REVIEW A video posted on Facebook on 20 July 2020 reports the contents of a press release issued the same day by life sciences company Enzymatica claiming that its oral spray deactivated 98.3% of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro within 20 minutes. However, the h
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Health Feedback→ Scientific evidence supports the use of face masks for reducing the transmission of respiratory diseases including COVID-19
REVIEW A Facebook post published in May 2020 by a user named “Caitlyn RN” (see Notes for more information) claimed that masks do not prevent the spread of pathogens, and that wearing a mask can cause oxygen deficiency and hypercapnia (high carbo
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: There Is NOT An Upcoming Shortage Of Dr. Pepper Because Of The Coronavirus
Is there about to be a shortage of the soft drink Dr Pepper because of the novel coronavirus pandemic? No, there is not. The parent company of the Dr. Pepper maker assured Lead Stories that production of the soft drink is "smooth
FactCheck.org→ What Science Says About Children, COVID-19 and School Reopenings
In promoting the reopening of schools this fall, Trump administration officials have, at times, inaccurately described the evidence on how COVID-19 affects children: Adm. Brett Giroir, the coronavirus task force lead on testing, said on July 12 that
FactCheck.org→ Cuomo Distorts CDC Finding in Blaming Trump
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the over-the-top claim that if the Trump administration “had done its job, the virus wouldn’t come” to New York. Cuomo pointed to a study that suggested government officials could have better mitigated the spread o
FactCheck.org→ Video Misrepresents the Science Behind Face Masks
Quick Take A viral video misrepresents scientific papers and the reasons for wearing face masks to claim that they are ineffective in mitigating transmission of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that masks may help preve
FactCheck.org→ Trump Wrongly Blames Protests, Mexico for COVID-19 Spread
Experts say there is no evidence that Black Lives Matter protests or Mexicans have caused the spike in coronavirus cases in pockets of the U.S., contradicting President Donald Trump’s assertions. In a press briefing on July 21, Trump acknowledged
Health Feedback→ Primary COVID-19 transmission is by close contact with infected people; nasopharyngeal swab-based testing provides the highest diagnostic accuracy
REVIEW Facebook posts published in July 2020, such as this meme, questioned the need for nasopharyngeal sample collection in which “they have to stick a Q-tip through your nose to the back of your head to swab a sample of COVID” when it would be
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘A Strip of Medical Tape on Top of Your Mask Will Keep Your Glasses from Fogging Up for Hours’
On July 17 2020, a Facebook user shared a very popular tip for people who wear glasses and face masks — advising them that introducing a strip of medical tape at the top of the mask would prevent glasses from fogging up for hours: In the photog
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Ivanka Trump Accuse Dr. Anthony Fauci of Trying to Make Her Father Look Incompetent?
In mid-July 2020 a link circulated on social media, appearing to be an article reporting that Ivanka Trump had accused Dr. Anthony Fauci of trying to make her father, United States President Donald Trump, “look incompetent”: Ivanka Says
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Preprint Study Did NOT Find Kimchi Helped Lower South Korea’s COVID-19 Fatalities, Only Looked At Europe
Did a study find a diet heavy with kimchi -- spicy fermented cabbage and other vegetables -- helped lower South Korea's COVID-19 fatalities? No, that's not true. A claim that has gone viral asserts that a study proved a connection between kimc
FactCheck.org→ Trump Twists Biden’s Position on School Choice/Charter Schools
In a series of virtual tele-rallies, President Donald Trump repeatedly distorted Joe Biden’s position on education, claiming the former vice president wants to “end school choice” and “abolish charter schools.” Biden, the
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘It’s Just a Mask, It’s Just a Vaccine’ [Covid Fanfics]
On July 14 2020, Facebook user Ryan Thames shared the following post, along with a claim that temporary behavior intended to curb the rates of a respiratory-borne virus during a pandemic, such as recommending the widespread use of face masks to cut ba
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s False, Recurring Claim About Biden’s Stance on Police
The Trump campaign has spent at least $20 million in July on advertising promoting the false and repeatedly debunked claim that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden favors defunding the police. Biden has said he doesn’t support t
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking Trump’s ‘Fox News Sunday’ Interview
President Donald Trump’s extraordinary interview with “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace, who frequently fact-checked the president in real time, contained a long list of false, misleading and unsubstantiated claims: The president claimed othe
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘OSHA Certified’ Troll’s Analysis Does NOT Burst Face Mask Wearer’s ‘Google Doctor Degree’ — Face Masks Do Help Slow COVID-19 Spread
Is an "OSHA certified" Facebook poster whose job is listed as "Trollin' the Masses" correct in claiming that N95, surgical, and cloth masks don't slow the spread of COVID-19 and they may make you sick? No, that's not true: OSHA (the federal go
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Numbers July 2020 Update
Editor’s Note: This update is the first to reflect substantial economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many statistics in our April update were collected before much of the economy was shut down to slow the spread of the virus. Summary The COVID-1
FactCheck.org→ Trump Distorts Biden’s Immigration Plans
In remarks in the White House Rose Garden on July 14, President Donald Trump falsely described many of the immigration recommendations drafted by allies of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his vanquished rival Sen. Bernie Sande
FactCheck.org→ As Deaths Rise, Trump Sticks with Old Numbers
During his July 14 press conference from the White House Rose Garden, President Donald Trump made the outdated claim that U.S. deaths from COVID-19 are down “tenfold.” Data from three different sources show that, as of July 14, the total nu
FactCheck.org→ DeVos’ Outdated Statistic on School Efforts
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos used an outdated figure in claiming only 10% of school districts had “provided any kind of real curriculum and instruction program” after the coronavirus pandemic caused schools to shut down this spring. That
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Cyntoia Brown Is NOT Still In Prison
Is Cyntoia Brown, who was sentenced to life in prison for killing a man when she was 16, not eligible for parole until she is 69? No, that's not true: Brown is no longer behind bars. She was released on August 7, 2019, after being granted clem
Truth or Fiction?→ The #FreeBritney Movement, Explained
In July 10 2020, a Facebook post appeared about the #FreeBritney movement (evidently aimed at liberating Britney Spears), becoming hugely popular within just a few days: The Text of the Post The post — which was lengthy and full of de
Truth or Fiction?→ Is a Texas Doctor Curing COVID-19 Patients For $50?
A Texas doctor’s claim that he has cured more than 75 patients for COVID-19 for no more than $50 spread widely around Facebook and YouTube before apparently being removed from both platforms. Dr. Brian Procter first drew attention through a phot
Truth or Fiction?→ Why Is the Coronavirus Test So Invasive? Would a Cheek Swab Work?
On July 7 2020, Facebook user David D Smith shared the following post, questioning why coronavirus testing was so invasive, particularly when compared to DNA test cheek swabs: Smith included a shiver-inducing image but no citations, writing:
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: China Is NOT Putting California Garlic Growers Out Of Business
Is China putting California garlic growers out of business? No, that's not true. The amount of garlic the United States imports from China has gone down for the past four years, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The cla
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Carsyn Davis Die After Attending a ‘COVID Party’?
In early July 2020, news of the death of Florida teenager Carsyn Leigh Davis began spreading on social media — alongside rumors the girl, who was purportedly medically fragile, was intentionally exposed to SARS-CoV-2 by her mother: A parent se
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: This Is NOT A Photo Of Aracely Henriquez, A Woman Robbed By George Floyd In 2007
Did George Floyd brutally beat Aracely Henriquez during a home invasion robbery, and is this a photo of her injuries? No, neither is true: This is a photo of Andrea Sicignano, an American student who was raped in December of 2018 while studyin
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s False Claim on Coronavirus Harm
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that through May 30, 14% of confirmed coronavirus cases led to hospitalizations — including 2% in intensive care units. But President Donald Trump falsely claimed “99%” of cases
Climate Feedback→ Article by Michael Shellenberger mixes accurate and inaccurate claims in support of a misleading and overly simplistic argumentation about climate change
SUMMARY The article by Michael Shellenberger was published in various media outlets, including Forbes, Zero Hedge, Breitbart, PJ Media, The Daily Wire, The Australian, and Quillette. The article has been shared more than 200,000 times on social medi
Truth or Fiction?→ Videos of Lynching Threat in Monroe County, Indiana Goes Viral on Facebook
On July 5 2020, an Indiana man shared the following three videos, an incident he described as an “attempted lynching” at Monroe Lake (archived here): Booker’s Written Account of the Altercation In the July 5 2020 post, Booker wro
Full Fact→ Coronavirus cures: debunked
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, readers have been asking us whether alleged cures or treatments for the coronavirus are real or not. It’s important to note that, currently, there is no approved vaccine for Covid-19. In the UK only
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: There Is NOT A Spike In Coronavirus Cases Just Because There’s An Increase In Testing
Did the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. spike in recent days because of increased testing? No, that's not true: It's an assertion made without supporting evidence. Data clearly show there is no simple cause-and-effect relationship between
FactCheck.org→ Popular Facebook Post Was Not Written by Tennis Star
Quick Take A viral Facebook post whose author expresses frustration with COVID-19, racial and political divisions, and other topics is falsely attributed to tennis star Serena Williams. It was actually written by another Facebook user with the same nam
Truth or Fiction?→ Does ‘Qabalista’ by Selki Girl Trigger ‘Out-of-Body Experiences’?
In late June and early July 2020, a rumor on TikTok’s #witchtok hashtag held that the album Qabalista by Selki Girl “triggered astral projection” or other strange experiences; a video with hundreds of thousands of engagements involve
FactCheck.org→ COVID-19 Cases and Deaths, By the Numbers
Noting that the United States accounts for about one-quarter of global COVID-19 cases and deaths, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the U.S. has “the worst record of any country in the world.” While the U.S. has the most confirmed cases and d
Full Fact→ The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation wasn’t kicked out of India
A viral Facebook post claims that Bill Gates’ polio vaccine permanently disabled 47,000 children in India and the Gates family was “kicked out of India for this”. The post claims this is “100% proven”. It is not.&nbs
Health Feedback→ Contrary to popular claim on social media, RNA vaccines do not alter our DNA
SUMMARY A claim that RNA vaccine technology, which is being used to develop a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, will “permanently alter your DNA” was published in an article by Waking Times in May 2020, forming the basis for many viral posts on social
Full Fact→ What do we know about Covid-19 inequalities among people from minority ethnic groups?
In the early stages of the coronavirus epidemic in the UK, and in the absence of data splitting out Covid-19 deaths by ethnicity, reports of health workers from minority ethnicities dying of Covid-19 was the first clue that some groups of people might
Full Fact→ Full Fact welcomes new report from Lords Democracy and Digital Technologies Committee
Everyone deserves access to good information. That’s why our work doesn’t stop once we’ve published a fact check—we campaign to change debate for the better, and share what we’re learning in our fight against bad informati
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Joe Biden Was NOT Caught On Camera Telling Senator Chris Coons’ 13-Year-Old Daughter He Was ‘Horny’
Did Joe Biden tell Senator Chris Coons' 13-year-old daughter that he was "horny" standing next to her? No, that's not true. The video of the then-vice president whispering into the ear of Coons' daughter Maggie has fake subtitles claiming he s