Covid-19 Test Swab

Did the CIA arrest a Harvard scientist for creating the novel coronavirus? No, that's not true: The headline on a YouTube viral video is inaccurate. Charles Lieber, the chair of Harvard University's Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, was arrested on January 28, 2020, for making fraudulent statements to federal authorities about his relationship with the Chinese government. The case…

Does a meme comparing the novel coronavirus deaths to other leading causes of death contain accurate figures? No, it does not: The meme understates some numbers while overstating others. It uses the data to suggest the national response to the COVID-19 global pandemic is overblown. The claim surfaced in a post (archived here) published on Facebook by Brad Winegardner on…

Is it true that asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 who die of other medical problems will be added to the coronavirus death toll? No, that's not true: Many asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 are not getting tested in the first place, so that assertion doesn't hold up. Lead Stories reached out to the president of the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME),…

Will boiling orange peels with cayenne pepper help treat or prevent the novel coronavirus? No, that's not true: There's currently no cure or vaccine for COVID-19, and several home remedies circulating on the Internet are bogus. There is no scientific evidence that this formula will help treat the virus. The claim originated in a post (archived here) published on Facebook…

Do physicians and other medical workers need to insert a swab through the nasal passage to the top of the throat of possible patients to test for COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus. Yes, that's true: A meme on social media illustrating the test is accurate, but also suggests that people not wanting to endure the pain of the procedure should…