Claim reviews
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
Clinical trials showed that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is safe; its side effects are mostly mild
CLAIM
80% of people taking the Moderna vaccine had significant side effects; children in Sudan got polio from the polio vaccine
SOURCE: Joe Rogan, The Joe Rogan Experience
Published: 26 Mar 2021
VERDICT
Bill Gates quoted out of context about injecting kids with genetically modified organisms in discussion on GM crops
CLAIM
Bill Gates stated that 'We’re taking things that are genetically modified organisms, and we’re injecting them into little kids’ arms; we just shoot them right into the vein'
SOURCE: Anonymous, YouTube
Published: 26 Mar 2021
VERDICT
Both viruses and bacteria cause disease; pathogenic viruses aren’t naturally created in the body as a response to damage
CLAIM
“You don’t catch viruses, you naturally create them inside of your body”; “bacteria and viruses don’t cause disease.”
SOURCE: Melissa Sell, Facebook
Published: 24 Mar 2021
VERDICT