The hand signal, also known as the "violence at home signal for help," gained new attention in March 2021.
Publication: covid-19
Snopes→ Did COVID-19 Originate in Market 400 Meters From CCP Lab Studying Coronaviruses?
Repeating something countless times over the course of a year does not actually make it a fact.
Snopes→ Canada Pauses AstraZeneca Vaccine for Under 55
Updated recommendations come amid new data from Europe that suggests the risk of blood clots is now potentially as high as one in 100,000.
Snopes→ WHO Report: COVID Likely 1st Jumped Into Humans from Animals
A joint World Health Organization-China study on the origins of COVID-19 says that transmission of the virus from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario and that a lab leak is “extremely unlikely.”
Snopes→ WHO Report Says Animals Likely Source of COVID
The long-expected report from the WHO is being closely watched since discovering the origins of the virus could help scientists prevent future pandemics.
Snopes→ Spurred by Lockdown, Spain Gives 4-Day Week a Try
Experimenting with cutting back one workday per week is about to go nationwide in Spain — the first country in Europe to do so.
Health Feedback→ Clinical trials showed that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is safe; its side effects are mostly mild
REVIEW On 10 February 2021, a video was posted on the podcast channel The Joe Rogan Experience on the platform Spotify, in which commentator Joe Rogan (interviewing fellow commentator Michael Malice) made a series of statements about the side effects
Snopes→ Geert Vanden Bossche Stokes Fear of COVID-19 Vaccine To Promote His Own Flawed ‘Solution’
Anti-vaccine activists are promoting a veterinarian's claim that the only way to prevent a future COVID-19 vaccination-related calamity is through a product he claims to have invented.
Snopes→ Is This Joker Right That ‘COVID’s Over, Baby’?
A man dressed as the Joker declared that "F-ing COVID is over.” To celebrate, he made it rain.
Snopes→ Did Meghan McCain Once Say She Had ‘No Problem’ With ‘Chinese Virus’ Label for COVID-19?
In March 2021, "The View" co-host apologized for "any past comments" that aided former President Donald Trump's "racist rhetoric." But what exactly did she say?
Snopes→ Is FEMA Covering Funeral Expenses for People Who Died From COVID-19?
The emergency management agency reportedly might cover up to $7,000 per family.
Health Feedback→ COVID-19 vaccines are critical for controlling the pandemic; vaccines still offer partial protection against new variants of the virus
REVIEW On 6 March 2021, the independent consultant Geert Vanden Bossche published an open letter to the World Health Organization on Twitter. In it, Vanden Bossche claimed that COVID-19 vaccines “should not be used amid an epidemic” and
Health Feedback→ Jamaica already recorded tens of thousands of COVID-19 cases as of March 2021, contrary to viral meme suggesting that smoking cannabis prevents infections
REVIEW In late March 2021, the claim that Jamaica hadn’t experienced cases of COVID-19 circulated on Facebook. The COVID-19 situation in the Caribbean island was rarely featured in large international news outlets, which may have led people to bel
Snopes→ Do Homeless People Have Access to COVID-19 Stimulus Payments?
Most Americans will receive $1,400, one-time payments as part of the March 2021 federal relief bill.
Health Feedback→ Messenger RNA is essential for life and a normal component of cells; study by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering is unrelated to RNA vaccines
REVIEW An article published by Natural News on 2 March 2021 claimed that COVID-19 RNA vaccines will cause cancer, as mRNA “can instruct human cells ultimately in the same way as cancer drivers”. The article cited a study published by researchers
Snopes→ New Study Confirms Link Between COVID and Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Vertigo
A rapid systematic review of COVID-19 and hearing difficulties revealed a possible link between COVID-19 and audio-vestibular symptoms (hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo).
Health Feedback→ Ivermectin isn’t a highly effective drug for treating COVID-19
REVIEW A YouTube video published on 6 March 2021 featured physician Tess Lawrie, who claimed that ivermectin reduces the risk of death from COVID-19. This claim was based on a meta-analysis and review that Lawrie conducted using 27 scientific studie
Snopes→ CDC Changes School Guidance, Allowing Desks to Be Closer
Some schools have had to remove desks, stagger scheduling and take other steps to keep children apart due to the previous guidance.
Snopes→ Has US Seen Surge in Hate Crimes Against Asian People During COVID?
A study released by the California State University, San Bernardino revealed striking numbers.
Health Feedback→ No aborted fetal tissue or cells in the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine
REVIEW On 27 February 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a third COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. The vaccine was developed by Janssen, a pharmaceutical company from the Johnson & Johnson group, and has two advantages over the
Snopes→ Did Georgia Capt. Jay Baker Promote ‘Imported Virus From Chy-na’ Shirts?
We also transcribed more of Baker's purported "had a bad day" remarks in reference to the motive behind the March 2021 Georgia spa killings.
Snopes→ Did ‘Big Smoke Burger’ Give a 50% Discount for Customers With COVID-19 Vaccination?
A widely-shared photograph suggested one of the Canadian company's restaurants was offering a discount to vaccinated diners in March 2021.
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the Cop Who Blamed a ‘Very Bad Day’ for Fatal Georgia Shootings Promote Racist Shirts?
The Georgia law enforcement spokesperson who drew criticism for apparently downplaying the motive behind a rash of fatal shooting attacks on March 17 2021 came under even more scrutiny online, after reports that he promoted shirts pushing a racist R
Snopes→ Did Trump Refer to ‘China Virus’ on Fox the Night Asian Women Were Killed in Atlanta?
The former president had called into Fox on March 16 to talk about issues unrelated to the Atlanta-area mass shooting.
Snopes→ Expanded Testing Part of Biden Administration School Plans
Pushing forward with its plan to reopen schools, the Biden administration is also convening a summit for educators to share “best practices” for returning kids to the classroom.
Health Feedback→ COVID-19 RNA vaccines are safe, cannot modify human DNA; death rate in vaccinated people aren’t higher than in unvaccinated people
REVIEW In an interview with Daystar Television Network, Sherri Tenpenny, a physician, made several claims about the COVID-19 vaccines currently in use in the U.S. Specifically, she claimed that the COVID-19 RNA vaccines could modify human DNA and that
Poynter→ European fact-checkers try to explain the confusing move to stop using the AstraZeneca vaccine
European fact-checkers are trying to thread the needle between debunking falsehoods about the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and explaining why several European countries have paused its distribution. Most say they’re putting a greater emphasis on expl
Snopes→ Schools Weigh Whether to Seat Students Closer Together
New evidence that it may be safe for schools to seat students 3 feet apart — half of the previous recommended distance — could offer a way to return more of the nation's children to classrooms with limited space.
Snopes→ Did Gavin Newsom Dine in Napa with Lobbyists During COVID?
A picture from a dinner at the posh French Laundry restaurant showed the California governor mask-less while standing away from the table.
Snopes→ Democrats Bank on Relief Aid to Win Back Wary Working Class
COVID-19 relief benefits are heavily weighted toward lower- and middle-income Americans.
Snopes→ Virus Tolls Similar Despite Governors’ Contrasting Actions
Though research has found that mask mandates and limits on group activities such as indoor dining can help slow the spread of the coronavirus, states with greater government-imposed restrictions have not always fared better than those without them.
Snopes→ Nurses Fight Conspiracy Theories Along with Coronavirus
Much of the job of correcting misinformation about COVID-19 has fallen to the world’s front-line medical workers.
Snopes→ Warp-Speed Spending and Other Surreal Stats of COVID Times
How high can you count? At one turn after another, that may be the rhetorical question of these COVID-19 times.
Health Feedback→ Mask mandates are associated with reductions in the spread of COVID-19 cases and deaths; contrary to One America News article
REVIEW This article published by the One America News Network (OAN) on 7 March 2021 claims that a recent study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that masks had a “negligible impact on coronavirus numbers”. The
Health Feedback→ Vaccines are safe and aren’t associated with autoimmune disease, contrary to claim in viral video by chiropractor Steven Baker
REVIEW A Facebook video published by chiropractor Steven Baker on 5 March 2021, claimed that vaccines are responsible for autoimmune diseases. The video received more than 10,000 interactions and more than 80,000 views on Facebook, according to soci
Snopes→ Can Getting COVID-19 Vaccine Disqualify You From Life Insurance Benefits?
As COVID-19 vaccines distribution ramped up in early 2021, so did misinformation.
Snopes→ Does J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Contain Aborted Fetal Cells?
The claim was a mischaracterization of how scientists use cell "factories" to create the immunization's ingredients.
Snopes→ Poll: 1 in 5 in US Lost Someone Close in Pandemic
In a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, people still in mourning express frustration at the continued struggle to stay safe.
Snopes→ One Year at the Center of the Infodemic
The end of the COVID-19 pandemic is coming into into view, but the misinformation infodemic is here to stay. Here's what Snopes has learned.
Snopes→ Congress OKs $1.9T Virus Relief Bill in Win for Biden, Dems
“Help is here,” Biden tweeted moments after the roll call, which ended with applause from Democratic lawmakers.