Inaccurate
Cancer and heart disease remain the two leading causes of death in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic
Claim:
“No one has died of cancer or heart disease since the COVID-19 thing started”
Reviews of content from
Facebook users
-
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2020-08-14 -
Incorrect
Vaccine boosters help maintain protection provided by initial vaccination; boosters have been used for routine vaccinations like tetanus and polio for decades
Claim:
A COVID-19 booster means that the initial vaccination didn’t work
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2021-08-19 -
Inaccurate
U.S. prison releases complemented other strategies to limit the spread of COVID-19 in jails and prisons, including face masks
Claim:
Masks don’t work; prisoners were released instead of being given masks
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2021-08-02 -
Incorrect
Ethylene oxide is used for sterilizing medical equipment, including nasal swabs, but it’s removed before use
Claim:
Ethylene oxide in nasal swabs used for COVID-19 testing is harmful
Source: TikTok, Facebook, TikTok user, Facebook users, 2021-07-21 -
Inaccurate
In the U.S. new COVID-19 cases are concentrated in areas with low vaccination rates
Claim:
The non-vaccinated don’t get tested, so the increase in COVID-19 cases is made up or due to the vaccinated
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2021-07-19 -
Incorrect
Activated charcoal tablets are unlikely to be effective in counteracting date rape drugs; individuals who have been given date rape drugs should seek medical attention
Claim:
“Buy yourselves charcoal activated tablets […] it will counteract most date rape drugs”
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2019-09-04 -
Flawed reasoning
Fully vaccinated individuals are exempt from wearing a mask because they are less vulnerable to infection by SARS-CoV-2 than unvaccinated people
Claim:
Unvaccinated people have to wear masks to protect vaccinated people
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2021-05-22 -
Inaccurate
COVID-19 vaccines don’t contain magnetic ingredients; dose volume is too small to contain any device able to hold a magnet through the skin
Claim:
COVID-19 vaccines contain metals or microchips that cause magnets to attach to the arm of vaccinated people
Source: Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, Instagram users, Facebook users, 2021-05-10 -
Inaccurate
Clinical trials and post-trial monitoring show that COVID-19 vaccines reduce the spread and occurrence of the disease
Claim:
COVID-19 vaccines are experimental and don’t prevent infection or transmission; most of us have a 0.05% chance of dying from COVID-19
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2021-04-05 -
Inaccurate
The energy costs of manufacturing wind turbines are recouped in one to six months; turbines are financially profitable over their lifetimes
Claim:
Wind turbines in the US are made of toxic materials that pollute the environment, are mostly built in Germany, and will not pay off their manufacturing costs within their lifetimes.
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2021-03-17
