AstraZeneca does not translate to ‘weapon that kills’
The Covid-19 vaccine developer got its name from a merger of two companies. Read
Fact checks
Covid-19 fact checks
This page brings together Full Fact’s fact checks on Covid-19, covering common claims, vaccine safety and efficacy, symptoms, treatments, government policies, and misinformation. We review evidence, correct errors, and monitor evolving science to help you make informed decisions.
Health
The infectious diseases in an ONS graph are not the ones you might expect
The ICD 10 groups “infectious diseases” in a surprising way that includes sepsis, but not flu. Read
Fact checks
Germany has spent far more than £48m on test and trace
The UK has not spent £32 billion on Test and Trace so far, and Germany has spent much more than £48 million. Read
Fact checks
17 countries haven’t ‘banned’ the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
Seventeen countries in Europe have temporarily stopped using the Covid-19 vaccine. Read
Fact checks
Health
This text from a GP is real
Facebook users were concerned that a public health message sent by text from a GP surgery was not genuine. The GP practice has said it’s real. Read
Fact checks
Health
Has the NHS had its budget reduced by £30 billion?
Labour claims that the Budget took £30bn out of day to day health spending, this is true if you include the withdrawal of last year’s Covid money. Read
Fact checks
NHS Test and Trace has not spent £37bn so far
A post on social media uses the total two-year Test and Trace budget to make misleading claims about where the money is going. Read
Fact checks
What happens when pupils test positive for Covid-19?
There’s been some confusion over whether pupils can return to school after a positive lateral flow test but a negative PCR result. Read
Fact checks
Health
Misleading claims about Serco’s role in Test and Trace resurface
Most of the money spent on Test and Trace goes on testing. Serco plays a big part in tracing, but does not receive a majority of the funding. Read
Fact checks
Health
Side effects from the Oxford and Pfizer vaccines are about the same
An article in the Express is misleading when it says that the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine has ‘more adverse side effects’. Read
Fact checks
