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Coronavirus: The Infodemic - September 17


U.S. President Donald Trump points to a chart as he speaks about his administration's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response during a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., September 16, 2020.
U.S. President Donald Trump points to a chart as he speaks about his administration's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response during a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., September 16, 2020.

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

Daily Debunk

"Trump Reprises Inaccurate COVID-19 Comparisons with Europe," FactCheck.org, September 16.

Social Media Disinfo

FILE PHOTO: A man wearing a protective face mask gets his temperature taken before receiving free food during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bangkok, Thailand, April 27, 2020.
FILE PHOTO: A man wearing a protective face mask gets his temperature taken before receiving free food during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bangkok, Thailand, April 27, 2020.

Circulating on social media: Claim that Thailand’s Ministry of Health has raised the country’s alert on the novel coronavirus to the “highest level."

Verdict: False

Read the full story at: Agence France-Presse

Factual Reads on Coronavirus

New report says Covid-19 pandemic has caused historic setbacks in global health
A new report paints a bleak picture of the far-ranging impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
-- Stat, September 14

Why COVID-19 Cases in Europe Are Surging Back to March Levels — What This Means for the U.S.
What’s happening in Europe — and why — shares many parallels with the continued spread of the new coronavirus in the United States.
-- Healthline, September 13

Coronavirus: How It Infects Us and How We Might Stop It
How does SARS-CoV-2 sneak into our body? What can our immune system do and how can the virus sometimes defeat it? How do the leading drug and vaccine candidates work? Will the virus plague us forever?
-- Scientific American, September 9

The coronavirus is mutating — does it matter?
Different SARS-CoV-2 strains haven’t yet had a major impact on the course of the pandemic, but they might in future.
-- Nature, September 8

Coronavirus and the Flu: A Looming Double Threat
The two could come together, making things worse—or our new hygiene habits may actually reduce the flu’s spread
-- Scientific American, September 6

Campus outbreaks of COVID-19 were almost guaranteed
These are places designed around the idea of bringing lots of people to one place. Many of them bring people together from all over the world. They are perfect places for disease to spread.
-- The Conversation, September 2

Children Across Europe Are Going Back to School. Here's How 3 Countries Are Managing It
Around the world, students are returning to school as countries experiment with new educational models and social distancing protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
-- Time, September 2

Coronavirus research updates: Even octogenarians develop potent antibodies
Nature wades through the literature on the new coronavirus — and summarizes key papers as they appear.
-- Nature, September 1

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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