FactCheck.org Author: Lori Robertson

What We’ve Learned About So-Called ‘Lockdowns’ and the COVID-19 Pandemic

March 8, 2022

Plenty of peer-reviewed studies have found government restrictions early in the pandemic, such as business closures and physical distancing measures, reduced COVID-19 cases and/or mortality, compared with what would have happened without those measures. But conservative news outlets and commentators have seized on a much-criticized, unpublished working paper that concluded “lockdowns” had only a small impact on mortality as definitive evidence the restrictions don’t work.

FactChecking Trump’s CPAC Speech

February 28, 2022

Former President Donald Trump’s keynote speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference included several false and misleading claims, some of which we’ve fact-checked before. Here we focus on assertions about foreign policy and energy.

Studies Show Boosted Immunity Against Omicron with Booster Doses

January 28, 2022

Neither primary vaccination nor natural immunity is generally stopping infections with the omicron variant, but research shows booster doses substantially increase protection. Yet, Republican Sen. Rand Paul claimed that a case of COVID-19 provides “an immunity better than the vaccine.”

FactChecking Biden’s Press Conference

January 20, 2022

In a nearly two-hour press conference, President Joe Biden stretched the facts and left out important context on vaccinations, funding for lead pipe removal, child poverty and more.

Biden’s Numbers

January 20, 2022

Statistical measures of the president’s term to date.

Q&A on At-Home Rapid Tests

January 14, 2022

The demand for at-home, rapid COVID-19 tests — sparked by the fast-spreading omicron variant in December — has continued in 2022. With that demand have come questions about the tests’ efficacy, how to use them and where to get them. We answer those queries and more.

FactChecking the Justices’ COVID-19 Claims

January 10, 2022

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Jan. 7 challenging the Biden administration’s attempts to expand COVID-19 vaccinations. Here we present the facts on some COVID-19 claims made by the justices.

FactChecking Claims About the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot

January 6, 2022

The Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was the culmination of months of false claims about election fraud. On that day — and afterward — we debunked false, misleading and unfounded claims related to the events that day.

Early Data on Omicron

December 22, 2021

As many Americans and others around the globe prepare for holiday travel and get-togethers, the omicron variant continues to be a concern. While the available data on transmission, vaccine effectiveness and severity of disease are still preliminary, here’s what we’ve learned so far.

Researchers Studying Whether Mouthwashes Can Reduce Viral Load, COVID-19 Transmission

December 9, 2021

In a Dec. 8 town hall meeting, Sen. Ron Johnson may have left a misleading impression in saying “standard gargle, mouthwash, has been proven to kill the coronavirus.” In the laboratory, some mouthwashes have been shown to block infectivity or suppress SARS-CoV-2, but studies involving people using mouthwash are not conclusive. Researchers are continuing to study the matter.