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Coronavirus: The Infodemic - June 8


National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce

Fake news about the coronavirus can do real harm. Polygraph.info is spotlighting fact-checks from other reliable sources here​.

Daily Debunk

Claim: Research illustrates a clear correlation between vitamin D deficiencies and (higher) COVID-19 mortality rates.

Verdict: True

Read the full story at: PolitiFact

Social Media Disinfo

Screenshot of misleading post
Screenshot of misleading post

Circulating on social media: Claim that masks do not protect from COVID-19 and that their use makes you sick.

Verdict: False

Read the full story at: Agence France-Presse

Factual Reads on Coronavirus


How the world can avoid screwing up the response to Covid-19 again
STAT ... asked 11 experts in infectious disease, epidemiology, and pandemic preparedness how to avoid the mistakes, poor decisions, and incompetence of this spring.
-- Stat, June 5

Does drug touted by Trump work on COVID-19? After data debacle, we still don't know
Hydroxychloroquine was shown in laboratory experiments earlier this year to be able to block the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19, but this effect has not been replicated in rigorous trials in people.
-- Reuters, June 4

China withheld data on coronavirus from WHO, recordings reveal
Complaints by officials at odds with body’s public praise of Beijing’s response to outbreak
-- Guardian, June 2​

Antibody injections could fight COVID-19 infections – an infectious disease expert explains the prospects
[H]ow can we isolate and produce neutralizing antibodies in large enough quantities to serve everyone who needs them, including research laboratories and pharmaceutical companies?
-- The Conversation, June 1

The epic battle against coronavirus misinformation and conspiracy theories
Analysts are tracking false rumours about COVID-19 in hopes of curbing their spread.
-- Nature, May 27

Is the coronavirus mutating? Yes. But here’s why you don’t need to panic
Lab experiments would help determine whether mutations change how the virus infects cells
-- ScienceNews, May 26

New research rewrites history of when Covid-19 took off in the U.S. — and points to missed chances to stop it
The work adds to evidence that the United States missed opportunities to stop the SARS-CoV-2 virus from taking root in this country — and that those opportunities persisted for longer than has been recognized up until now.
-- Stat, May 26

Coronavirus: The human cost of virus misinformation
A BBC team tracking coronavirus misinformation has found links to assaults, arsons and deaths. And experts say the potential for indirect harm caused by rumors, conspiracy theories and bad health information could be much bigger.
-- BBC News, May 27​

The race for coronavirus vaccines: a graphical guide
Eight ways in which scientists hope to provide immunity to SARS-CoV-2.
-- Nature, April 28

The Best Coronavirus Myth-Busting Collections

COVID19 Infodemics Observatory

Agence France Presse

Snopes

BuzzFeed

Factcheck.org

Associated Press

Washington Post

TruthOrFiction

Mapping the COVID-19

Reliable Coronavirus Information

World Health Organization

U.S. Centers for Disease Control

Federation of American Scientists

Emergency Physicians

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine​

Pan American Health Organization

Google COVID‑19 Information & Resources

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