Claim reviews

Contrary to claim in Washington Times op-ed, COVID-19 shots meet the definition of a vaccine

CLAIM

“COVID-19 shots are not vaccines” because they don’t “prevent one from becoming infected”

SOURCE: Michael McKenna, Washington Times

Published: 07 Jan 2022

VERDICT

Testing in general reveals infections, it doesn’t create them; COVID-19 isn’t the same as the common cold

CLAIM

“If you stop testing it all goes away and people just have colds like before”

SOURCE: Social media users, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Published: 07 Jan 2022

VERDICT

Contrary to Peter McCullough’s claim, getting vaccinated is safer than getting COVID-19, in spite of rare cases of myocarditis

CLAIM

a “game-changing study” showed that “COVID vaccines [were] more dangerous than the virus itself”; “children aged 12 to 17 are more likely to be hospitalized for myocarditis than for COVID.”

SOURCE: Mike Landry, Peter McCullough, The Western Journal

Published: 24 Dec 2021

VERDICT

Joe Rogan interview with Peter McCullough contains multiple false and unsubstantiated claims about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines

CLAIM

the pandemic was planned; the COVID-19 vaccines are experimental; previously infected people have “permanent immunity”; VAERS shows vaccines killed thousands of people, vaccine-induced spike protein causes damage

SOURCE: Peter McCullough, The Joe Rogan Experience

Published: 23 Dec 2021

VERDICT

The benefits of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for children outweigh the low risks, unlike what Robert Malone claimed

CLAIM

mRNA vaccines force “your child’s body to make toxic spike proteins. These proteins often cause permanent damage in children’s critical organs”; “there is no benefit for your children or your family to be vaccinating your children”

SOURCE: Robert Malone, Substack

Published: 20 Dec 2021

VERDICT

Ivermectin study in the city of Itajaí contains several methodological weaknesses, resulting in questionable conclusions

CLAIM

A preprint of an ivermectin study in the Brazilian city of Itajaí found that prophylactic ivermectin reduced COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality by half

SOURCE: Jim Hoft, Daniel Horowitz, Gateway Pundit, ZeroHedge, The Blaze

Published: 18 Dec 2021

VERDICT

Clip of Anthony Fauci discussing potential vaccine safety concerns is from March 2020; current scientific evidence shows COVID-19 vaccines reduce risk of infection and serious illness

CLAIM

“Dr. Fauci opens up the possibility that the COVID-19 vaccine could be making people more likely to be infected by the virus”, “a vaccine that looked good in initial safety actually made people worse”

SOURCE: Social media users, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn

Published: 15 Dec 2021

VERDICT