Claim reviews
A proportion of COVID-19 survivors are likely to suffer from long-term health problems, but the actual risks are still unknown
CLAIM
“For every one person who dies: 19 more require hospitalization; 18 of those will have permanent heart damage for the rest of their lives”
SOURCE: Franklin Veaux, Quora
Published: 22 Jul 2020
VERDICT
Infant deaths did not decrease during the pandemic due to a reduced use of vaccines; vaccines are not associated with sudden infant death syndrome
CLAIM
Vaccines are a cause of sudden infant death death syndrome; infant deaths decreased dramatically during the lockdown, when the number of vaccines administered was reduced
SOURCE: Mark Blaxill, Amy Becker, Health Choice, Children’s Health Defense
Published: 17 Jul 2020
VERDICT
Despite a decline in COVID-19 deaths from a peak in Spring 2020, the number of deaths in July 2020 may not be as low as preliminary data suggest
CLAIM
Deaths from COVID-19 are nearing zero in the U.S.
SOURCE: Facebook user, Facebook
Published: 16 Jul 2020
VERDICT
Saliva might be an accurate, less-invasive alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 diagnosis; more research is needed to standardize its use in molecular testing
CLAIM
There is no need to use nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 testing, mouth swabs can be used instead
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 14 Jul 2020
VERDICT
People have died from the coronavirus, contrary to article claiming to report pathologist’s “revelations” on COVID-19
CLAIM
“no one has died from the coronavirus”
SOURCE: Rosemary Frei, Patrick Corbett, OffGuardian
Published: 12 Jul 2020
VERDICT
Nasal swab used for COVID-19 testing does not reach the brain
CLAIM
Nasal swabs used for COVID-19 tests reach the blood-brain barrier and may damage it.
SOURCE: Facebook Users, Facebook
Published: 10 Jul 2020
VERDICT
The June 2020 spike in U.S. COVID-19 cases indicates a rising percentage of infections and is not simply an artifact of more testing
CLAIM
“There's a ‘spike’ in [COVID-19] cases because there's a spike in testing.”
SOURCE: Facebook User, Facebook
Published: 08 Jul 2020
VERDICT
Videos use gas sensors to misleadingly claim that wearing a face mask causes oxygen deficiency
CLAIM
Gas sensors show that wearing a face mask leads to oxygen deficiency and carbon dioxide toxicity
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 06 Jul 2020
VERDICT
COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are mainly detected by highly specific molecular testing, not antibody testing
CLAIM
Antibodies for the common cold produce a positive COVID-19 test; false-positive results from COVID-19 antibody testing are behind the COVID-19 cases reported in the U.S.
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 06 Jul 2020
VERDICT
Internet memes based on hearsay claim that hospital laboratories falsify COVID-19 tests to inflate numbers without evidence
CLAIM
Hospital laboratories falsify positive COVID-19 results
SOURCE: Anonymous, Facebook
Published: 04 Jul 2020
VERDICT
