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The number of COVID-19 deaths over the entire pandemic is higher in the U.S. than Europe, even when controlling for population size

Europe saw a resurgence in the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths in September and October 2020. This marks the start of the second wave of COVID-19, which is surpassing numbers reported in the U.S, according to multiple mainstream media outlets. However, individual European countries have had fewer total COVID-19 infections and deaths compared to the U.S. over the course of the entire pandemic. When differences in population sizes are accounted for, the U.S. has more COVID-19 deaths per million people than all of Europe.

Claim that mouthwash could reduce the spread of COVID-19 has not yet been confirmed by clinical trials in humans

Studies showing that oral rinses can inactivate certain coronaviruses in a laboratory setting may not apply to humans. There is currently no scientific evidence demonstrating that these products can reduce person-to-person transmission of COVID-19. Clinical trials demonstrating that oral rinses can effectively reduce the level of infectious virus in the mouth have not yet been completed. Therefore, people should continue to practice effective measures for reducing COVID-19 spread, such as physical distancing, good hand hygiene, and the use of face masks.

The percentage of excess deaths in the U.S. not directly caused by COVID-19 ranges from 14% to 33%; it remains unclear how lockdowns influenced excess mortality

Mortality in the U.S. in 2020 exceeded the expected number of deaths by about 300,000 deaths. Excess deaths are determined by comparing the observed number of deaths to an expected number of deaths derived from statistical models. Scientific studies report that 14.5 to 33% of excess deaths are not directly attributed to COVID-19, depending on how the expected number of deaths is calculated. While it is likely that the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences are indirectly responsible for these non-COVID-19 excess deaths, it is difficult to conclude that measures taken to limit the spread of the virus, such as lockdowns, are responsible due to a lack of data at this point in time.

Fewer flu cases observed in the start of this flu season, but Donald Trump Jr.’s tweet suggesting data manipulation is unsupported and cites inaccurate figures

It is premature to make conclusions about the number of flu deaths for the current flu season, as the season just began and flu deaths do not peak until later in the season. There is no evidence supporting the claim that any observed reduction in the number of flu deaths this season is the result of data manipulation. Instead, the lower level of flu activity observed this season is likely due, in part, to public health measures implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Masks are effective at reducing COVID-19 primary transmission through respiratory droplets; the CDC acknowledges airborne transmission via aerosols can also occur

Current epidemiological data indicates that COVID-19 primarily spreads through respiratory droplets that are released when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or talks. Growing evidence suggests that smaller aerosol particles may also play a role in the transmission of COVID-19. Wearing face masks and cloth face coverings are effective measures for reducing the spread of COVID-19 because they reduce the transmission of large respiratory droplets. In contrast, some aerosol particles may leak through the fabric pores and around the mask. To reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, wearing face masks must be combined with other transmission control measures, such as physical distancing, good hand hygiene, and avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated spaces.

Volunteer who died in a COVID-19 vaccine trial in Brazil did not receive the vaccine

The volunteer who died in the COVID-19 vaccine trial in Brazil did not receive the vaccine. Therefore, the death is unrelated to the vaccine. An independent committee that oversees the trial’s safety concluded that there were no safety concerns regarding the trial. As a result, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency allowed the trial to continue.

The group World Doctors Alliance spreads misinformation about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus, and the reliability of diagnostic tests

COVID-19 has spread to every continent and hit many countries. Accordingly, WHO declared it a pandemic in March 2020. COVID-19 is not a type of flu, as it is caused by a coronavirus that belongs to a completely different virus family to that of the flu virus. Like many other countries, Ireland registered its first COVID-19 death in March 2020 and has recorded more than 1,800 deaths as of October 2020.

Claims that flu cases are used to inflate COVID-19 case counts are misleading, based on inaccurate numbers

Health authorities have observed lower than usual flu activity in October 2020, which is generally the month in which flu season begins. The widespread adoption of public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, such as wearing masks and physical distancing, likely contributed, in part, to the lower flu activity observed so far this year compared to previous years. However, scientists emphasize that preparing for the flu season is still important, due to the uncertainty posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the flu season has only just begun at the time of this review’s publication, hence it is premature to conclude that flu cases have indeed decreased compared to last year.

COVID-19 is more deadly and more contagious than seasonal flu and may also cause long-lasting damage to survivors

The infection fatality ratio (IFR) indicates the proportion of people who die from a disease among all people infected, including both confirmed cases as well as undetected infections. The claim that COVID-19 is no more dangerous than the flu is based on a misinterpretation of the WHO’s estimate that a maximum of 10% of the global population has been infected by the virus that causes COVID-19. Calculating IFR with the upper bound of the WHO’s estimate and recent infection data underestimates the global COVID-19 IFR, which according to current estimates, is at least ten times higher than that of the flu. In addition to lethality, its global distribution, lack of vaccines or effective treatments, and potential long-term damage to survivors make COVID-19 a more significant danger compared to the flu.

Mask use does not increase risk of COVID-19 as viral social media posts claim

One key observation in the study was that cases were more than twice as likely as controls to have been to a restaurant in the 14 days before symptoms appeared. This was in spite of the fact that most cases reported wearing a mask. COVID-19 mainly spreads by respiratory droplets that are generated through coughing, sneezing, as well as talking. Face masks help to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by minimizing the generation of respiratory droplets from an infected person.