Bringing together the UK government, Facebook, and others to combat misinformation crises
With a coronavirus vaccine now potentially just months away, the global public deserves good information. Read
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Covid-19 fact checks
This page brings together Full Fact’s fact checks on Covid-19, covering common claims, vaccine safety and efficacy, symptoms, treatments, government policies, and misinformation. We review evidence, correct errors, and monitor evolving science to help you make informed decisions.
Health
The number of people dying right now is not the same as in any other year
It was also claimed on talkRADIO that deaths from other respiratory diseases have simply been “replaced“ with Covid-19. Read
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The infection fatality rate for Covid-19 is higher than 0.1%
Toby Young missed that a study he was citing had already calculated an IFR for Covid. Read
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The figure for a dose of a potential Covid-19 vaccine covers the cost of delivering the treatment
GP practices are private companies that receive funding from a range of places. Read
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Ticketmaster won’t demand proof of a Covid-19 vaccine for concert entry
The company said decisions about entry requirements for events will be up to individual organisers Read
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No, contact tracing doesn’t cost £10,000 per contact
The claim made by Independent SAGE is based on the £12 billion cost of the test and trace programme, which is mostly testing not tracing. Read
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The Covid-19 recovery rate is not 99.9%
Posts on social media have overestimated the Covid recovery rate. Read
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Health
There’s no evidence that mercury-based chemicals in a Covid-19 vaccine would cause harm
Thiomersal is no longer found in most standard vaccines and even if it was used in a Covid-19 vaccine there is no evidence it causes harm. Read
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Health
How accurate are the new rapid lateral flow tests?
New trial results show rapid lateral flow tests return very few false positives but a considerable number of false negatives. Read
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Health
New data doesn’t definitively show zero increase in suicides across England
Early figures from a few areas of England on suicides since the pandemic began may not represent the whole country. Read
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Evidence you can rely on
Fact checking claims made by politicians, public figures and viral online content can give you the full picture backed by the evidence.
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