Here’s how the United States has fared since President Joe Biden took office two years ago.
Biden’s Numbers, January 2023 Update
Posts Misinterpret NYC Health Tweet About Omicron Subvariant XBB.1.5
An unclear tweet from New York City health officials was meant to caution residents that the latest omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5, might be more likely than previous variants to infect vaccinated or previously infected people. Social media posts misinterpreted the tweet to mean that vaccinated people were at higher risk than unvaccinated people.
Social Media Posts Twist Meaning of CDC, FDA Disclosure on Bivalent Booster
Government health agencies disclosed a potential safety concern for strokes in those 65 and older with one of the COVID-19 vaccines, but the agencies haven’t found any causal relationship and the concern was flagged by just one of several monitoring systems. Anti-vaccine campaigners, however, have wrongly claimed the agencies have found a link between the boosters and strokes.
Magic Johnson Did Not Contract HIV from a Vaccine, Contrary to Online Claim
Since his diagnosis in 1991, NBA player Magic Johnson has repeatedly said he contracted HIV through sexual transmission. But a viral social media post by a spreader of vaccine misinformation falsely claims that Johnson was exposed to the virus from a hepatitis B vaccine.
Timeline of Biden’s Classified Documents
President Joe Biden now finds himself ensnared in his own classified documents investigation, after attorneys working for him found several small batches of documents marked as classified from Biden’s time as vice president. Here’s our timeline of what we know about Biden’s situation so far.
COVID-19 Vaccines Tested in Clinical Trials, Despite Bogus Social Media Claims
The COVID-19 vaccines were tested in large, randomized controlled trials before the Food and Drug Administration authorized them for emergency use. But a popular YouTube video spins a conspiracy theory that distorts legal codes to falsely claim otherwise.
McCarthy Distorts Facts About DOJ Search of Mar-a-Lago
In questioning why the FBI “raid[ed] President Trump,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy falsely claimed that government officials “could have come and taken” classified government documents stored at Donald Trump’s private club and residence in Florida “any time they wanted.”
What to Know About the Special Counsels Investigating Trump and Biden
Here we provide readers with a refresher about special counsels, including their authority and responsibilities. We also provide some information about the men selected to head the investigations of the current and former presidents.
Hot Air Over Gas Stoves
The Biden administration is not planning to ban gas stoves. But comments from a commissioner on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission about gas stoves being a “hidden hazard” and that “products that can’t be made safe can be banned” provided just enough fuel for some politicians to stoke fear and outrage.
No Surge in Athlete Deaths, Contrary to Widespread Anti-Vaccine Claims
Sports medicine experts say there has been no increase in sudden death or cardiac injury among U.S. athletes since the COVID-19 vaccines became available. Yet anti-vaccine campaigners, comparing unreliable numbers to an unrelated study, have again spread a false narrative about vaccine safety since NFL player Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest.