Claim reviews
Yes, COVID-19 vaccines will help us safely resume normal activities like going to restaurants and meeting people, once enough people are vaccinated for herd immunity
CLAIM
The COVID-19 vaccines won’t let us stop mask-wearing, physical distancing and restaurants, pubs, and cinemas still remain closed, so why vaccinate?
SOURCE: Facebook users, Telegram, Facebook
Published: 04 Mar 2021
VERDICT
The CDC licences vaccine technology, but isn’t a vaccine company; the CDC doesn’t sell vaccines, it buys and distributes vaccines free of charge
CLAIM
“The CDC is not an independent agency. It is a vaccine company […] The CDC owns over 20 vaccine patents. It sells about $4.6 billion of vaccines every year”.
SOURCE: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Children's Health Defense
Published: 04 Mar 2021
VERDICT
Scientific evidence demonstrates that wearing face masks and implementing lockdowns reduce the spread of COVID-19
CLAIM
“It’s been a year & there is still no evidence masks or lockdowns slow the spread of #COVID19”
SOURCE: Kimberly Klacik, Facebook
Published: 03 Mar 2021
VERDICT
Scientists didn’t announce impending environmental catastrophes every decade since the 1970s
CLAIM
"Government funded science: 70’s: another ice age in 10 years; 80’s: acid rain will destroy all crops in 10 years; 90’s: the ozone layer will be destroyed in 10 years; 2000’s the ice caps will be gone on 10 years"
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 03 Mar 2021
VERDICT
Bananas may be healthy, but consuming them won’t treat gastrointestinal diseases nor limit the replication of HIV
CLAIM
“Bananas are a powerful antiviral food—so powerful that they have the capacity to repel growth of the retrovirus HIV“
SOURCE: Anthony William, Medical Medium
Published: 02 Mar 2021
VERDICT
The scientific research facility HAARP cannot create natural disasters or influence human thoughts and movements, contrary to online claims
CLAIM
HAARP may deliberately create destruction on a global scale, causing earthquakes, cyclones, flooding, snowstorms, around the world; HAARP may be attacking the citizens of the world telepathically, influencing thoughts with low frequency vibrations
SOURCE: Anonymous, Gaia
Published: 02 Mar 2021
VERDICT
Pregnant women can decide whether to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; safety monitoring suggests that COVID-19 vaccines don’t pose any specific risk for pregnant women
CLAIM
“Health officials push pregnant women to get covid shots, despite known risks”
SOURCE: Anonymous, Children’s Health Defense
Published: 01 Mar 2021
VERDICT
More evidence needed for the claim that vitamin D supplements reduce risk of COVID-19 infection
CLAIM
“Habitual use of vitamin D supplements was associated with a 34% lower risk of COVID-19 infection”; “This is an observational study so causation cannot be established”
SOURCE: Rhonda Patrick, Instagram
Published: 22 Feb 2021
VERDICT
The number of new COVID-19 cases fell and daily vaccination increased in early 2021, but no indication that it was due to U.S. president Biden taking office
CLAIM
COVID-19 cases are “down by 50%” and “daily vaccinations have increased by 85%” since “Biden took office”
SOURCE: Anonymous, Occupy Democrats
Published: 22 Feb 2021
VERDICT
COVID-19 vaccines don’t increase the incidence of poor outcomes during pregnancy, according to current safety data on COVID-19 vaccines
CLAIM
COVID-19 vaccines caused miscarriages
SOURCE: Facebook users, Twitter, Facebook
Published: 19 Feb 2021
VERDICT
