Health
Ordinary colds and flu aren’t the reason for rising Covid-19 cases
We are not mistaking normal autumn illness for a “second wave” Read
Fact check
Health
Get clear and trusted health facts. We explain symptoms, treatments, and health advice in simple language you can understand.
Challenging someone for not wearing a face mask isn’t against the Equality Act
It has been claimed on social media that challenging someone who is not wearing a face covering could result in a fine. Read
Fact check
A Covid-19 diagnostic test won’t pick up other coronaviruses
Antibody tests which detect whether someone had Covid-19 in the past may pick up antibodies to other coronaviruses. Read
Fact check
Health
Serco didn’t build and does not run the NHS Test and Trace app
Serco has been contracted during the pandemic to assist with facilities management and contact tracing call centres. Read
Fact check
Health
It’s wrong to say that only 3% of Covid-19 cases are caused by restaurants and pubs
This is a misreading of data on the number of outbreaks or clusters identified by Public Health England. Read
Fact check
Covid-19 has killed more people than obesity in the UK this year
An Instagram post compares recent Covid-19 and obesity mortality rates which are not representative of the wider picture. Read
Fact check
Health
How quickly is the outbreak growing?
Government scientists warned that new cases could double every week, which some people say is not realistic. Read
Fact check
People did die of Covid-19 in Ireland in August
A viral post compares the number of deaths from cancer, suicide, alcohol and Covid-19 in Ireland, but it gets a lot wrong. Read
Fact check
Health
How does a Covid-19 test work?
The common cold will not produce a positive result on a Covid-19 diagnostic test. Read
Analysis
The government is not planning to roll out an untested Covid-19 vaccine
A government consultation about unlicensed vaccines has been misunderstood online. Read
Fact check
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.
Subscribe to weekly email newsletters from Full Fact for updates on politics, immigration, health and more. Our fact checks are free to read but not to produce, so you will also get occasional emails about fundraising and other ways you can help. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy.