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Articles tagged with: COVID-19
ARTICLE REVIEWS
Telegraph article describing the hypothesis that face masks can variolate a population receives mixed reviews on its scientific accuracy
in The Telegraph, by Georgina Hayes
— 24 Sep 2020
"The Telegraph headline is obviously misleading but the subheading is accurate. Masks don’t give immunity; rather, the argument is that infections are milder or asymptomatic and ..
Potential role for T cells in COVID-19 immunity accurately reported in National Geographic article
in National Geographic, by Carrie Arnold
— 19 Aug 2020
"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..
People who do not show symptoms can contribute to significant COVID-19 transmission, contrary to CNBC report
in CNBC, by William Feuer, Noah Higgins-Dunn
— 10 Jun 2020
there is already “abundant data” showing that people who are not showing symptoms—which could include asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and paucisymptomatic individuals—compris...
COVID-19 vaccine candidate by Pittsburgh scientists show promising results in animal studies, but clinical trials still needed before efficacy in humans is known
in Pittsburgh Magazine, by Garret Roberts
— 11 Apr 2020
Scientists who reviewed this article’s scientific credibility found that the reporting was generally accurate. However, they also highlighted a missed opportunity to provide read...
Viral New York Post article perpetuates the unfounded claim that the virus that causes COVID-19 is manmade
in New York Post, by Steven W. Mosher
— 02 Mar 2020
Overall, Mosher’s argument is based on unfounded speculation and scientific inaccuracies. Such claims, which continue to be perpetuated even by public officials, have real-world ...
CLAIM REVIEWS
COVID-19 has caused many deaths due to high virus transmission, despite its relatively small infection fatality ratio
CLAIM
COVID-19 mortality rates are very low, therefore COVID-19 is not an important public health concern; if you are 70+ years old, you have a 0.054% chance of dying from COVID-19
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook, Fox News
Published: 29 Sep 2020
VERDICT
Using face masks does not increase the risk of skin or oral infections
CLAIM
Masks are dirty and cause bacterial overgrowth, skin infections, and “mask mouth, [which is] a new medical condition caused by wearing masks all day”
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 28 Sep 2020
VERDICT
COVID-19 vaccines do not modify the human genome and do not involve hydrogels; Hydrogels are not internet-connecting devices
CLAIM
Hydrogels are part of the genome-modifying COVID-19 mRNA vaccines' delivery system. Hydrogels will connect you to the internet.
SOURCE: Facebook User, Facebook
Published: 25 Sep 2020
VERDICT
The virus causing COVID-19 most likely evolved in natural wildlife populations before spreading to humans
CLAIM
“[G]enetic evidence within the Spike gene of SARS-Cov-2 genome […] does exist and suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 genome should be a product of genetic manipulation”; “The characteristics and pathogenic effects of SARS-CoV-2 are unprecedented”
SOURCE: Li-Meng Yan, Fox News
Published: 22 Sep 2020
VERDICT
Tuberculosis, the flu, and COVID-19 differ in disease prevalence and burden, requiring different public health responses
CLAIM
“Why don’t we wear masks for [tuberculosis]? Because CNN hasn’t instructed you to.”
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 21 Sep 2020
VERDICT
No vaccine contains strains of both the flu and the virus that causes COVID-19; COVID-19 is not the flu
CLAIM
The U.S. CDC encourages the use of a “[COVID-19] flu shot” on children.
SOURCE: Facebook user, Facebook
Published: 20 Sep 2020
VERDICT
The number of COVID-19 cases reported is based on a highly specific diagnostic test for COVID-19; no confusion with flu or common cold is possible
CLAIM
“It's NOT a SECOND WAVE of COVID-19 coming soon. It's the NORMAL COLD / FLU SEASON”
SOURCE: Facebook Users, Facebook
Published: 18 Sep 2020
VERDICT
Cloth masks are effective at reducing virus transmission because it spreads in respiratory droplets, which are larger than smoke particles and the pores in fabric
CLAIM
Cloth masks cannot block smoke particles which are larger than viruses, so masks cannot stop virus transmission
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 15 Sep 2020
VERDICT
Misinterpreted New York Times report leads to false claim that the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is inflated by up to 90%
CLAIM
COVID-19 case numbers are inflated due to PCR test sensitivity; “90% of positive COVID-19 tests should be negative”
SOURCE: Liz Wheeler, Steve Deace, One America News Network, The Blaze
Published: 10 Sep 2020
VERDICT
COVID-19 test kits were not purchased in 2017 and 2018; claim is based on mislabeled data
CLAIM
“World Bank website shows COVID-19 testing kits purchased by countries in 2017 and in 2018”
SOURCE: Anonymous, Ben Swann, 4chan, Facebook
Published: 08 Sep 2020
VERDICT
INSIGHTS
“Plandemic: Indoctornation” video rehashes debunked claims and conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines
— 20 Aug 2020
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 activi...
Computing Forever interview with Dolores Cahill contains numerous inaccuracies about COVID-19 and vaccines
— 22 May 2020
This video, first published on 11 May 2020, features an interview between Dave Cullen, also known as Computing Forever on YouTube, and Dolores Cahill, a professor at University Col...
“Plandemic” vignette featuring anti-vaccination activist Judy Mikovits contains numerous false and unsupported claims about COVID-19
— 08 May 2020
This video is the first in a series of vignettes preceding a movie titled “Plandemic”. First published on 5 May 2020, it quickly went viral on Facebook, with more than 2.2 mill...
Did the COVID-19 virus originate from a lab or nature? Examining the evidence for different hypotheses of the novel coronavirus’ origins
— 24 Apr 2020
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in December 2019, many hypotheses have been advanced to explain where the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) actually came from. Initial re...