On February 23, 2022, Russia started an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, based on Russian misinformation from President Vladimir Putin.
Category: English
Is Biden enriching China by ordering at-home COVID-19 tests from China?
Claim: The Biden Administration has awarded a $1.3 billion contract to iHealth Lab to create millions of free at-home COVID-19 tests. IHealth Lab is owned by a Chinese company. Critics have said that the contract enriches China, and that the tests are unsafe and inaccurate because they are made in China.
Rating: This claim is FALSE. The U.S. government did not exclusively partner with iHealth Lab Inc. to provide COVID tests. It actually partnered with over 60 manufacturers from around the world in order to meet rising demand for free tests. The iHealth Lab tests have also been vetted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as safe for public use. In addition, a $1.3 billion contract is not a significant gain to the Chinese economy, which is $14.72 trillion.
Are hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin effective in treating COVID-19?
Claim: Former president Donald Trump has claimed that the drugs hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin are possible treatments for COVID-19.
Rating: This claim is FALSE. Numerous health organizations — such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Health, and the World Health Organization — say that hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin should not be used to treat COVID-19. Multiple medical studies have also shown that hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin is not effective in treating COVID-19.
Explainer: What is the Omicron variant?
The Omicron variant is the latest COVID-19 variant that is extremely contagious and can cause serious illness, hospitalization, or even death.
In order to prevent Omicron from spreading, the White House has created a website where any American can order a COVID-19 test. Visit COVIDTests.gov.
Explainer: What are the treatments for COVID-19?
Throughout the course COVID-19 pandemic, there have been a number of treatments prescribed for people who suffer from mild to severe COVID-19 infections. These treatments are NOT Ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine.
The medicine that is currently available to treat COVID-19 include: Veklury (also known as Remdesivir), Paxlovid, Molnupiravir, Monoclonal antibody treatments.
These treatments are only available with the approval of a medical provider. COVID-19 treatments are not a substitute for being vaccinated.
Explainer: What is long COVID?
“Long COVID” refers to the many symptoms that develop because of COVID-19, and last for weeks and months after first being infected by COVID-19. It’s also known as “post-COVID conditions,” “long-haul COVID,” “long-term effects of COVID,” or “chronic COVID.” These symptoms include lingering fatigue, shortness of breath, and loss of smell and taste.
Those with mild COVID-19 infections typically recover from long COVID after a couple of weeks. In people with more severe COVID-19 infections, long COVID symptoms usually last months after the initial infection, even after the virus is gone from the body.