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Coronavirus: The Infodemic - March 9


Shoppers walk along the street after the Swiss government relaxed some of its COVID-19 restrictions, as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues, at the Bahnhofstrasse shopping street in Zurich, Switzerland March 1, 2021.
Shoppers walk along the street after the Swiss government relaxed some of its COVID-19 restrictions, as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues, at the Bahnhofstrasse shopping street in Zurich, Switzerland March 1, 2021.

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

Daily Debunk

Claim: A public health campaign poster from a Swiss medical organization advises people not to take a Covid-19 vaccine.

Verdict: False

Read the full story at: Agence France-Presse

Social Media Disinfo

A passenger checks his phone as he stands with his dog after arriving on a flight to Israel at Ben Gurion international airport amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions near Tel Aviv, in Lod, Israel March 8, 2021.
A passenger checks his phone as he stands with his dog after arriving on a flight to Israel at Ben Gurion international airport amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions near Tel Aviv, in Lod, Israel March 8, 2021.

Circulating on social media: Claim that Israeli kids cannot take college entrance exams unless they have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

Verdict: False

Read the full story at: Reuters

Factual Reads on Coronavirus

What Is Fluvoxamine? OCD Drug Could Be Used to Treat COVID
An anti-depressant medication used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may also be effective at treating some COVID cases, scientists say.
-- Newsweek, March 8

A pandemic expert weighs in on the long road ahead for Covid-19 vaccine distribution
Though nearly 300 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered around the globe so far, the world still has a long way to go before we can think about declaring the pandemic over.
-- Stat, March 8

The Impact of COVID-19 on Pediatric Mental Health: A Study of Private Healthcare Claims
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on mental health, particularly on that of young people.
-- FAIR Health, March 2

COVID-19: Schools for more than 168 million children globally have been completely closed for almost a full year, says UNICEF
UNICEF unveils ‘Pandemic Classroom’ at United Nations Headquarters in New York to call attention to the need for governments to prioritize the reopening of schools.
-- UNICEF, March 2

Quick guide: COVID-19 vaccines in use and how they work
Here's a quick guide to the COVID-19 vaccines now in use around the world.
-- Live Science, March 1

Andrew Cuomo’s Covid-19 nursing home fiasco shows the ethical perils of pandemic policymaking
The humbling of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on pandemic policy has been spectacular and swift. Within a matter of days, one of America’s most trusted voices in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic became a political pariah.
-- Stat, February 26

New drugs identified as possible tools to fight COVID-19
There will probably never be a perfect treatment to cure COVID-19—but the right medications for the right patients can save lives.
-- National Geographic, February 24

Unraveling the Complex Link Between COVID and Diabetes
The pandemic infection seems to trigger diabetes in some patients. Here are five plausible explanations as to why.
-- Scientific American, February 24

Hundreds of animal species could harbor novel coronaviruses
These species include wild animals, such as bats and monkeys, as well as domestic animals, such as pigs and cats.
-- Live Science, February 16

COVID-19 Scams: How They Work and How to Avoid Them
While some people are focused on COVID-19 and ways to get through the pandemic, scammers are looking for new ways to profit.
-- Trend Micro Check, December 30

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 Best Coronavirus Myth-Busting Collections

HealthCheck

COVID19 Infodemics Observatory

Agence France Presse

Snopes

BuzzFeed

Factcheck.org

Associated Press

Washington Post

TruthOrFiction

Mapping COVID-19 Casualties

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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