Are hepatitis cases in children related to the J&J COVID-19 vaccine? No, that's not true: The claim that the adenovirus vector in the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine is related to youths being diagnosed with hepatitis is not possible because that vaccine is not approved for children in the United States nor in the United Kingdom as of April 25,…

Are COVID-19 vaccines "killing people of color at twice the rate of white people," as Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said on April 14, 2022? No, that's not true: There's no evidence the vaccines are killing people in general, so there's no evidence that they're killing people of color at a disproportionately higher rate. Becerra misspoke when he…

Did the U.S. Department Of Defense award a contract for "COVID-19 Research" in Ukraine three months before the virus was known to exist? No, that's not true: The Department of Defense (DOD) contract that was originally awarded on November 12, 2019, was later modified on June 10, 2020, and its description changed to include "COVID 19 RESEARCH." The claim appeared…

Does a 2009 television show prove the COVID-19 pandemic was planned? No, that's not true: There is no evidence presented in the nearly three-minute clip from the "Secret Societies" episode of the truTV show "Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura" that proves the epidemic was planned by the global elite to reduce the world's surplus population. The claims appeared in a…

Is polypropylene from face masks a major source of microplastics in our lungs? No, that's not true: The benefits of wearing masks outweigh the risks. Microplastics (MPs) can be found throughout the environment. Nearly two-thirds of MPs come from synthetic clothing and textiles and the wear of tires while driving, according to a 2017 report from the International Union for…

Do the reported adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines in the United States include more than 4,000 fetal or newborn deaths? No, that's not true: A Lead Stories analysis of the numbers found in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), based on data through April 8, 2022, wasn't able to duplicate the claimed results plus no conclusions can be reached…

Do fully vaccinated people account for 92 percent of COVID-19 deaths in England? Yes, it's slightly exaggerated but true: However, simple ratio analysis based on that statistic doesn't fully tell the story. The report these figures come from warns on Page 45 that "Comparing case rates among vaccinated and unvaccinated populations should not be used to estimate vaccine effectiveness against…

Do only unhealthy people die from COVID-19? No, that's not true: The person posting the statement "Healthy people don't die from COVID" on social media doesn't explain what they meant by healthy, but people of all ages and a wide range of medical conditions have died from the virus. Age appears to be a greater indicator of risk, with more…

Rather than a virus, is COVID-19 instead snake venom being used to poison people or turn them into satanic hybrids? No, that's not true: The claim is part of an elaborate conspiracy theory packed into an anti-vaccine documentary filled with falsehoods, scare tactics and religious imagery that takes viewers from the Garden of Eden to modern times. The virus that…

Did the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publish data suggesting that triple vaccinated people in England are developing a new form of AIDS? No, that's not true: The data does not show immune systems being destroyed by COVID-19 vaccines but instead how vaccine efficacy wanes over time. COVID vaccines boost the ability of our bodies to fight coronavirus. They do…

Do Pfizer documents reveal vaccinated people will transfer their COVID-19 shots to the unvaccinated through inhalation and skin contact? No, that's not true: The claim is based on the standard clinical study protocol used for a wide range of medicines. There is no publicly available evidence the mRNA COVID vaccines cause vaccinated persons to cast off excess spike proteins. The…

Did the Irish Examiner publish a report about a sudden increase in heart problems among sports players due to referee whistles? No, that's not true: A spoof image was created using a fake story and the masthead of the Irish Examiner. This was circulated on social media via a screenshot -- but this article never appeared in the Irish Examiner.…

Are flu and COVID-19 identical illnesses, meaning that vaccine recommendations for each are the same? No, that's not true: The recommendations may vary as the illnesses are distinct. During an interview in 2004, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that a woman who recently had the flu did not need the flu…

Has the U.S. Army officially begun dishonorably discharging soldiers who haven't taken the vaccine for COVID-19? No, that's not true: According to a Pentagon spokesperson, "No US Army Soldier has received a dishonorable discharge solely for refusing the COVID vaccination order." The claim appeared as a tweet (archived here) where it was published on Twitter on March 20, 2022, by…

Did the Canadian government publish data suggesting those triple-vaccinated against COVID-19 have developed AIDS and are five times more likely to die of COVID than the unvaccinated? No, that's not true: The data does not show immune systems being destroyed by COVID-19 vaccines but instead how vaccine efficacy wanes over time. COVID vaccines boost the ability of our bodies to…

Do COVID-19 booster shots cause rapid cancer growth? No, that's not true: Michel Goldman, one of the authors of a paper misused on social media to make the claim, told Lead Stories in a March 21, 2022, email, "This is an abusive and unacceptable interpretation." The paper cited illustrates a single case of a 66-year-old man who had already been…

Did U.S. Marines arrest "Dr. Fauci's NIH Assistant, Patricia L. Conrad" on March 17,2022, after obtaining a military arrest warrant signed by a "Deputy Judge Advocate General"? No, that's not true: The story is "false," a Pentagon duty officer told Lead Stories. A spokesperson for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) also confirms that the information in the article is…

Did the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publish data confirming the triple vaccinated are weeks away from developing AIDS? No, that's not true: The data does not show immune systems being destroyed by COVID-19 vaccines but instead how vaccine efficacy wanes over time. COVID vaccines boost the ability of our bodies to fight coronavirus. They do not compromise our body's…

Were documents published that confirm Moderna created the COVID-19 virus? No, that's not true: Bala Ambati, a University of Oregon research professor and one of the authors of those documents, told Lead Stories, "We are not casting aspersions on any person, company, or country, but rather raising the hypothesis that recombination in a human cell line with a lab leak…

Did the U.S. government secretly pay major media outlets to promote COVID-19 vaccines and suppress negative coverage? No, that's not true: The public education campaign via ads was announced by the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the early months of 2021. The funding was approved by Congress. The paid ads were handled by…