Accusations that Dr. Anthony Fauci said it was "safe" to go to the movies and gym in late February 2020 ignored key facts about the coronavirus outbreak at that time.
Publication: covid-19
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the CDC Order All Deaths Be Recorded as a Result of COVID-19 — Even Heart Attacks and Accidents?
In April 2020, a conspiracy theory spread on Facebook and Twitter which maintained that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explicitly ordered that all deaths in the United States, regardless of their true cause, be attributed to t
Snopes→ Did All Vegas Hotels Except Trump’s Donate Rooms for COVID-19 First Responders?
That would be a lot of hotels.
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Choose’ or ‘Pick’ Your ‘Quarantine House’ and Other Engagement Bait During COVID-19
Chances are in early April 2020 you saw many “choose your quarantine house” or “pick your quarantine house” memes on social media, the global pandemic version of “would you live in a cabin with no wifi for a month for a m
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This a Photograph of Someone’s Kitchen After Microwaving Coronavirus Masks?
On April 7 2020 — in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic — a post began spreading on Facebook, warning people against microwaving face masks to sterilize them (alongside a photograph of the aftermath of a kitchen fire): Please don’t pass
Snopes→ Does Ivanka Trump Hold a Trademark on Coffins in China?
In 2018, the United States' first daughter was awarded a variety of trademarks.
Snopes→ A Month after New York’s 1st Virus Death, Toll Hits 10,000
New York's coronavirus death toll has now topped 10,000 only about a month after the state recorded its first fatality, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
Snopes→ Did Bill O’Reilly Write an Essay Calling COVID-19 a Chinese Bioweapon?
A viral essay attributed to the former Fox News host has murky origins.
Snopes→ Did Obama Urge US Pandemic Preparedness in 2014?
"There may and likely will come a time in which we have an airborne disease that is deadly," said the former president.
Snopes→ Trump’s Disdain for ‘Obamacare’ Could Hamper Virus Response
The Trump administration's unrelenting opposition to "Obamacare" could become an obstacle for millions of uninsured people in the coronavirus outbreak, as well as many who are losing coverage in the economic shutdown.
Truth or Fiction?→ Coronavirus ‘Memo from a Grocery Store Manager’
An April 7 2020 Facebook post — purportedly a message from an overworked grocery store manager — racked up over half a million shares in just a few days. The post, accompanied by an image of (what looked to be pre-COVID-19 pandemic) superm
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Swiss Town Project the Union Jack Onto the Matterhorn to Show COVID-19 Solidarity?
In early April 2020, images of the United Kingdom’s flag projected onto the Matterhorn began circulating — striking photographs that appeared to perhaps be of questionable veracity: The town of #Zermatt in #Switzerland projecting the Un
Snopes→ Did Michigan’s Governor Ban the Sale of American Flags?
This outrage isn't going to stir itself.
Snopes→ Did Trump Say ‘I Don’t Care How Sick You Are … Get Out and Vote’?
It's getting easier to encounter old quotes out of context.
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Using the ‘African Method’ Help Avoid Contracting COVID-19?
Stories about people beating COVID-19 through “traditional” remedies continue to spread online in spite of warnings from health officials. For example, a post from news site NewsOne features what it claims is a “viral video.”
Snopes→ Did 7 Children Die in Senegal from COVID-19 Vaccine?
This is the false rumor you get when you mix a door-to-door salesman, a health ministry T-shirt, and growing concern over the COVID-19 pandemic.
Snopes→ Should Fabric Masks Be Sanitized in a Microwave?
Experts do not recommend heating up your personal protective gear like leftovers.
Snopes→ Is Bill Gates Being Sued by India Over Vaccination Deaths?
A fresh meme resurrected and combined some stale claims that we had already investigated at length.
Snopes→ Are ‘Mass Graves’ Being Dug for COVID-19 Deaths?
New York’s Hart Island has been used as a burial site for unclaimed deceased persons for more than 150 years.
Snopes→ Kosovar Facebook Pages Use Coronavirus Fears, ‘Blue Lives Matter’ Memes To Trick American Followers
Networks from the Balkans nation are deploying divisive content and patriotic nostalgia, echoing past foreign election-interference campaigns.
Snopes→ Did CBS News Use Footage from Italy for New York COVID-19 Report?
The news outlet acknowledged the error, but that wasn't the end of the story.
Snopes→ Smithfield Temporarily Shuts Pork Plant Due to Coronavirus
A Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in South Dakota will temporarily close for cleaning after more than 80 employees were confirmed to have the coronavirus, the company announced.
Snopes→ Does This Photograph Show Women Wearing ‘Flu Masks’?
Masks were commonly worn during the 1918 "Spanish flu" pandemic, but this photograph doesn't show them.
Snopes→ How Did ‘Spanish Flu’ Get Its Name?
The influenza outbreak of 1918 tops historians' list for deadly pandemics.
Snopes→ Was National Stockpile Website Edited After Jared Kushner’s Comments?
On April 2, 2020, Jared Kushner said of the federal stockpile: "It's supposed to be our stockpile. It's not supposed to be states' stockpiles that they then use."
Snopes→ Is Clinton-Owned Medical Supply Price Gouging During COVID-19 Pandemic?
A routine review of content labeled satire.
Snopes→ Are the Himalayas Visible from Northern India for First Time in 30 Years?
Pollution levels in India did drop dramatically in April 2020, but beyond that the story gets a little more hazy.
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Bans on Plastic Shopping Bags Being Reversed Because of COVID-19?
Citing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, at least three states took steps to walk back bans on plastic shopping bags, while environmental advocacy groups accused the plastics industry of seizing on the virus for their own purposes. In late March 20
Truth or Fiction?→ Spanish Flu 1918 Family Portrait Shows Cat with Face Mask
In early April 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised COVID-19 guidance and advised Americans to wear face masks, reviving interest in a viral photograph — purportedly a family portrait from the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic th
Snopes→ Did Walmart Introduce a Staggered Shopping Schedule?
No, but Walmart and other stores have set aside dedicated shopping hours for senior citizens.
Snopes→ Three Graphs That Show a Global Slowdown in COVID-19 Deaths
Almost as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic began, graphs and many other visualisations charting the rise of the virus started to multiply.
Snopes→ Coronavirus: The Danger of Latex Gloves
Wearing gloves is a convenient way to minimize contamination, but they are only really useful when handwashing is either not possible or insufficient to prevent chemical or biological contamination.
Snopes→ Does Trump Benefit Financially By Promoting Hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 Treatment?
The U.S. president is invested in several mutual funds — some of which include very minor stakes in pharmaceutical companies.
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Joe Biden’s Campaign Hold a $2,800 ‘Virtual Fireside Chat’?
In early April 2020, rumors circulated that Joe Biden’s presidential campaign had scheduled a “virtual fireside chat,” charging $2,800 for any donors wishing to access a livestream of the event: Joe Biden asking for $2800-$25,000
Snopes→ Have Plagues Repeated Exactly Every 100 Years?
The predictive value of cherry-picked data is generally low to insignificant.
Truth or Fiction?→ Does H.R. 5717 Require That Gun Owners Be Licensed by the Government?
A graphic spreading online opposing a gun safety bill misconstrues its origin in an effort to paint it as an attempt at government overreach capitalizing on the COVID-19 pandemic. The meme, which contains a strange spacing gap resembling a copy-and-pa
Snopes→ Did the Kenyan Government Have Maasai Tribe Whip People to Enforce Curfew?
Humor doesn't always translate from one culture to the next.
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Mammoth Unemployment Claims in Their Historical Context’ GIF
In early April 2020, the animated image below spread on Facebook and Twitter, bearing the label “U.S. Weekly Initial Jobless Claims (thousands, seasonally adjusted)”; no source for the shocking graph was immediately available. Blurry text
Snopes→ Will Your Coronavirus Stimulus Check Count Against Your 2020 Tax Refund?
While the stimulus payment is technically a tax credit, its categorization as such was made only so the government could disperse payments using the IRS’ existing infrastructure.
Snopes→ COVID-19 Is a Serious Threat … But So Are Memes Claiming It’s NOT
The story of a Texas woman who reportedly shared a Facebook post claiming the coronavirus outbreak was a hoax — and later reportedly died from the virus — reminds us of the dangerous potential of misinformation.