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Coronavirus: The Infodemic - August 3


General view of a production line manufacturing face masks at a factory, following the outbreak of COVID-19, in Karaj, Iran, June 28, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
General view of a production line manufacturing face masks at a factory, following the outbreak of COVID-19, in Karaj, Iran, June 28, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

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

Daily Debunk

"Coronavirus: Iran cover-up of deaths revealed by data leak," BBC, August 3.

Social Media Disinfo

FILE PHOTO: A sign marks the headquarters of Moderna Therapeutics, which is developing a vaccine against COVID-19, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., May 18, 2020.
FILE PHOTO: A sign marks the headquarters of Moderna Therapeutics, which is developing a vaccine against COVID-19, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., May 18, 2020.

Circulating on social media: Claim that a viral text accurately outlines how biotechnology company Moderna is linked to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates, George Soros, and Jeffrey Epstein.

Verdict: False

Read the full story at: Snopes

Factual Reads on Coronavirus

What's Happening in the Brain with COVID-19?
It’s unclear if SARS-CoV-2 is acting directly on the brain, but we can still investigate if the brain is being damaged when people are sick with COVID-19.
-- NeuWrite San Diego, July 30

School closures in spring linked to drastic decrease in Covid-19 cases and deaths
[A] study published ... in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that closing all of a state’s schools was associated with a drastic decrease in both Covid-19 cases and deaths.
-- Stat, July 29

Covid-19 infections leave an impact on the heart, raising concerns about lasting damage
Two new studies from Germany paint a sobering picture of the toll that Covid-19 takes on the heart.
-- Stat, July 27

COVID-19 and heatwaves: a double whammy for Indian cities
The onset of the hot season presents individuals and local decision makers with new challenges on the optimal ways to stay safe from both heat stress and COVID-19.
-- The Lancet Planetary Health, July 27

Coronavirus trend: The pandemic is far from over
While the first countries are easing their lockdowns, others report more and more new cases every day.
-- Deutsche Welle, July 24

Coronavirus vaccine: Might it have side-effects?
The BBC's online health editor Michelle Roberts answers some of your questions about coronavirus vaccines.
-- BBC, July 22​

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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