Search Results for covid-19

“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.

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.

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.

Scientific evidence supports the use of face masks for reducing the transmission of respiratory diseases including COVID-19

Face masks are safe to use and are not associated with oxygen deficiency. Although more research is needed to better establish the efficacy of face masks in reducing disease transmission and the mechanisms behind their efficacy, a growing evidence base indicates that face masks have a beneficial effect in reducing the spread of respiratory diseases like COVID-19. However, masks do not provide 100% protection and must also be combined with other transmission control measures such as physical distancing and good hand hygiene.

Primary COVID-19 transmission is by close contact with infected people; nasopharyngeal swab-based testing provides the highest diagnostic accuracy

Respiratory droplets are considered the main mode of COVID-19 transmission, which can be prevented by protective measures, including physical distancing, good ventilation, and the use of face masks. In parallel, diagnostic testing to identify and isolate infected individuals and their close contacts is a key strategy to slow the spreading of the disease. While alternative methods are under study, nasopharyngeal swab-based RT-PCR testing remains the most accurate and the gold standard method for COVID-19 diagnosis.