Quick Take A viral post disguised as a TV news report falsely claims that crab legs have been contaminated with the novel coronavirus. The pandemic has affected the flow of seafood from foreign markets, but crab is safe to eat. Full Story A viral Face
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Truth or Fiction?→ Did Yelp and GoFundMe Create COVID-19 Fundraisers for Restaurants Without Telling Them?
A push from business owners forced two tech companies to modify an unprompted response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Andy McMillan, owner of a bar in Portland, Oregon — where bars and restaurants were ordered to close down as part of efforts to slow
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: There Is NO Evidence Of Worldwide COVID-19 Conspiracy Involving U.S. Government, Its Military, 5G Tech And The Illuminati
Is there already a vaccine for COVID-19 that the U.S. govenment is hiding in a wide plot to kill people off? And is the next-generation wireless technology 5G responsible for the novel coronavirus? Further, are the Illuminati also involved in
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Your Child Will NOT Be Taken From You If They Have COVID-19
If a child contracts COVID-19 and is hospitalized, will they be separated from their parent while they are treated? No, that's not true. Neither the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nor the World Health Organization has recommen
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: The Flu Shot Does NOT Increase Risk Of Contracting COVID-19 By 36%
Does getting a flu shot increase your chances of contracting the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, by 36%? No, that's not true: Doctors told Lead Stories that there is no "cross-effect" between the two, and medical institutions are still recomme
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Proof That Genetic Mutations Responsible For Coronavirus’s Virulence
Did genetic mutations cause the coronavirus to become more dangerous? No, there is no evidence of that. The claim surfaced in a post (archived here) on Facebook. It opened: Feeling confused as to why Coronavirus is a bigger deal than Seasonal
Truth or Fiction?→ The #GeneralStrike Hashtag and the Coronavirus Economic Debate
On March 24 2020, #GeneralStrike was among Twitter’s most prominent hashtags in response to calls that people return to work just days after social distancing measures and lockdowns were put in place to lessen COVID-19’s effects and spread
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: COVID Does NOT Stand For ‘Chinese Originated Viral Infectious Disease’
Does COVID stand for "Chinese Originated Viral Infectious Disease"? No, that's not true: A meme making the rounds on Facebook claims the acronym of the highly infectious and worldwide virus, COVID-19, or coronavirus, was named for China - wher
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the NYC Department of Health Issue ‘COVID-19 Sex’ Guidelines?
On March 21 2020, Facebook and Twitter users began sharing purportedly official guidelines for COVID-19 and sex, attributed to the New York City Health Department: the NYC department of health says that during the COVID-19 pandemic “you are your s
Truth or Fiction?→ Rapunzel Was Quarantined in ‘Tangled,’ Google the Name of Her Kingdom?
As coronavirus quarantine memes circulated in mid-March 2020, one referenced the Disney film Tangled, first stating that Rapunzel was “quarantined” during the film, and then tacking on people should “Google” the name of her k
FactCheck.org→ Q&A on the Coronavirus Pandemic
Editor’s Note: This is an updated version of a Q&A we published Jan. 30. Much has changed since then. An outbreak of viral pneumonia that began in the central Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019 has sickened more than 200,000 people and
FactCheck.org→ Viral Posts Falsely Align Viruses to Election Years
Quick Take Viral posts on social media claim COVID-19 is no worse than other outbreaks that have occurred in “every election year,” suggesting that the new coronavirus is being “hyped” to hurt President Donald Trump. But most of
Truth or Fiction?→ Is St. Corona the Patron Saint of Epidemics?
As novel coronavirus COVID-19 swept the majority Catholic country of Italy in March 2020, rumors appeared that Italians had begun praying to a St. Corona — who was, incidentally, “the patron saint of epidemics.” A March 11 post to th
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Coronavirus Put Dogs at Risk Because Hand Sanitizer Has the Same Ingredients as Antifreeze?
On March 14 2020, a Facebook status update (archived here) claiming that pet owners should be aware that hand sanitizer “has the same ingredients as antifreeze” went viral after an uptick in hand sanitizer use due to an ongoing COVID-19 o
FactCheck.org→ False Claims of Nationwide Lockdown for COVID-19
Quick Take The National Security Council is warning Americans of a “FAKE” rumor circulating on social media that falsely claims President Donald Trump will impose a nationwide “mandatory quarantine.” President Donald Trump said
FactCheck.org→ Gargling Water With Salt Won’t ‘Eliminate’ Coronavirus
Quick Take A viral image circulating online is falsely advising social media users that gargling water with salt or vinegar “eliminates” the coronavirus. There is currently “no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Popular Meme Offers Mix Of Truth And Info NOT Backed By Science
Are the assertions presented in a meme that is gaining traction on social media about COVID-19, or the new coronavirus, backed up by science? Not necessarily. Some of the information in the meme appears to be on point, but not all, according t
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking Trump’s Coronavirus Address
In a short primetime address, President Donald Trump provided false, misleading and incomplete information about the new coronavirus and actions his administration has taken or will take to staunch its spread: In announcing new restrictions on travel
Truth or Fiction?→ Is There a COVID-19 ‘Loophole’ in Blood Donations?
For a brief period of time, a Twitter user’s admittedly “bold and brash” — but wrong — idea about a “loophole” allowing people more access to testing for COVID-19 got widespread traction on the platform. On Ma
Truth or Fiction?→ Unsourced ‘Intensivist’ Thread Spreads on Twitter as COVID-19 Hits Italy
In March 2020, as more nations grappled with a novel coronavirus pandemic, social media users continued to promote unsourced chain-letter “messages” online as people searched for reliable and credible information. One of the latest instanc
FactCheck.org→ The Facts on Coronavirus Testing
In the wake of an increasing number of new coronavirus infections in the U.S., federal officials have provided confusing and sometimes contradictory statements about the number and availability of tests to diagnose the new respiratory illness. Presiden
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Tilapia Did NOT Cause Girl To Break Out With Swollen Face And Blackened Lips And Eyelids
Did a little girl contract a deforming virus from eating Tilapia? No, that's not true: A Facebook post that features the girl's face and has gone viral seems to be a hoax. The little girl did not contract a virus that gave her black sores on h
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Parents Of Baby With Big Arm Do NOT Need Money For Urgent Surgery
Does a photographed baby with an enormous arm need urgent surgery? And do her parents need help paying for it? No, that's not true: The baby pictured on social media, who did have a disease that caused her right arm to swell, reportedly died i
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Biopsies Do NOT Necessarily Spread Cancer
Do biopsies cause cancer to spread? No, that's not necessarily true: They are not a significant cause of metastasis (the spread of cancer from one area of the body to another). For one, doctors take care to ensure that cancer cells are not spr
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Washington, DC Priest Expose Hundreds of Churchgoers to Coronavirus?
On March 9 2020, WJLA-TV reporter Sam Sweeney tweeted about a Washington, DC priest’s purported positive coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnosis, adding that the clergy man led Communion services and shook hands with “more than 500” churchg
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Biopsies Do NOT Cause Cancers To Spread
Do biopsies cause cancer to spread? No, that's not true: For one, doctors take care to ensure that cancer cells are not spread via biopsies. Further, a study has found that patients who undergo biopsies tend to live longer. The claim was made
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Welfare Claim
President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that his administration has “lifted 10 million people off of welfare,” a figure that primarily includes the change in the number of recipients of food stamps, but also those enrolled in other progr
FactCheck.org→ The Facts on Trump’s Travel Restrictions
President Donald Trump has made a number of misleading statements about his decision on Jan. 31 to impose travel restrictions related to the novel coronavirus epidemic. Trump has referred to the travel restrictions as a “travel ban.” There
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: It Is NOT Known Whether Novel Coronavirus Has A Survival Rate Of 99.7%
Does a graphic being widely shared on social media accurately represent the survival rate of the novel coronavirus at 99.7%? No, that's not true: Scientists do not know precisely how many people survive or recover from the virus versus how man
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Common Cold Is NOT The Only Type Of Coronavirus
Is the novel coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China, just the common cold? No, that's misleading: Coronaviruses can cause different illnesses in animals and humans, including the common cold. However, they can also lead to severe diseas
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Seattle Coronavirus Testing’ Twitter Thread
On March 2 2020, as six patients in Washington state were reported to have died of a novel coronavirus, a Twitter user going by @into_the_brush shared a thread about their purported attempts to be tested for the virus in Seattle. In the first tweet,
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Patents Do NOT Mean Deadly Diseases And Viruses Were Created Or Invented In A Lab
Do patents accurately suggest that deadly diseases and viruses were created or invented in a lab? No, that's not true: Just because there is a patent for something does not mean it works. Likewise, patents for diseases and viruses do not mean
FactCheck.org→ Cattle Vaccine Not Related to 2019 Novel Coronavirus
Quick Take Viral Facebook posts use a photo of a vaccine for cows to falsely suggest that the novel coronavirus isn’t actually new, alleging it is proof of “how much the media controls people.” The cattle vaccine has nothing to do wit
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking Trump’s Coronavirus Press Conference
Facing a declining stock market and criticism from Democrats, President Donald Trump and other officials have minimized the risks of the coronavirus to the U.S. and given inaccurate and misleading information about the new virus. Trump said the curren
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Lysol Products Can Kill Older Strains Of Coronavirus, But Tests Have NOT Scientifically Proven They Kill Novel Coronavirus
Do Lysol sprays and wipes kill the novel coronavirus - and, if there is no cure, why do the products' labels tout that they can kill the coronavirus? The claim is partly false: While Lysol products are advertised to kill 99.9% of bacteria and
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking the South Carolina Debate
Summary In the last Democratic debate before Super Tuesday, the candidates often talked over and past one another. We sort out some of the misinformation. In criticizing Sen. Bernie Sanders’ sympathetic remarks about authoritarian regimes, former Vi
Truth or Fiction?→ Rush Limbaugh Claims Coronavirus is No More Dangerous than the Common Cold. Is it?
In a transcript dated February 24 2020, radio personality Rush Limbaugh claimed that novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is no more dangerous than “the common cold,” adding that he believed that concern over the new strain of disease was simply p
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Lifestyle Change Study Did NOT Focus On Vegan Diet
Did a study endorsed by a Nobel Prize winner claim that the vegan diet can cause a variety of health benefits? No, that's not entirely true: The research did not focus on the vegan diet. It showed that a combination of lifestyle changes - diet
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking the Las Vegas Democratic Debate
Summary Many of the factual disputes centered on disagreements among the candidates: Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg said the stop-and-frisk policy that was “in place” when he became mayor “got out of control” and so “we cut 95% of
FactCheck.org→ Committee to Defend the President
Political leanings: Pro-President Trump 2018 total spending: $9 million The Committee to Defend the President was founded as the Stop Hillary PAC in May 2013. The group’s name and mission changed after Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the