Masks Ineffective

Does a study reveal that disposable face masks are the cause of the high levels of microplastics found in human lungs? No, that's not true: Contrary to a headline about the study, the study never mentions disposable masks as a cause of the microplastics detected in human lung samples. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Instagram on…

Did a study prove that wearing face masks raises the risk of stillbirths, testicular dysfunction and cognitive decline "due to build-up of carbon dioxide" (CO2)? No, that's not true: A "study" shared widely to social media was actually a review article of existing scientific studies -- not directly related to mask-wearing -- that a medical expert told Lead Stories was…

Does a "gold standard" scientific trial prove that N95 respirators and surgical masks are ineffective at preventing the spread of COVID-19? No, that's not true: This claim misrepresents the intent and findings of the trial, the study author told Lead Stories. Canadian researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine "if medical masks offer similar protection against COVID-19 compared…

Does the International Criminal Court (ICC) have a "case" before it concerning serious crimes related to COVID-19? No, that's not true: Although a complaint was filed alleging crimes committed against people in the United Kingdom related to COVID, the ICC has not stated whether the complaint is now a "case." The claim originated from a complaint found on a page…

In this video, did trial lawyer Reiner Fuellmich's "Coronavirus Investigative Committee" reveal new evidence of claims that COVID-19 is no worse than seasonal flu, can be treated with vitamins and ivermectin, is not accurately confirmed with PCR tests and that the approved vaccines are ineffective and untested? No, none of that is true: Fuellmich recycles stale conspiracy theories that have…

Did Vice President Kamala Harris "admit" that COVID-19 vaccines don't work? No, that's not true: Her tweet that is the basis for the claim is a summary of public health recommendations that reflect reality: No vaccine is 100% effective and breakthrough infections of the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, however mild among vaccinated persons, have been documented and could result in…

Is wearing a face mask to prevent the transmission of an airborne virus as ineffective as building a chain-link fence to keep mosquitos out of a yard? No, that's not true: This is a misleading analogy, but it was made as a joke. The gaping diamond-shaped holes in chain-link fencing cannot block minuscule mosquitos. Meanwhile, various academic, scientific and medical…

Is it true that whether a vaccine works or doesn't work for other people, you don't need one? Paradoxically, neither of these claims is true: You need protection even if others are vaccinated and especially when the vaccine, like many others, fails to work in some individuals. The consensus of medical experts, based on lab and clinical studies, is that…

Did the United States' public health agency say vaccinated people are "the super-spreaders" of COVID-19? No, that's not true: Although discoveries about the delta variant will continue to change knowledge about it as scientists learn from its rapid spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had not, by August 2, 2021, declared vaccinated persons to be "the super-spreaders"…

Did the U.S. military arrest former White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx for her role in deceiving the public about the effectiveness of masks in preventing the spread of COVID-19? No, that's not true: The claim is a complete fabrication by a website that has published a series of similar false claims about the military arrests of political…