Search Results for coronavirus

Brussels halted 5G rollout in 2019 to study its radiation emissions, not because any negative health effects had been demonstrated

5G technology uses non-ionizing radiation similar to current wireless technologies like 4G or Wi-Fi. In 2019, Brussels halted the deployment of 5G antennas in the city in order to have time to study whether the technology conforms to its radiation emissions standards. Scientific research investigating the potential risks of such radiation to human health has not provided convincing evidence of negative health effects. Though more research is needed, current data indicate that the use of 5G is safe when radiation levels are kept within established limits

German Ministry employee makes unsupported claim that COVID-19 pandemic is a global false alarm in widely circulated yet unsolicited opinion article

Approximately 400,000 people have died worldwide in the past six months from COVID-19. Current evidence indicates that the impact would have been more devastating without the implementation of control measures. Epidemiological data suggest that early intervention has successfully slowed the spread of COVID-19, allowing governments to manage the outbreak and minimize secondary mortality due to other causes.

Facebook posts spread unsupported anonymous claim that face mask use caused a lung infection in a healthy teenager

A highly viral anonymous message circulating on Facebook makes numerous claims about face mask safety that have previously been shown to be unsupported by scientific evidence. Face mask filters are large enough to allow gas molecules such as carbon dioxide and oxygen to pass through freely, hence wearing a face mask is extremely unlikely to lead to hypercapnia. There is no scientific basis for the claim that breathing in one’s exhaled bacteria leads to infection.

Facebook posts misinterpret a study of 455 contacts of an asymptomatic COVID-19 carrier to claim that asymptomatic spread does not occur

Many Facebook posts have misinterpreted a study which examined the incidence of COVID-19 infections among 455 people who had been exposed to an asymptomatic carrier, claiming that it showed masks are not needed or that asymptomatic transmission does not occur. However, it is clear from reading the full study that all 455 contacts wore at least a face mask, except while eating or drinking, during exposure. In fact, the study’s authors concluded that “Effective prevention and control measures are helpful to prevent COVID-19 spread of asymptomatic carriers.” Scientific evidence also suggests that asymptomatic spread can and does occur.

The main cause of death in COVID-19 patients is respiratory insufficiency arising from viral pneumonia, not clotting disorder as claimed in viral social media posts

The article contains numerous inaccuracies about COVID-19. Firstly, while coagulopathy (blood clotting disorder) does occur in some COVID-19 patients, the evidence to date indicates that viral pneumonia is the main cause of death in COVID-19 patients, not clotting disorders as claimed. Secondly, antibiotics, antivirals, anti-inflammatories and anticoagulants are already being used in current COVID-19 treatment protocols, contrary to the article’s suggestion that they are not. Finally, ventilators and intensive care units are crucial for treating COVID-19 patients, in spite of the article’s claim that these are “not needed”.

Mortality in the U.S. noticeably increased during the first months of 2020 compared to previous years

A comparison of the number of deaths from all causes in the U.S. during the first 17 weeks of 2020 reveals a higher mortality than for the same period in any of the previous five years. While the death count was comparable to previous years in the first two months of 2020, it increased rapidly in March and April. Comparisons of mortality are highly sensitive to how the data are gathered and presented, therefore any claims based on the data must always be presented in the appropriate context. Since its outbreak in the U.S., COVID-19 has claimed more lives than diabetes, suicide, or stroke.