Inaccurate
COVID-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”
Reviews of content from
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Source: Facebook, Instagram, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 2020-09-27 -
InaccurateThe total number of COVID-19 deaths thus far exceeds the number of abortions over two days worldwide
Claim:
“More babies will die by abortion in two days than all the coronavirus deaths thus far”
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2020-09-18 -
MisleadingCOVID-19 has caused many deaths due to high virus transmission, despite its relatively small infection fatality ratio
Claim:
COVID-19 mortality rates are very low, therefore COVID-19 is not an important public health concern; if you are 70+ years old, you have a 0.054% chance of dying from COVID-19
Source: Facebook, Fox News, Facebook users, 2020-09-24 -
Using face masks does not increase the risk of skin or oral infections
Claim:
Masks are dirty and cause bacterial overgrowth, skin infections, and “mask mouth, [which is] a new medical condition caused by wearing masks all day”
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2020-09-16 -
IncorrectCOVID-19 vaccines do not modify the human genome and do not involve hydrogels; hydrogels are not internet-connecting devices
Claim:
Hydrogels are part of the genome-modifying COVID-19 mRNA vaccines' delivery system; hydrogels will connect you to the internet
Source: Facebook, Facebook user, 2020-09-16 -
MisleadingTuberculosis, the flu, and COVID-19 differ in disease prevalence and burden, requiring different public health responses
Claim:
“Why don’t we wear masks for [tuberculosis]? Because CNN hasn’t instructed you to.”
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2020-09-17 -
InaccurateNo vaccine contains strains of both the flu and the virus that causes COVID-19; COVID-19 is not the flu
Claim:
The U.S. CDC encourages the use of a “[COVID-19] flu shot” on children.
Source: Facebook, Facebook user, 2020-09-15 -
MisleadingThe number of COVID-19 cases reported is based on a highly specific diagnostic test for COVID-19; no confusion with flu or common cold is possible
Claim:
“It's NOT a SECOND WAVE of COVID-19 coming soon. It's the NORMAL COLD / FLU SEASON”
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2020-09-01 -
MisleadingClimate change, forest management and several other causes contribute to wildfire severity and total area burned in the western United States
Claim:
“Forest fires are caused by poor management. Not by climate change.”
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2020-09-09 -
MisleadingCloth masks are effective at reducing virus transmission because it spreads in respiratory droplets, which are larger than smoke particles and the pores in fabric
Claim:
Cloth masks cannot block smoke particles which are larger than viruses, so masks cannot stop virus transmission
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2020-08-31
