The possibility was one of a suite of new features designed to facilitate holding live events in the world of COVID-19.
Publication: covid-19
Health Feedback→ Although fetal cell lines are used to grow viruses for some COVID-19 vaccines, the cells are not part of the vaccines
REVIEW A Facebook video published on 15 November 2020 claims that “aborted fetal tissue” is present in the COVID-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, and that the vaccine can change a person’s DNA. Shared by the anti-vacci
Snopes→ Michigan Governor Says She Has Authority for Stay-Home Order
The Democratic governor spoke with Capitol reporters a day after announcing limits amid a surge of COVID-19 cases that has led to increased hospitalizations and deaths.
Poynter→ The CoronaVirusFacts Alliance will get specialized support from the Paris Peace Forum
This is an addition to a story that ran earlier, updated after the project won an international award. You can read the original version here. The CoronaVirusFacts Alliance was one of 10 projects selected to be supported for one year by the Scale-Up Co
Health Feedback→ The U.S. sees record numbers of daily new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in November 2020
REVIEW Scientists and news outlets sounded the alarm on the rising number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the U.S in the beginning of November 2020 (see here, here, and here). A 12 November 2020 tweet by NBC News journalist Ali Ve
Poynter→ The CoronaVirusFacts Alliance gets a global showcase at the Paris Peace Forum
The CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, a collection of 99 fact-checking organizations from over 70 countries that produced over 9,000 COVID-19 fact-checks in 43 different languages, received global recognition from the virtually assembled audience at the thi
Snopes→ Virus Surge Breaking Infection Records Across the US
Cases per day are on the rise in 49 states, and deaths per day are climbing in 39.
Health Feedback→ Claim that high PCR test sensitivity inflates COVID-19 cases wrongly conflates the issue of contagiousness with the presence of infection
REVIEW An article published by Just the News on 8 November 2020 claims that “many patients may have been receiving false-positive test results” and that “the numbers of COVID-19 cases reported by public health authorities and major COVID track
Health Feedback→ Wearing face masks helps reduce the spread of COVID-19, but it only confers partial protection and should be combined with additional public health measures
REVIEW An article published by The Federalist on 29 October 2020 claims that face masks are ineffective at reducing the spread of COVID-19. In support of its claim, the article cites several scientific studies and shows 12 graphs comparing COVID-19
Snopes→ Was Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Development Funded by Trump Administration?
Agreeing to a buy a vaccine once approved is not the same as funding its research and development.
Health Feedback→ A rise in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths starting in September 2020 contradicts the claim by Michael Yeadon that “the pandemic is fundamentally over in the U.K.”
REVIEW This video by talkRADIO, a national talk radio station in the U.K., was uploaded to YouTube on 5 November 2020 and went viral on Facebook, receiving more than 93,000 views. The video features a conversation between talk show host Julia Hartle
Snopes→ Stocks Burst Higher, S&P 500 at Record on Vaccine Hopes
Financial markets around the world were already climbing before the vaccine data's release, and Wall Street seemed set to follow on relief that the limbo created by the long, market-bruising battle for the White House was finally clearing.
Snopes→ Pfizer Says Early Data Signals COVID-19 Vaccine is Effective
An early, interim analysis suggests that the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19, although that rate may change by the time the study ends.
Health Feedback→ There is no evidence supporting the claim that preexisting T cell immunity reduces COVID-19 mortality and infection rate; such cross-reactive T cells predate the pandemic
REVIEW Claims questioning the mortality or death toll from COVID-19 have recurrently appeared since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020. A video published in October 2020 by chiropractor Eric Berg, who is not a medical doctor and has no backgrou
Health Feedback→ The number of COVID-19 deaths over the entire pandemic is higher in the U.S. than Europe, even when controlling for population size
REVIEW This article, published by Issues and Insights at the end of October 2020, claims that “coronavirus cases are now exploding in Europe at rates far higher than the U.S.,” and, “the share of positive test results is higher in Europe, as i
Health Feedback→ Claim that mouthwash could reduce the spread of COVID-19 has not yet been confirmed by clinical trials in humans in
REVIEW Articles such as this one claiming that “mouthwashes could help curb COVID-19” circulated on social media in October 2020, receiving more than 27,000 interactions on Instagram and Facebook in one week according to the social media analyti
Snopes→ Are These Calif.’s Mandatory Rules for Christmas/Thanksgiving Gatherings?
A meme circulating on Facebook caused some to believe that the state had issued holiday rules.
Health Feedback→ The percentage of excess deaths in the U.S. not directly caused by COVID-19 range from 14% to 33%; it remains unclear how lockdowns influenced excess mortality
REVIEW A claim that COVID-19 only caused two third of the excess mortality observed in the U.S. in 2020 and that lockdowns are in part responsible for the remaining third circulated in October 2020. One article containing this claim was published by
Truth or Fiction?→ As U.S. Election Looms, Agitprop Floods Social Media Platforms
In the days leading up to the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the disinformation that has been a hallmark of the Trump campaign, then administration, then campaign again reached new heights with political smears, Soviet-style weaponized conspiracy t
Snopes→ Do Vampire Bats Practice ‘Social Distancing’ When Feeling Ill?
Despite their creepy reputation, vampire bats are highly social creatures.
Snopes→ Was Canada’s Draconian COVID ‘Global Reset Plan’ Leaked to the Public?
The alleged plan laid out a series of jaw-dropping changes, including strict lockdowns and mandatory vaccines.
Health Feedback→ Fewer flu cases observed in the start of this year’s flu season than in previous years, but Donald Trump Jr.’s tweet suggesting data manipulation is unsupported and cites inaccurate figures
REVIEW The COVID-19 pandemic introduces an element of uncertainty regarding the dynamics of this year’s flu season. Although scientists expressed concerns about the simultaneous occurrence of the pandemic and the flu, they also observed a curious
Poynter→ The cynical campaign to turn human error into ballot ‘fraud’
Factually is a newsletter about fact-checking and misinformation from Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network & the American Press Institute’s Accountability Project. Sign up here. Planting the seeds of election doubt Humans make mistakes
Truth or Fiction?→ Were People Left Stranded After a Trump Rally in Omaha?
The aftermath of United States President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Omaha, Nebraska drew as much attention for potentially affecting his supporters’ health than the event itself. Social media posts following the October 27 2020 event
Snopes→ Can I Celebrate Halloween During the Pandemic?
There are ways to adapt celebrations.
Snopes→ Did Fauci Blame Mask Use for 1918 ‘Spanish Flu’ Deaths?
Masks definitely aren't responsible for mass deaths today.
Health Feedback→ Masks are effective at reducing COVID-19 primary transmission through respiratory droplets; the CDC acknowledges airborne transmission via aerosols can also occur
REVIEW A 22 September 2020 video that makes several inaccurate claims about the COVID-19 pandemic went viral on Facebook in late October, receiving more than 35,000 interactions on the platform, according to the social media analytics tool CrowdTang
Health Feedback→ Volunteer who died in a COVID-19 vaccine trial in Brazil did not receive the vaccine
REVIEW News that a volunteer in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial died was announced by the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) on 21 October 2020. A review by an independent committee that oversees the trial’s safety concluded that t
Snopes→ Will US Govt. Force COVID-19 Vaccine on Citizens?
Epidemiologists view a COVID-19 vaccine — which isn't yet available — as one of the best ways to end the pandemic.
Snopes→ Sick of COVID-19? Here’s Why You Might Have Pandemic Fatigue
With all kinds of health-related behavior changes, at least half of people relapse within six months.
Snopes→ Santa Claus Won’t Be Coming to Macy’s This Year
More than a quarter of a million people come to see Santa at Macy’s in New York each year, the company said, making it hard to create a safe environment during a pandemic.
Health Feedback→ The group Doctors for Truth spreads misinformation about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus, and the reliability of diagnostic tests
REVIEW A video showing a press conference from a group calling itself Doctors for Truth circulated on social media in mid-October 2020, receiving hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. In this conference, several individuals made claims about th
Health Feedback→ Claims that flu cases are used to inflate COVID-19 case counts are misleading, based on inaccurate numbers
REVIEW Facebook posts which show a screenshot from The Ingraham Angle, a television talk show on Fox News Channel, displaying the caption “flu cases down 95%” went viral in mid-October 2020. The screenshot purportedly shows the number of flu cas
Poynter→ The Brazilian Ministry of Science used a generic Shutterstock infographic to present COVID-19 data
At the beginning of his bestseller, “How Charts Lie,” Spanish journalist and designer Alberto Cairo says, “Many charts — tables, graphs, maps, diagrams — that we see everyday through TV, newspapers, social networks, textbooks, or advertising
Snopes→ Is COVID-19 Stimulus Legislation Delayed Because of Pelosi?
The president repeatedly blamed the U.S. House Speaker for not caring about Americans since she would not agree to his terms for COVID-19 relief aid.
Health Feedback→ COVID-19 is more deadly and more contagious than seasonal flu and can also cause long-lasting damage to survivors
REVIEW The claim that the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that COVID-19 is no more dangerous than flu started circulating in several articles around 8 October 2020 (examples here and here). Similar versions of this claim received over 20,0
Health Feedback→ COVID-19 is more deadly and more contagious than seasonal flu and can also cause long-lasting damage to survivors
REVIEW The claim that the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that COVID-19 is no more dangerous than flu started circulating in several articles around 8 October 2020 (examples here and here). Similar versions of this claim received over 20,0
Snopes→ Did Trump Criticize Biden for Saying He’ll ‘Listen to the Scientists’?
U.S. President Donald Trump contrasted his own approach to dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic to Biden's during a campaign rally in Nevada.
Snopes→ Did CDC Report ‘Majority’ of People Who Contracted COVID-19 Wore Masks?
U.S. President Donald Trump amplified misunderstanding when he claimed on live television that “85% of the people that wear masks catch [COVID-19].”
Health Feedback→ No evidence that coronavirus genetic sequences were fabricated, contrary to preprint by Li-Meng Yan and colleagues
REVIEW Uncertainty surrounding the origin of the novel coronavirus has provided fertile ground for breeding conspiracy theories, some of which Health Feedback previously found to be inaccurate and unsubstantiated (see here and here). The recent clai