Claim reviews
Study didn’t show COVID-19 vaccines weaken children’s immune response, contrary to claim by Alex Berenson
CLAIM
A study showed a “weakened immune response in kids injected with Pfizer’s COVID-19 shot”; “The mRNA Covid jabs damage immune responses to other viruses in children”
SOURCE: Alex Berenson, Jonas Vesterberg, Substack, The Florida Standard
Published: 11 Sep 2023
VERDICT
Rebel News article lacks evidence for claiming COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe and unnecessary
CLAIM
Natural immunity persists for decades; Pregnant women aren’t at risk from COVID-19; DNA plasmids are in COVID-19 vaccines; no evidence that COVID-19 boosters are safe
SOURCE: Tamara Ugolini, Rebel News
Published: 08 Sep 2023
VERDICT
Posts misrepresent CDC risk assessment of new SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.2.86; COVID-19 vaccines don’t increase the risk of infection
CLAIM
With the new BA.2.86 variant, “We’re in a situation where vaccination, according to the CDC, increases the likelihood of infection”
SOURCE: John Campbell, YouTube
Published: 04 Sep 2023
VERDICT
Health authorities continue to collect safety data on COVID-19 vaccines, contrary to misleading claim by the Daily Wire
CLAIM
The CDC “Remove[d] COVID Vaccine Adverse Event Reports”, “stopping the collection of public health information doesn’t have a clinical justification”
SOURCE: Brandon Drey, Daily Wire
Published: 31 Aug 2023
VERDICT
Daily Mail article provides misleading interpretation on South Korean mask study to imply mask-wearing is dangerous
CLAIM
“Mask study published by NIH suggests N95 Covid masks may expose wearers to dangerous level of toxic compounds linked to seizures and cancer”
SOURCE: Emily Joshu, Daily Mail
Published: 30 Aug 2023
VERDICT
Vitamin K shots are safe and polysorbate 80 isn’t poisonous, contrary to claim by Brandy Vaughan
CLAIM
Vitamin K shots are poisonous because they contain polysorbate 80 as “main active ingredient” that has “strong links with infertility, with autoimmune issues”
SOURCE: Brandy Vaughan, Instagram
Published: 29 Aug 2023
VERDICT
Misleading Instagram posts use news headlines out of context to imply COVID-19 vaccines increase COVID-19 mortality risk
CLAIM
Higher COVID-19 vaccination rates in White people are related to higher COVID-19 death rates
SOURCE: Carl Higbie, David Harris Jr., Instagram
Published: 25 Aug 2023
VERDICT
The FDA continues to recommend against ivermectin for treating or preventing COVID-19, despite claims to the contrary
CLAIM
“The FDA is now saying that it is OK to prescribe ivermectin [for COVID-19]”
SOURCE: Social media users, Facebook, TikTok
Published: 24 Aug 2023
VERDICT
Conspiracy theory about the deaths of alternative medicine practitioners ignores evidence, misrepresents certain doctors
CLAIM
Doctors murdered to protect Big Pharma profits and silence holistic health practitioners
SOURCE: Katryna Benson, TikTok
Published: 23 Aug 2023
VERDICT
England mortality data shows a lower COVID-19 mortality risk among vaccinated people compared to unvaccinated ones, contrary to claim by Slay News
CLAIM
“the Covid injections are not effective” because the large majority of deaths involving COVID-19 occurred among vaccinated individuals
SOURCE: Frank Bergman, Slay News
Published: 17 Aug 2023
VERDICT
