Inaccurate
COVID-19 is more deadly and more contagious than seasonal flu and may also cause long-lasting damage to survivors
Claim:
“The coronavirus is no more deadly or dangerous than seasonal flu”
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Health
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Source: Zero Hedge, Anonymous, 2020-10-08 -
UnsupportedNo evidence that coronavirus genetic sequences were fabricated, contrary to preprint by Li-Meng Yan and colleagues
Claim:
Fabricated genetic sequences were used to support the hypothesis that the virus arose naturally
Source: Zero Hedge, The National Pulse, Zenodo, Li-Meng Yan, 2020-10-08 -
Flawed reasoningMask use does not increase risk of COVID-19 as viral social media posts claim
Claim:
More people who wear masks become sick with COVID-19 compared to non-mask wearers, therefore masks don’t work or are making us ill
Source: The Federalist, Jordan Davidson, 2020-10-12 -
Lacks contextFrequent ejaculation might reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer, but cannot prevent it completely
Claim:
“Men must have sex at least 21 times a month to avoid prostate cancer”
Source: West Africa Reporters, Barry Kadi, 2020-01-23 -
InaccurateMortality in the U.S. was more than 280,000 higher during the first eight months of 2020 than any of the previous five years over the same period
Claim:
“U.S. mortalities this year are not materially different from the previous 5 years”
Source: Facebook, Facebook user, 2020-10-06 -
-1.3LowNew York Post article makes speculative, unsupported claim that mutation could enable the virus causing COVID-19 to evade handwashing and mask-wearing
“The preprint that the article focuses on actually says nothing about the most egregious claim made in the article: that the virus is evolving to get around hand-washing, masks, etc. This comes from a quote from someone who’s not an author on the preprint, giving an opinion about the preprint…on a topic not covered by the preprint.”
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Flawed reasoningThe flu shot is an effective measure to protect people from flu, and enhances protection when used with face masks
Claim:
“Seriously if the ‘mask’ protects me and you from [COVID-19] and we've been walking around in them for months, why would anyone need a flu shot right now?”
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2020-09-21 -
Lacks contextMild side effects from flu shots are common; very serious adverse effects are very rare
Claim:
Flu shots lead to severe or life-threatening conditions; flu shots are unsafe
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2020-10-01 -
InaccurateCOVID-19 vaccines aren’t expected to be available for the public in several weeks, contrary to viral claim on social media
Claim:
“The Government has released their initial plans to force a vaccine on everyone”; “Three potential vaccines are currently in Stage 3 trials in the United States and could be ready in weeks”
Source: Before it’s news, SHTFplan, Mac Slavo, 2020-09-16 -
InaccurateCOVID-19 is at least an order of magnitude more deadly than seasonal flu, according to current estimates
Claim:
“COVID-19 [is] less deadly than [seasonal] flu”
Source: Facebook, Instagram, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 2020-09-27