Daily Debunk
Claim: Mask wearing causes bacterial pneumonia.
Verdict: False
Read the full story at: USA Today
Social Media Disinfo
Circulating on social media: An image purportedly showing a large crowd protesting against COVID-19 restrictions in Romania.
Verdict: False
Read the full story at: Check Your Fact
Factual Reads on Coronavirus
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
‘Held to ransom’: Pfizer plays hardball in Covid-19 vaccine negotiations with Latin American countries
Pfizer has been accused of “bullying” Latin American governments during negotiations to acquire its Covid-19 vaccine, and the company has asked some countries to put up sovereign assets, such as embassy buildings and military bases, as a guarantee against the cost of any future legal cases, according to an investigation by the U.K.-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
-- Stat, February 23
Countless Homebound Patients Still Wait for Covid Vaccine Despite Seniors’ Priority
Opening another front in the nation’s response to the pandemic, medical centers and other health organizations have begun sending doctors and nurses to apartment buildings and private homes to vaccinate homebound seniors.
-- Kaiser Health News, February 22
COVID vaccines and safety: what the research says
It is clear that coronavirus vaccines are safe and effective, but as more are rolled out, researchers are learning about the extent and nature of side effects.
-- Nature, February 16
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
As the pandemic ushered in isolation and financial hardship, overdose deaths reached new heights
The drug deaths started spiking last spring, as the coronavirus forced shutdowns, and more recent statistics from cities throughout the U.S. and Canada show the crisis has only deepened.
-- Stat, February 16
Is It Safe to Delay a Second COVID Vaccine Dose?
Some evidence indicates that short waits are safe, but there is a chance that partial immunization could help risky new coronavirus variants to develop.
-- Scientific American, February 10
South Africa suspends use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after it fails to clearly stop virus variant
Another COVID-19 vaccine has run into trouble in South Africa, showing less protection there than elsewhere because a SARS-CoV-2 variant that can apparently dodge key antibodies has become widespread.
-- Science, February 8
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
COVID19 Infodemics Observatory
Reliable Coronavirus Information
U.S. Centers for Disease Control
Federation of American Scientists
Johns Hopkins University & Medicine