Search Results for coronavirus

“Plandemic: Indoctornation” video rehashes debunked claims and conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines

Plandemic is a pseudo-documentary produced by American filmmaker Mikki Willis, whose first instalment was published in May 2020. Featuring an interview with anti-vaccination activist and former scientist Judy Mikovits, the video peddled numerous false claims and conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines (see Health Feedback’s review of that video). It achieved immense virality … Continued

Potential role for T cells in COVID-19 immunity accurately reported in National Geographic article

“The article accurately discusses the recent findings about the presence/relevance of T cell response against COVID-19. Indeed, both arms of adaptive immunity, humoral and cellular, contribute in different ways to the body’s fight against viral infections. What remains to be seen and explored in greater detail is how important the role of antigen-specific T cells is in protecting people from a re-infection or ameliorating the disease symptoms.”

Flawed “study” incorrectly claims that countries adopting hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 experienced reduced mortality rates

Some governments have favored the use of hydroxychloroquine for treating or preventing COVID-19. However, this does not necessarily imply that the people within those countries used the drug more often than did people in countries that restricted hydroxychloroquine use. Therefore, correlating countries’ mortality rates with their stance towards hydroxychloroquine use results in a spurious association that is based on flawed reasoning. In contrast, growing evidence from large randomized clinical trials suggests no beneficial effect of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19 patients.

Sweden’s COVID-19 mortality is higher than in most European countries; no evidence whether or how the absence of lockdown impacted this outcome

An analysis of COVID-19 mortality rates shows that Sweden is one of the worst-performing countries in Europe, although Italy, Spain, and the U.K. have experienced higher rates. Countries like Sweden that did not implement lockdowns show a range of mortality rates, making it difficult to determine whether Sweden’s policies had any impact, either positive or negative in the COVID-19 epidemic outcome.

Vaccines undergo strict safety testing before they are licensed for use in the U.S. and many other countries; no validity to the claim of a 33% “death rate” from COVID-19 vaccine

More than a hundred COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in the midst of testing worldwide. The claim that a COVID-19 vaccine has a 33% “death rate” is false; there is no evidence to support it. The claim is most likely based on a separate false claim that five out of 15 volunteers—among whom were four Ukrainian soldiers—died in a vaccine trial in Ukraine, which was refuted by the Ukrainian military. Despite efforts to accelerate the usual timelines used in vaccine development, COVID-19 vaccines are not being approved by public health authorities until they undergo rigorous testing for safety and effectiveness. A vaccine with a demonstrated 33% “death rate” has not been and would never be approved for use in the U.S. or most other countries.

Contrary to claim in viral Facebook post, the flu vaccine does work and certain types of cancers can be cured

The flu vaccine helps to reduce the incidence and severity of influenza, although its effectiveness varies between seasons depending on the selection of the flu vaccine virus strains. Cancer is a complex family of diseases for which multiple forms of treatment are available, although the success of such treatments can vary significantly, depending on factors like the type and stage of the cancer. There are a proportion of cancer patients who have achieved complete remission after treatment and remain cancer-free for the rest of their lives, who are thereby considered to be cured. And while there is much we do not know about COVID-19, our prior knowledge of how vaccines work is sufficient to allow us to develop a potential vaccine against the disease.

Hydroxychloroquine, alone or in combination with azithromycin, found ineffective for treating COVID-19 in large clinical trials

Large-scale clinical trials demonstrate no beneficial effect of hydroxychloroquine in terms of viral shedding, disease severity, or mortality among COVID-19 patients. However, numerous ongoing clinical trials are still evaluating the potential use of hydroxychloroquine to prevent infection in people with a high risk of exposure to COVID-19. Public health institutions caution against unsupervised use of the drug, as it may increase the risk of cardiac toxicity in people with underlying medical conditions.

Wearing masks aims at slowing SARS-CoV-2 circulation, not protecting against a certain death

In order to limit and eventually stop an ongoing epidemic, it is necessary to reduce virus transmission. Wearing face masks has been shown to be effective at slowing the circulation of respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. Some individuals who do not wear masks may still remain healthy because exposure to SARS-CoV-2 does not automatically lead to infection or death. In addition, the use of masks by others within the community can also limit virus transmission, thereby protecting those who do not wear masks, similar to the herd immunity effect

Health authorities encourage the general public to wear face masks to reduce COVID-19 transmission

Health authorities like the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommend that the public use face masks in shared spaces, like public transportation and grocery stores. This change in guidance occurred after several studies found that infected individuals can transmit COVID-19 even when not showing symptoms. Contrary to many viral claims, face masks do not cause oxygen deficiency or a toxic buildup of carbon dioxide. It is important to remember that cloth face masks, surgical masks, and even N95 respirators do not provide 100% protection from the novel coronavirus and therefore must be combined with other transmission control measures such as physical distancing and good hand hygiene.

Still no evidence that hydroxychloroquine can cure or prevent COVID-19

Current scientific evidence does not support the use of hydroxychloroquine to prevent or cure COVID-19. In contrast to some small early studies showing an increased recovery rate among patients treated with hydroxychloroquine, more recent large and well-designed clinical trials showed no such improvement when the drug was used alone or in combination with zinc or azithromycin. In the absence of a proven cure for COVID-19, physical distancing, good hand hygiene, and the use of masks are effective measures for reducing the transmission of the disease.