REVIEW Hundreds of posts like this one were published on Facebook on and around 23 Aug. 2020 claiming that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has “[convinced] the world that you can be sick without having symptoms.” These
Publication: covid-19
Health Feedback→ Altered image falsely suggests that restaurant staff in Maine are required to wear dog cone-style face visors to protect against COVID-19
REVIEW A false claim that restaurant staff in Maine are required to wear dog cone-like face shields to protect against COVID-19 in compliance with orders from Governor Janet Mills is circulating on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. T
Snopes→ Officials Change Virus Testing Advice, Bewildering Experts
U.S. health officials have sparked a wave of confusion after posting guidelines that coronavirus testing is not necessary for people who have been in close contact with infected people.
Snopes→ Officials Change Virus Testing Advice, Bewildering Experts
U.S. health officials have sparked a wave of confusion after posting guidelines that coronavirus testing is not necessary for people who have been in close contact with infected people.
Snopes→ What Coronavirus Reinfection Actually Means, And Why You Shouldn’t Panic
Virologists understand that reinfection with coronaviruses is common, and immunologists are working hard to determine how long the hallmarks of protective immunity will last in recovered patients.
Snopes→ KFC Suspends ‘It’s Finger Lickin’ Good’ Slogan Amid Pandemic
After 64 years, the slogan has been suspended as it was deemed “the most inappropriate slogan for 2020.”
Health Feedback→ Listicle of “facts” about COVID-19 contains numerous inaccurate and misleading claims
REVIEW An article on a website named Swiss Policy Research, formerly Swiss Propaganda Research, claims to give readers the “Facts about [COVID-19], provided by experts in the field.” Published in March 2020 and updated as recently as August 2020
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘You do NOT DIVIDE the deaths into the total population. EVER! NEVER!’
A popular Facebook post in August 2020 was not alone in taking issue with one estimate concerning the COVID-19 virus’ mortality rate, but might also mislead readers looking for an easy answer. The post, first published on August 20, 2020 and sha
Health Feedback→ Current COVID-19 mortality rate does not predict the future probability of dying from the disease
REVIEW A claim regarding the risk of dying from COVID-19 began circulating in mid-August 2020 on social media and the posts repeating it have received more than 12,000 interactions on Facebook. The posts state that the U.S. Centers for Disease Contr
Snopes→ Is This a Picture of Biden and Harris in a Crowd Without Face Masks?
Believe it or not, there was a time in the United States when face masks were not required to slow the spread of a deadly disease.
Truth or Fiction?→ Was There a Potential COVID-19 Outbreak at a Las Vegas Strip Club?
A typically-false post from the “satirical” blog World News Daily Report (WNDR) got a bigger boost than usual online after being shared by an entrepreneur. The post delivered a characteristically lurid “story” about a COVID-19
Snopes→ US Jobless Claims Jump Back Above 1 Million in Face of Virus
The number of laid-off workers seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose to 1.1 million last week after two weeks of declines.
Snopes→ Sketchy Darknet Websites Are Taking Advantage of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Underground markets that sell illegal commodities like drugs, counterfeit currency and fake documentation tend to flourish in times of crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception.
Snopes→ Cloth Masks Do Protect the Wearer
When you wear a mask – even a cloth mask – you typically are exposed to a lower dose of the coronavirus than if you didn’t.
Snopes→ The COVID-19 Virus Can Spread Through the Air
A growing body of research shows that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can spread from person to person through the air.
Snopes→ Pharmacists Can Give Childhood Shots, US Officials Say
The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services took the step using emergency powers he has during the coronavirus epidemic.
Snopes→ Pharmacists Can Give Childhood Shots, US Officials Say
The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services took the step using emergency powers he has during the coronavirus epidemic.
Snopes→ Coin Shortage Hits Retailers, Laundromats, Tooth Fairy
Quarters, dimes and nickels aren’t circulating as freely as they usually do because many businesses have been closed during the pandemic and consumers aren’t out spending as much.
Truth or Fiction?→ Is ‘Maskne’ a Sign of a Lung Infection?
As far-right disinformation purveyors continued flailing for relevancy in August 2020, one graphic regurgitated the conspiracy theory that blemishes caused by accumulations of facial moisture under face masks (worn in order to protect others from pote
Snopes→ Oleandrin Is a Deadly Plant Poison, Not a COVID-19 Cure
With COVID-19 cases and deaths rising in the U.S. and globally, identifying new therapies to prevent and combat the virus is a top priority.
Snopes→ Kids Are Bigger Coronavirus Spreaders Than Many Doctors Realized
The first U.S. schools have reopened with in-person classes, and they are already setting off alarm bells about how quickly the coronavirus can spread.
Poynter→ Africa Check sees huge growth in its WhatsApp podcast debunking widely circulated misinformation
“What’s Crap on WhatsApp,” a voice note podcast produced by fact-checking organization Africa Check and podcast company Volume, has gained a dedicated following during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the first six months of 2020, subscriptions to the
Snopes→ Could Kids with COVID-19 Symptoms Be Quarantined Without Parental Consent?
An erroneous Facebook post swept across various countries in August 2020.
Health Feedback→ Flawed “study” incorrectly claims that countries adopting hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 experienced reduced mortality rates
REVIEW On 5 August 2020, an “analysis” comparing COVID-19 mortality rates in countries with different practices regarding the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat the disease started circulating in social media posts on Facebook and Twitter. In th
Snopes→ Does the Common Cold Protect You from COVID?
An article in Science recently generated a lot of interest by providing a possible explanation of why COVID-19 can be deadly to some yet go virtually unnoticed in others.
Snopes→ Did Putin’s Daughter Die After Taking COVID-19 Vaccine?
When tarot card readings are cited as credible evidence, all bets are off.
Snopes→ South Korea Pastor Tests Positive Amid Virus Spike at Church
More than 300 virus cases have been linked to the Rev. Jun Kwang-hun's huge church in northern Seoul.
Health Feedback→ Sweden’s COVID-19 mortality is higher than in most European countries; no evidence whether or how the absence of lockdown impacted this outcome
REVIEW An article published in Newsweek on 3 August 2020 reported on the evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic in Sweden. Based on information gathered from multiple databases, including John Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center and the World
Snopes→ Are ‘Neck Gaiters’ Worse at COVID-19 Transmission Than Foregoing Masks Altogether?
Rumors claimed that using neck gaiters instead of a mask may actually increase the transmission of the coronavirus.
Hoax-Slayer→ ‘Argentina is Doing It’ Hoax Message Still Circulating
According to a message that began circulating via WhatsApp in July 2020, you should not open a video called "Argentina is doing it". Supposedly, opening the video will hack your phone. The post ‘Argentina is Doing It’ Hoax Message Still
Health Feedback→ 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
REVIEW Facebook posts (example) asking the question “Would you take a vaccine with a 33% death rate to feel safe from a virus with a 0.06% death rate?” began circulating in late July 2020, and have received more than 10,000 interactions on Faceb
Snopes→ Did Biden Make This Statement About Democracy During a Pandemic?
"We can both have a democracy and elections and at the same time protect the public health," the Democratic presidential contender declared.
Snopes→ US Jobless Claims Fall Below 1 Million
The number of weekly applications declined to 963,000, the second straight drop, from 1.2 million the previous week.
Snopes→ AMC Reopens Theaters Next Week with 15-Cent Tickets
The chain touted the reopening as "Movies in 2020 at 1920 Prices."
Poynter→ Platforms scramble to contend with QAnon. Are they too late?
Factually is a newsletter about fact-checking and accountability journalism, from Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network & the American Press Institute’s Accountability Project. Sign up here The Q factor For people who thought QAnon exis
Truth or Fiction?→ Will Boston University Begin Awarding Posthumous Degrees in 2020?
A story published by the student newspaper at Boston University attracted attention online on August 12 2020, after revealing the school’s move to formalize the process behind awarding posthumous degrees. The Daily Free Press first broke the sto
Snopes→ Was ‘Born Basic Anti-Bac’ Hand Sanitizer Recalled in the US?
The FDA has a long — and growing — list of recalled brands of hand sanitizers.
Poynter→ Are you writing about ‘the Russian COVID-19 vaccine?’ Avoid clickbait headlines and publish explainers
Humankind is obviously looking forward to a COVID-19 vaccine. However, the announcement made by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday got journalists and fact-checkers questioning the best way to cover it without amplifying what could be false ho
Snopes→ Could People Be Jailed, Fined for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine in US?
Even without a COVID-19 vaccine yet available, readers asked whether individuals who refused one could face criminal penalties.
Snopes→ Big Ten Pulls Plug on Fall Football Amid COVID-19 Concerns
The Big Ten won't play football this fall because of concerns about COVID-19, becoming the first of college sports' power conferences to yield to the pandemic.