Claim reviews
Scientific evidence demonstrates that COVID-19 and the virus that causes it exist and are different from the flu
CLAIM
“We found no COVID-19 in any of the 1,500 [COVID-19-positive] samples” but influenza A and B; “what we're dealing with is just another flu strain like every year. COVID 19 does not exist and is fictitious”
SOURCE: Instagram users, Instagram
Published: 06 May 2021
VERDICT
The benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine outweigh its risks; there is no increased mortality rate among vaccinated people relative to unvaccinated people
CLAIM
COVID-19 vaccines killed people; COVID-19 has a “99.97% survival rate”
SOURCE: Anonymous, Earthley
Published: 06 May 2021
VERDICT
There is no evidence that eating cucumbers reduces the risk of cancer; cucumbers contain cucurbitacin B, which could be a candidate for developing new anti-cancer drugs
CLAIM
“Cucumber kills lung cancer cells”; “cucurbitacin B suppressed growth of human lung cancer cells by 90%, reduced their ability to invade surrounding tissues by 75% and reduced migration ability by 88%”
SOURCE: Ethan Evers , The Eden Prescription
Published: 04 May 2021
VERDICT
Vaccines do provide immunity and can be used to achieve herd immunity
CLAIM
Vaccines don’t promise immunity and therefore “vaccine herd immunity doesn’t exist”.
SOURCE: Laura Elizabeth, Instagram
Published: 01 May 2021
VERDICT
Insufficient evidence to claim COVID-19 vaccines cause menstrual irregularities in vaccinated women; vaccinated people aren’t making unvaccinated people ill
CLAIM
COVID-19 vaccines cause menstrual problems in women; vaccinated people are causing health problems in unvaccinated people around them
SOURCE: Social media users, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Published: 30 Apr 2021
VERDICT
Flawed speculative study incorrectly claims that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines cause neurodegenerative diseases
CLAIM
“Pfizer [COVID-19] vaccine confirmed to cause neurodegenerative diseases”; “mRNA vaccines […] can integrate into the human genome”
SOURCE: Nathaniel Linderman, National File
Published: 29 Apr 2021
VERDICT
COVID-19 vaccines don’t cause herpes infections; a possible association with the reactivation of herpes zoster in patients with rheumatic diseases remains unconfirmed
CLAIM
“Herpes infections may be a side effect of a COVID-19 vaccine”
SOURCE: Jackie Salo, Social media users, New York Post, Facebook, Instagram
Published: 26 Apr 2021
VERDICT
Current data from clinical trials offer no reliable evidence that ivermectin is effective against COVID-19; better-quality clinical trials are needed to resolve this question
CLAIM
“Ivermectin is the only thing we have that treats COVID at all stages […] Ivermectin substantially reduces deaths from COVID and prevents infections”; 50 studies “show ivermectin is not just effective, but highly effective”
SOURCE: Craig Kelly, Tess Lawrie, Sky News
Published: 25 Apr 2021
VERDICT
Using face masks reduces the transmission of COVID-19 and doesn’t lead to oxygen deficiency or carbon dioxide buildup in the blood
CLAIM
“Both medical and non-medical face masks are ineffective to reduce transmission and infectivity of COVID-19”; “long-term consequences of wearing face masks on health are detrimental [including hypoxemia and hypercapnia]”
SOURCE: JD Rucker, Baruch Vainshelboim, American Conservative Movement
Published: 23 Apr 2021
VERDICT
DARPA developed a hydrogel sensor which monitors blood for infections at early stages, not a microchip for COVID-19 identification or location tracker
CLAIM
“Pentagon develops microchip that detects COVID under your skin”; Pentagon microchip can track your location
SOURCE: Ben Swann, Truth In Media
Published: 22 Apr 2021
VERDICT