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Coronavirus: The Infodemic - June 29


RealTime Laboratories prepares samples for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing with PCR amplification in Carrollton, Texas, U.S. June 24, 2020. REUTERS/Cooper Neill/File Photo
RealTime Laboratories prepares samples for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing with PCR amplification in Carrollton, Texas, U.S. June 24, 2020. REUTERS/Cooper Neill/File Photo

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

Daily Debunk

Claim: The PCR (polymerise chain reaction) test for COVID-19 also detects common cold viruses.

Verdict: False

Read the full story at: FactCheck Initiative Japan

Social Media Disinfo

Screenshot
Screenshot

Claim: Blood clots are the major cause of death in COVID-19.

Verdict: False

Read the full story at: India Today

Factual Reads on Coronavirus

Hospitals Experiment with COVID-19 Treatments, Balancing Hope and Evidence
With little data on what works and what doesn’t, doctors trade tips and argue about risks
-- Scientific American, June 29

How the Virus Won
Invisible outbreaks sprang up everywhere. The United States ignored the warning signs. We analyzed travel patterns, hidden infections and genetic data to show how the epidemic spun out of control.
-- New York Times, June 25

Mounting clues suggest the coronavirus might trigger diabetes
Evidence from tissue studies and some people with COVID-19 shows that the virus damages insulin-producing cells.
-- Nature, June 24

Swiss giant Novartis halts COVID-19 hydroxychloroquine study
Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis has decided to halt a clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19, citing problems in recruiting enough patients for the study of the controversial drug.
-- Medical Express, June 20

How likely are kids to get Covid-19? Scientists see a ‘huge puzzle’ without easy answers
There is some evidence that kids are less likely to catch the virus and less likely to spread it, but it’s not clear exactly how strong that evidence is.
-- Stat, June 18​

How ‘vaccine nationalism’ could block vulnerable populations’ access to COVID-19 vaccines
The most immediate effect of vaccine nationalism is that it further disadvantages countries with fewer resources and bargaining power.
-- The Conversation, June 17

Watch: Antibodies, immunity, and what they mean for Covid-19, explained
The immune system is no wimp. When pathogens cause illness, it kicks into high gear. Cells work together to tag, kill and gobble up invaders as they fight the infection.
-- Stat, May 5

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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