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Coronavirus: The Infodemic - October 16


U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden approaches his seat, ahead of an ABC Town Hall event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., October 15, 2020.
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden approaches his seat, ahead of an ABC Town Hall event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., October 15, 2020.

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

Daily Debunk

"FactChecking Biden’s Town Hall," FactCheck.org, October 16.

Social Media Disinfo

Screenshot
Screenshot

Circulating on social media: Image purportedly showing bacteria growth that was collected from a face mask after a person wore it for just 20 minutes.

Verdict: Misleading

Read the full story at: Agence France-Presse

Factual Reads on Coronavirus

Coronavirus can last 28 days on glass and currency, study finds
Findings from the study by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, appear to show that in a very controlled environment the virus remained infectious for longer than other studies have found.
-- Reuters, October 11

More Testing, Faster Testing
More types of tests for the coronavirus are becoming available, but how do we know which to use when?
-- American Scientist, October 12

Watch: Understanding dexamethasone, the steroid used to treat Trump’s Covid-19
It is inexpensive and widely prescribed. But side effects of dexamethasone can be quite serious.
-- Stat, October 12

Eight Persistent COVID-19 Myths and Why People Believe Them
From a human-made virus to vaccine conspiracy theories, we rounded up the most insidious false claims about the pandemic
-- Scientific American, October 12

Trump Still Contagious? Experts Say It’s Impossible to Know
President Donald Trump said he doesn't think he's contagious anymore, but medical experts say that's impossible to know a week after his diagnosis with COVID-19.
-- Snopes, October 8

Young Doctor Succumbs to COVID, One of the South’s Many Health Workers Lost
The median age of death from COVID for medical staff is 57, compared with 78 in the general population. Around one-third of the deaths involved concerns over inadequate PPE.
-- Kaiser Health News, October 8

Covid: What would happen if Trump became too ill to be president?
He's now returned to the White House and is determined to continue campaigning, but questions remain over his health and what would happen if he becomes too unwell to carry out his duties as president.
-- BBC, October 6.

5 Things to Know About a COVID Vaccine: It Won’t Be a ‘Magic Wand’
President Donald Trump makes no secret he would like a COVID-19 vaccine to be available before the election. But it’s doubtful that will happen.
-- Kaiser Health News, October 5

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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