The U.S. is seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases, so it may be prudent for people to wear masks when out in public and take a few extra precautions. But the government is not planning to implement mask mandates or “lockdowns,” despite claims from the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
Stories by Jessica McDonald
FactChecking Trump’s Interview with Carlson
FactChecking the First GOP Debate
High Winds, Drought Conditions Led to Maui Fires, No Evidence Intentionally Set
It’s not known what sparked the wildfires in Maui, although some evidence points to downed power lines. The conditions were ripe for fire, as large amounts of invasive grasses were dry due to drought and high winds helped to rapidly spread flames. Bogus posts on social media, however, are baselessly claiming the fires were intentionally set.
FactChecking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine advocate, is running for president as a Democrat. Our SciCheck team has combed through his recent interviews to identify and correct some of his most common health claims in a three-part series. In this first installment, we address several of his talking points about vaccines.
No ‘Bombshell’ On COVID-19 Origins, U.S. Intelligence Rebuts Claims About ‘Sick’ Lab Workers
It remains unknown how the virus that causes COVID-19 originated, but many scientists think a natural spillover is most likely. Online posts have cited unnamed sources to claim that scientists in Wuhan, China, were the first to get sick with COVID-19. But U.S. intelligence says the researchers’ symptoms were non-specific or inconsistent with COVID-19, and the information has no bearing on the origin of the pandemic.
Q&A on Mpox
What VAERS Can and Can’t Do, and How Anti-Vaccination Groups Habitually Misuse Its Data
FactChecking Ron DeSantis’ Presidential Announcement
Q&A on the Medication Abortion Court Rulings
More than half of abortions in the U.S. are medication abortions, done early in pregnancies. But federal court rulings have raised questions about the future availability of mifepristone, the first of the two-drug combination used in those abortions. Here we answer questions about the court rulings, mifepristone and what may happen next.