Claim reviews
Pre-human changes in climate do not negate contemporary human influence on modern warming, contrary to implication in popular Instagram post
CLAIM
Climate changed naturally in prehistoric eras, modern climate change is a naturally occurring phenomenon
SOURCE: Social media user, Instagram
Published: 23 Jan 2023
VERDICT
Inhaling hydrogen peroxide to counter pathogens is dangerous
CLAIM
Inhaling hydrogen peroxide kills respiratory tract pathogens
SOURCE: Mike Adams, Infowars
Published: 20 Jan 2023
VERDICT
Misrepresented 2018 clip of Bill Gates trigger inaccurate claims that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for livestock could transfer to people through diet
CLAIM
“Bill Gates Vows To Pump mRNA Into Food Supply To ‘Force-Jab’ the Unvaccinated”
SOURCE: Baxter Dmitry, NewsPunch, The People’s Voice, Headline USA
Published: 18 Jan 2023
VERDICT
The Pfizer bivalent vaccines are very unlikely to increase the risk of ischemic stroke, contrary to claims on social media
CLAIM
The Pfizer COVID-19 bivalent vaccine causes strokes
SOURCE: Social media users, Instagram, Twitter
Published: 18 Jan 2023
VERDICT
Tweet by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene misinterpreted; no evidence that XBB.1.5 preferentially infects vaccinated people
CLAIM
“Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 possibly more likely to infect those who are vaccinated, officials say”
SOURCE: Julia Musto, Fox News
Published: 17 Jan 2023
VERDICT
Possible increases in cancer rates and lower life expectancy in 2021 are primarily driven by effects of COVID-19, not vaccination
CLAIM
“Cancer rates have increased since the introduction of the COVID-19 shots”, which “is driving down U.S. life expectancy”
SOURCE: Joseph Mercola, Children's Health Defense
Published: 13 Jan 2023
VERDICT
Excess deaths in the U.K. remain below the pandemic peak and aren’t linked to COVID-19 vaccines
CLAIM
More people are dying now than at the peak of the pandemic; the COVID-19 vaccines are the cause of the excess deaths seen in late 2022
SOURCE: Antony Newby, Facebook
Published: 13 Jan 2023
VERDICT
Evidence shows that COVID-19 vaccines don’t increase the risk of death, contrary to claim by financier Edward Dowd
CLAIM
COVID-19 vaccines are causing excess deaths around the world; sudden adult death syndrome is new
SOURCE: Edward Dowd, Aubrey Marcus, Aubrey Marcus Podcast
Published: 11 Jan 2023
VERDICT
Simulation exercises such as “Catastrophic Contagion” are a normal part of pandemic preparedness; they don’t predict future pandemics
CLAIM
The tabletop exercise “Catastrophic Contagion” means that “Bill Gates and WHO have announced when we will see the next pandemic”
SOURCE: Natali Morris, Clayton Morris, Youtube
Published: 10 Jan 2023
VERDICT
Video by John Campbell comparing historical and COVID-19 vaccines misleads on vaccine safety
CLAIM
A study showed that the number of serious adverse vaccine events associated with COVID-19 vaccines is “too high”
SOURCE: John Campbell, YouTube
Published: 06 Jan 2023
VERDICT