Claim reviews
Scientific evidence supports the use of face masks to reduce COVID-19 spread, mainly by preventing infectious liquid particles from reaching uninfected people
CLAIM
Scientific evidence doesn’t support the wearing of face masks; “why do you care if I don't wear a mask? Doesn't your mask protect you?”
SOURCE: Dennis Prager, Townhall Media
Published: 12 Apr 2021
VERDICT
Clinical trials and post-trial monitoring show that COVID-19 vaccines reduce the spread and occurrence of the disease
CLAIM
COVID-19 vaccines are experimental and don’t prevent infection or transmission; most of us have a 0.05% chance of dying from COVID-19
SOURCE: Facebook user, Facebook
Published: 10 Apr 2021
VERDICT
COVID-19 related deaths are indeed caused by COVID-19 and not by contributing health conditions
CLAIM
“coronavirus itself is responsible for just 6% of all deaths listed as coronavirus-related”, the others are “due to pre-existing comorbidities”
SOURCE: OANN editors, One America News Network
Published: 09 Apr 2021
VERDICT
There is currently no cure for AIDS; reports to the contrary are incorrect
CLAIM
AIDS was cured in more than a dozen patients
SOURCE: Alfredo Bowman, Facebook
Published: 09 Apr 2021
VERDICT
The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines aren’t operating systems, and won’t transform the human body into a virus-making factory
CLAIM
The mRNA vaccine is “an operating system that takes over the machinery of your cells” ; “...by the time you get your fourth shot your body will be making all four proteins that make up the COVID-19 virus.”
SOURCE: Abdul Alim Muhammad, Damon Jones, Instagram, Facebook
Published: 06 Apr 2021
VERDICT
Not all coronaviruses are seasonal, contrary to pathologist Ryan Cole’s claim; COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing illness
CLAIM
Coronaviruses are all seasonal and go away on their own, including those that cause SARS and MERS; ivermectin is effective for preventing and treating COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccines are “gene therapy”, don’t give immunity or prevent transmission
SOURCE: Ryan Cole, Instagram, YouTube, Bitchute
Published: 04 Apr 2021
VERDICT
COVID-19 vaccines don’t hamper the function of the immune system and are likely to limit the generation of variants; no evidence that they produce more lethal variants
CLAIM
COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous; they cause an overreaction of the immune system; they suppress the NK cells of the immune system; they promote virus lethality
SOURCE: Vernon Coleman, BrandNewTube
Published: 01 Apr 2021
VERDICT
COVID-19 vaccines received Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA after clinical trials demonstrated that they are safe and effective; COVID-19 vaccines aren’t experimental
CLAIM
“Not one [COVID-19] vaccine is FDA approved. [...] They are all experimental.”
SOURCE: Facebook Users, Facebook
Published: 31 Mar 2021
VERDICT
Heart attack victims shouldn’t use “cough CPR” on themselves, contrary to chain email dating back to 1999
CLAIM
Heart attack “victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously”
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 30 Mar 2021
VERDICT
Going vegan may lead to fewer pandemics, but it won’t eliminate them completely
CLAIM
“In a vegan world there would be no pandemics. 100% of pandemics are zoonotic in origin.”
SOURCE: Richard Melville Hall (aka Moby), Facebook
Published: 26 Mar 2021
VERDICT
