Is the COVID-19 vaccine only supposed to lessen symptoms, but not stop the spread of infection? No, that's not true: The claim is made without evidence nor reference to scientific research and is being spread by a chiropractor. Chiropractors specialize in re-alignment of the skeleton and manipulation of muscles and limbs to relieve pain. Chiropractic curriculum generally does not meet…

Does a photo show London Mayor Sadiq Khan getting a COVID-19 vaccination with the cap still on the needle? No, that's not true: This photo was posted to Twitter by the Mayor London on September 28, 2020 with a message about how to book and get a free 'flu jab.' The needle appears to still have its plastic cap on…

Did the post-Thanksgiving surge in COVID-19 cases after people traveled and gathered in groups -- which was predicted by Dr. Anthony Fauci and other health officials had warned would happen -- end up being a 'no-show'? No, that's not entirely true if you look at the absolute numbers: 70% of states set new peaks for cases of the novel coronavirus…

Did a Tennessee nurse who fainted after getting a COVID-19 vaccination shot do so due to a reaction to contents of the vaccine? No, that's not true. A nurse, who was given the COVID-19 live on television at the hospital where she is employed, collapsed after receiving the injection. However, she has a medical condition that causes her to pass…

Is the Q-tip nasal swab for COVID-19 that is stuck "up someone's brain" equivalent to "a drop of spit" that can infect someone from six feet away? No, that's not true. A single virus can hatch an infection, while a much bigger sample is needed for accurate testing. A drop of spit can infect a person because a virus riding…

Did six people die during Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine trial and is the FDA "not concerned"? Yes and no: Six participants died during the trial, but not from the vaccine. Of the six, just two were given the vaccine. The other four participants received a placebo. According to a briefing document from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is…

Does this video show a fake or faulty leaky syringe? No, that's not true: This style of medical syringe has a retractable needle for safety. It is designed to retract the needle into the barrel of the syringe after use, and this helps protect medical workers from needle stick injuries and makes for safer disposal. The video clip recorded from…

Is the Department of Defense photo of Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller getting a COVID-19 vaccination faked with a blunt oral syringe instead of a needle-tipped syringe? No, that's not true: Although the needle on the syringe is difficult to see against the background in the photo the Department of Defense posted on Twitter, a needle is clearly visible…

Is it true that the novel coronavirus has not crossed borders, that 2020 death rates are not higher than an average year, that COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe and ineffective and that COVID is no more lethal and infectious than the flu? No, none of those claims is true. Full-time virologists, vaccinologists, epidemiologists and public health officials cite peer-reviewed professional studies…

Was a nurse found dead only eight hours after she received the COVID-19 vaccine? This is an unsubstantiated rumor. There are no verified reports of a nurse who received the vaccine dying just hours later. This situation has been complicated by false reporting about the death of another nurse, which has conflated the two situations as one. Jennifer Lee McClung,…

Did the American Medical Association rescind its original guidance on the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19? No, that's not true: The AMA's guidance on hydroxychloroquine remains unchanged. Since the association's original March 25, 2020, statement on the use of the anti-malarial drug, the agency has added more information, but never back-tracked. The claim appeared in a blog post (archived…

Does a Stanford professor's study conclude that people under 70 years of age only have a 0.05% to 0.07% chance of dying from the novel coronavirus? Yes, that's true, but the professor, a medical doctor with an expertise in epidemiology, estimates patients under 70 account for 20% of the deaths in the United States, which adds up to about 60,000…

Can COVID-19 patients in quarantine call a CDC hotline to get free groceries and cleaning products delivered to their home? No, that's not true: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control does not have a special fund for home grocery deliveries for quarantined patients. A telephone number included in a meme making the claim is a number for Philadelphia's Department of…

Will a Radio Frequency Identification Chip that may be on the ApiJect COVID-19 vaccine syringes be injected into patients and would it track who has been vaccinated and where they are? No, that's not true: The tiny RFID chips would be placed under the syringe label and not be injected into patients, ApiJect Systems Corp spokesman Steven Hofman told Lead…

Are chemical mixtures made at home comparable to vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)? No, that's not true: Vaccines, which mostly consist of weakened or killed viruses or bacteria to boost the body's immune response, may include chemicals that stabilize the mixture, preserve it or boost the body's immune response. Few -- if any -- home…

Did Time Magazine select the frontline medical workers during the coronavirus pandemic as the person of the year? No, that's not true: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were announced as Time's person of the year on December 10, 2020. The claim appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) where it was published on December 7, 2020 with the caption: For…

Is this an accurate list of deadliest days in American history? No, that's not true: While the design of the infographic is clearly well-intentioned, this chart lacks some critical parameters for comparisons. This chart of lethal events separate from each day's unrelated mortality includes natural disasters, acts of war and terrorism, and the coronavirus pandemic, but neglects to include the…

Did "tens of thousands of moms ... watch their child regress or die within 24-72 hours" of being vaccinated? No, that's not true: There is no confirmation that tens of thousands of moms watched their children regress or die within 24 to 72 after receiving a vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Lead Stories there was "no…

Was the first person to get the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Britain also pictured getting a COVID vaccine back in October? No, that's not true: The prior date appears near an image of the historic vaccination because of the way CNN's website surrounds each article with related content, whether new or old. The first person to get the Pfizer vaccine in…

Did Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee order that no one speak in elevators to help slow the spread of coronavirus? No, not quite: His office released guidance that strongly advises no talking in elevators. The claim appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) where it was published on December 7, 2020, with the caption "LOL, look what the Idiot Inslee…