal cells in the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Aborted male foetal cells called MRC-5 are in the Covid-19 vaccine. Finding: False The cell strain referenced isn’t used to manufacture the vaccine.
20/01/2021
The Pfizer Covid-19 candidate vaccine is not too cold to be called a vaccine
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Any vaccine that needs to be stored and shipped at -80 degrees isn’t a vaccine. It’s a transfection agent, kept alive so it can infect your cells and transfer...
20/01/2021
Covid-19 is an infectious disease, and a video claiming it isn’t is wrong
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The Covid-19 pandemic is caused by radiation Finding: False COVID-19 is caused by a virus. A video published on Facebook shows a woman making several false claims about the...
20/01/2021
No evidence aluminium in vaccines causes Alzheimer’s disease
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Aluminium in vaccines can cause Alzheimer’s disease. Finding: False No link between Alzheimer’s disease and the small amount of aluminium found in some vaccines has been established. Small amounts...
20/01/2021
A kiwi fruit did not test “positive” for COVID-19
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Rapid Covid-19 tests are unreliable because fruit and Coca-Cola can give “positive” results. Finding: False Rapid COVID-19 tests very rarely give false positive results when used on humans, as...
20/01/2021
There’s no evidence that mercury-based chemicals in a Covid-19 vaccine would cause harm
Source: Full Fact
Claim: New Covid-19 vaccines contain levels of mercury that cause brain damage. Finding: False Most commonly given vaccines in the UK do not contain the mercury-based chemical thiomersal. We don’t...
20/01/2021
PTFE in masks does not pose a health risk, unless you get it very hot
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Blue surgical masks are sprayed with PTFE, which is harmful to humans. Finding: Mixed Some masks contain PTFE, but ordinary surgical masks are often made from other materials. PTFE...
20/01/2021
Claims about the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine ingredients lack evidence
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The formation of “non-neutralizing antibodies” can lead to an exaggerated immune reaction to vaccines, especially when the person is confronted with the real, “wild” virus after vaccination. This so-called...
20/01/2021
The needles in some syringes are supposed to ‘disappear’
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Various posts on social media show news footage of a Covid-19 vaccination being given to a patient. After the vaccine is apparently administered, the needle apparently disappears. Some have...
20/01/2021
There’s no evidence the Pfizer vaccine interferes with the placenta
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The Pfizer vaccine contains syncytin-1 which is vital for the formation of human placenta, so could lead to infertility. Finding: Mixture The vaccine contains instructions on how to build...
20/01/2021
Some on the Pfizer vaccine trials did get Bell’s palsy, but not more than we’d expect by chance
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Four volunteers developed Bell's palsy after receiving Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine. Finding: Mixture Whilst this is true, the figure is roughly the level anticipated in a group of this size....
20/01/2021
The government has awarded a contract to develop technology that proves you’ve recently had a negative Covid-19 test
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Everyone is going to be issued a digital health or vaccine passport. Vaccination and regular testing will result in greater personal freedom. Finding: False A UK government contract has...
20/01/2021
A satirical caption in a South African newspaper under a picture of a British woman getting the vaccine has caused confusion
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The same image of an elderly woman being vaccinated has been used by the media to show a woman called Joan being vaccinated in Manchester and a woman called...
20/01/2021
Plenty of evidence Covid-19 exists, no evidence pandemic caused by 5G
Source: Africa Check
Claim: Covid-19 does not exist and 5G cellular networks are making people sick. Finding: False 5G is faster than the previous iteration, 4G, and allows more devices to be connected...
20/01/2021
No, US nurse Tiffany Dover not killed by Covid-19 vaccine
Source: Africa Check
Claim: that Tiffany Dover, a nurse from Tennessee in the United States, fainted and died after receiving her first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Finding: False The nurse did...
20/01/2021
Yes, Australia abandoned Covid-19 vaccine after false positive HIV test results
Source: Africa Check
Claim: “Australia abandons vaccine attempt, after the shot wrongly gave some people positive HIV test results", from the website, Business Insider Finding: True The vaccine did give people false positive...
20/01/2021
No, COVID-19 vaccine won’t leave ‘invisible mark’ to be used as ‘immunity passport’
Source: Africa Check
Claim: The coronavirus vaccine microneedles leave an invisible mark on the body which will be used as a digital 'immunity passport’. Finding: False Microneedles are not new; they have largely...
20/01/2021
China didn’t recover from Covid-19 without vaccines – and Tanzanian president Magufuli didn’t make claim
Source: Africa Check
Claim: A graphic shared widely on Facebook claims that Tanzanian president John Magufuli has questioned why Africa needs Covid-19 vaccines when China has recovered from the pandemic without them. The...
20/01/2021
ANC Youth League promotes debunked steam and pH ‘cures’ for Covid-19
Source: Africa Check
Claim: The African National Congress Youth League produced two graphics in January promoting the consumption of "alkaline foods" to "eliminate" COVID-19 and encouraged people to inhale steam to "paralyse" the...
20/01/2021
Did 23 People In Norway Die After Receiving COVID Vaccine?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Twenty-three people in Norway died as a result of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Finding: Unproven 23 people across Norway died since the vaccination programme began; they were vaccinated with...
20/01/2021
Can Mouthwash ‘Kill’ COVID-19
Source: Snopes
Claim: Some mouthwashes containing the antimicrobial ingredient cetylpyridinium chloride show signs of reducing COVID-19 in saliva. Finding: Mixed Preliminary findings from a preprint study suggest that a common antimicrobial ingredient...
20/01/2021
Did ‘Head of Pfizer Research’ Say COVID-19 Vaccine ‘Is Female Sterilization’?
Source: Snopes
Claim: The "head of Pfizer research" said the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the pharmaceutical company "is female sterilization." Finding: False This claim originated on a blog called Health and Money...
20/01/2021
No, mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Do Not ‘Alter Your DNA’
Source: Snopes
Claim: mRNA vaccines are capable of altering or damaging human DNA. Finding: False This post has been widely circulated on social media and purports to be from the anti-vaccine crusader,...
20/01/2021
Concern Among Muslims Over Halal Status of COVID-19 Vaccine
Source: Snopes
Claim: Muslim groups are concerned over the Halal status of the COVID-19 Vaccine. Finding: Mixed Pork-derived gelatin is widely used in vaccines. However, spokespeople for Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have...
20/01/2021
Is the 1950s ‘Thalidomide Tragedy’ Indicative of COVID-19 Vaccine Risks?
Source: Snopes
Claim: A rapidly approved drug known as thalidomide was not rigorously tested before being prescribed to pregnant women, ultimately leading to “malformations in newborns” to women who were prescribed the...
20/01/2021
Did Brazil’s President Bolsonaro Imply COVID-19 Vaccine Turns People Into Crocodiles?
Source: Snopes
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said, “In the Pfizer contract it's very clear: 'we're not responsible for any side effects.' If you turn into a crocodile, it's your problem.” Finding: Correct...
20/01/2021
Does Pfizer ‘Page 132’ Warn Against Unprotected Sex After COVID-19 Vaccine?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Pfizer vaccine "page 132" warns not to have unprotected sex for 28 days after the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine because "genetic manipulation" may cause birth defects. Finding:...
20/01/2021
Did Doctors Recommend Genital COVID-19 Vaccination Injections for Men?
Source: Snopes
Claim: Two scientific studies found that men should inject the COVID-19 vaccine into the penis, and that the vaccine increased penis size among some men. Finding: False The pictures shared...
20/01/2021
Did a Portuguese Nurse Die Two Days After COVID-19 Vaccination?
Source: Snopes
Claim: A Portuguese nurse named Sonia Azevedo died from adverse side effects from the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. This was first published by India-based news-outlet WION (World Is One News) and...
28/01/2021
Global charity patches together statistics about African teen lockdown pregnancies
Source: Africa check
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: South African media widely reported a claim by World Vision that pandemic measures had led to a surge in teenage pregnancies across sub-Saharan Africa. OUR VERDICT: The...
28/01/2021
Mask wearing doesn’t cause bacterial pneumonia
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Mask-wearing causes people to contract bacterial pneumonia. OUR VERDICT There is no evidence for this.
28/01/2021
There are no human cells in the AstraZeneca vaccine, and it won’t give you a chimpanzee virus
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine contains viruses from chimpanzees. OUR VERDICT The vaccine uses a modified virus which was originally created from a virus found in chimpanzees.
28/01/2021
There is evidence vaccines reduce risk of Covid-19 illness
Source: Full Fact
WHAT WAS CLAIMED Vaccines don’t stop you getting COVID-19 or spreading it. OUR VERDICT The Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines reduce your chances of getting sick with Covid-19. There’s some...
28/01/2021
COVID-19 drug practices risk antimicrobial resistance evolution
Source: The Lancet
Opinion piece There was an increasing demand for and misuse of various drugs in the treatment of COVID-19 irrespective of paucity of scientific evidence. This could lead to a speedier...
28/01/2021
Covid-19 vaccine apps should deliver more to patients
Source: The Lancet
Opinion piece Digital tools for side-effect surveillance emphasise data collection over providing user feedback, and public misperceptions might influence what is reported and the causal attributions. Preliminary evidence shows that...
28/01/2021
COVID-19 hindering progress against female genital mutilation
Source: The Lancet
Opinion piece The alarming signals of rising FGM cases are part of a broader context in which the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women's wellbeing—from increases in domestic violence, to...
28/01/2021
Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination
Source: US CDC
Answers to commonly asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination. CDC also has information for busting common vaccine myths available in facts about COVID-19 vaccines.
31/01/2021
Report of 8% vaccine efficacy for elderly debunked by German government
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The German federal government only expects the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to have an effectiveness of eight percent among the over 65s. False The German government said it couldn’t confirm...
31/01/2021
Evidence suggests that lockdowns in the UK have helped save lives
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Lockdowns in the UK have been ineffective in tackling the spread of COVID-19 False. Detailed UK government estimates suggest that locking down in spring 2020 saved thousands of lives...
31/01/2021
Flu deaths aren’t being miscategorised as Covid-19 deaths
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Influenza has been eradicated in suspicious circumstances False While there appears to be very few flu infections due to various reasons, the flu has not been eradicated. Covid-19 deaths...
31/01/2021
53 people have not died in Gibraltar because of the Covid-19 vaccine
Source: Full Fact
Claim: 53 people have died in Gibraltar in 10 days after vaccinations with the Pfizer Covid-19 started. Extremely misleading As of 27 January, six people out of more than 11,000...
31/01/2021
Covid-19 not modified malaria, vaccine against coronavirus needed everywhere
Source: Africa Check
Claim: COVID-19 is no different to malaria and can be treated with anti-malarial drugs False Medical evidence and experts say there is no similarity between COVID-19 and malaria. Malaria is...
31/01/2021
The COVID-19 vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women unless they are at high risk of exposure
Source: Snopes
Claim: The World Health Organisation warned that pregnant women should avoid the COVID-19 vaccination. Partly true As of January 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the use of...
31/01/2021
SARS-CoV-2 evolution and vaccines: cause for concern?
Source: Lancet
Opinion Piece by Thomas C Williams, University of Edinburgh and Wendy A Burges, University of Cape Town Most vaccines work by getting our body to recognise and react to a...
31/01/2021
What you need to know about the claims 23 people died after getting the Covid-19 vaccine in Norway
Source: Full Fact
Claim: 23 people in Norway died after getting the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine True as of 14 January, but we don’t know for certain that getting the vaccine was what caused...
31/01/2021
There isn’t pork in Covid-19 vaccines
Source: Full Fact
Claim: There is pork in COVID-19 vaccines False Neither the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, nor the Moderna vaccines contain any animal products.
31/01/2021
Researchers did Warn that Certain COVID-19 Vaccines Could Increase HIV Risk
Source: Snopes
Claim: Researchers warned in The Lancet that a form of COVID-19 vaccine in development (and approved for limited use in China) could potentially increase the risk of acquiring HIV. Mostly...
31/01/2021
It is not proven that COVID-19 vaccination caused Dr. Gregory Michael’s Death
Source: Snopes
Claim: Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine caused the death of Florida doctor Gregory Michael. Unproven Gregory Michael died on Jan 3., 2021, 18 days after receiving the first dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19...
31/01/2021
Covid-19: What new variants are emerging and how are they being investigated?
Source: The BMJ
The new, more transmissible variant of SARS-CoV-2 found in England is just one of many variations of the virus being detected around the world. These include variant P.1 or VOC202101/02,...
2/2/21
FALSE: Cornell University professor Robert Oswald said “COVID-19 was imaginary and fictitious.”
Source: Poynter
Claim: Cornell University professor Robert Oswald said “COVID-19 was imaginary and fictitious.” Verdict: False. Robert Oswald debunked the post on his Cornell faculty page.
2/2/21
The new coronavirus vaccines do not contain toxic ingredients and are more dangerous than getting COVID-19.
Source: Poynter
Claim: The new coronavirus vaccines contain toxic ingredients and are more dangerous than getting COVID-19. Verdict: False. The ingredient list for the vaccines does not include any of the toxic...
2/2/21
Eating roasted orange and brown sugar will not restore your sense of taste if you have recovered from COVID-19
Source: Poynter
Claim: Eating roasted orange and brown sugar will restore your sense of taste if you have recovered from COVID-19 Verdict: False. There is no evidence to support this claim.
2/2/21
‘No record’ of Nashville nurse who claims to have developed Bell’s palsy from COVID-19 vaccine
Source: Poynter
Claim: A Nashville nurse called Khalilah Mitchell developed Bell’s palsy from the COVID-19 vaccine. Verdict: Several reputable fact-checking organizations have found that there is no nurse by the name of...
2/2/21
Penicillin allergies don’t rule out Pfizer vaccine
Source: Full Fact
Claim: You can't have the Pfizer vaccine if you're allergic to penicillin. Verdict: Official advice in the UK is that having penicillin allergies doesn’t rule out having any of the...
2/2/21
Pfizer vaccine effective, though not as effective as some newspapers suggest
Source: Full Fact
Claim: Two Pfizer doses are 99.96% effective. Verdict: The Pfizer vaccine has an efficacy rate of over 90%. The 99.96% figure is not an efficacy rate but the proportion of...
2/2/21
No evidence that nanoparticles in Covid-19 vaccines affect fertility
Source: Full Fact
Claim: The Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines use lipid nanoparticles to deliver an mRNA load into cells. These particles have an adverse effect on fertility Verdict: The vaccines do use...
2/2/21
People giving Covid-19 vaccines won’t be tried as war criminals
Source: Full Fact
Claim: We don’t know the Covid-19 vaccines are safe because trials are still underway and won’t finish until 2023. Anyone getting the vaccine is being experimented on. Verdict: Multiple phases...
2/2/21
COVID does not stand for ‘Certificate of Vaccination ID’?
Source: Snopes
Claim: COVID-19 stands for “Certificate of Vaccination ID,” with the number “19” representing the letters “AI,” for “Artificial Intelligence.” Verdict: False. COVID-19 is an abbreviation of coronavirus disease 19.
2/2/21
Opportunities for Artificial Intelligence–Enabled Social Media Analysis of Public Attitudes Toward Covid-19 Vaccines
Source: NEJM
Opinion piece The Royal Society reviewed the behavioural aspects of vaccine uptake and misinformation and identified the need for further research into five factors: confidence in the vaccines’ efficacy and...
2/2/21
Application of unsupervised machine learning to identify and characterise hydroxychloroquine misinformation on Twitter
Source: The Lancet
Opinion piece Concerns about hydroxychloroquine's safety and efficacy are well documented, including its association with cardiac adverse events, blood and lymph system disorders, liver problems, and kidney injury. A study...
2/2/21
WHO team begins COVID-19 origin investigation
Source: The Lancet
Opinion piece With new infections of COVID-19 still spreading rapidly, and health systems stretched to their limits, public interest is focused on the WHO-led international mission in China to investigate...
2/2/21
Covid-19: AstraZeneca vaccine is approved in EU with no upper age limit
Source: BMJ
News Article The European Medicines Agency authorised Astra Zeneca’s SARS-CoV-2 vaccine for use in all adults aged over 18 on 29 January. Amid reports that the vaccine had lower efficacy...
2/2/21
Decline in COVID-19 Hospitalization Growth Rates Associated with Statewide Mask Mandates — 10 States, March–October 2020
Source: US CDC
This study supports community masking to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. It also demonstrates that state-wide mask mandates were associated with a reduction in COVID-19–associated hospitalization growth rates among adults...
2/2/21
Ensuring the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States
Source: US CDC
Clinical trials and vaccine safety monitoring are being conducted to evaluate additional COVID-19 vaccines in many thousands of study participants. These trials will generate scientific data and other information that...