Claim reviews
People should take precautions against COVID-19 regardless of their blood type
CLAIM
“People with blood type O [are] more protected against COVID-19”
SOURCE: Celia Jean, Jerusalem Post
Published: 22 Jun 2020
VERDICT
People who do not show COVID-19 symptoms can and do transmit it to others; physical distancing and face masks effectively reduce the risk of transmission
CLAIM
The WHO stated that asymptomatic spread of COVID-19 is “very rare”, therefore physical distancing and face masks are not necessary
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 14 Jun 2020
VERDICT
Brussels halted 5G rollout in 2019 to study its radiation emissions, not because any negative health effects had been demonstrated
CLAIM
“Brussels is halting their 5G plans due to the negative health effects”; “Evidence ... overwhelmingly suggest[s] that, yes, 5G does pose a major threat.”
SOURCE: Anonymous, worldhealth.net
Published: 11 Jun 2020
VERDICT
German Ministry employee makes unsupported claim that COVID-19 pandemic is a global false alarm in widely circulated yet unsolicited opinion article
CLAIM
German government leaked document declares COVID-19 is “a global false alarm”
SOURCE: Baxter Dmitry, NewsPunch
Published: 10 Jun 2020
VERDICT
Article inaccurately claims that coronavirus vaccine by Oxford researchers caused animal test subjects to develop COVID-19
CLAIM
“Bill Gates’ shoddily-hastened vaccine has been determined to make all animal test subjects get COVID-19 when exposed to the virus“
SOURCE: Anonymous, Montana Daily Gazette
Published: 08 Jun 2020
VERDICT
Significant methodological flaws in a 2020 study claiming to show unvaccinated children are healthier
CLAIM
Vaccinated children are more likely to have adverse health outcomes like developmental delays, asthma, and ear infections compared to unvaccinated children.
SOURCE: Brian Hooker, Neil Miller, Children’s Health Defense
Published: 04 Jun 2020
VERDICT
Facebook posts spread unsupported anonymous claim that face mask use caused a lung infection in a healthy teenager
CLAIM
Wearing a face mask caused a 19-year-old grocery store worker to be hospitalized for a lung infection, due to breathing in her own carbon dioxide and bacteria.
SOURCE: Anonymous, Facebook
Published: 01 Jun 2020
VERDICT
The spread of COVID-19 is not related in any way to the deployment of 5G
CLAIM
“5G plays a part in this ‘plandemic’” ... The cases of COVID-19 are “directly related to electromagnetic radiation exposure by 5G”
SOURCE: Dee McLachlan, Gumshoe News
Published: 29 May 2020
VERDICT
Facebook posts misinterpret a study of 455 contacts of an asymptomatic COVID-19 carrier to claim that asymptomatic spread does not occur
CLAIM
Asymptomatic carriers cannot spread COVID-19; COVID-19 is not contagious; masks are not needed to reduce COVID-19 transmission from asymptomatic carriers
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 28 May 2020
VERDICT
Hand-held UV lights sold online to kill microbes are effective only in specific conditions and can be unsafe when used improperly
CLAIM
UV-C lamps “kill 99.99% of all bacteria, viruses, and mold” on “any surface you want to disinfect” ... “in ten seconds”
SOURCE: Anonymous, Super Charged UV-c
Published: 28 May 2020
VERDICT
