Health
False claim persists that flu vaccine caused strep A in mice
It’s based on a misreading of a paper that found a different bacteria in the upper respiratory tract of vaccinated mice. Read
Fact checks
Social media
Fact checks of content undertaken as part of Full Fact’s work on the Third Party Fact Checking Programme with Facebook
Health
Current flu vaccines don’t use mRNA technology
A post on Facebook wrongly suggests that mRNA technology used in two Covid-19 vaccines has also been used in the flu vaccine. Read
Fact checks
Health
Test and Trace spend wouldn’t fund a 15% pay rise for NHS staff until 2058
A viral claim on social media wrongly suggests that the amount spent on the NHS Test and Trace scheme would fund a 15% pay rise for all NHS staff until 2058. Read
Fact checks
Health
Insufficient evidence fenbendazole cures cancer says Cancer Research UK
Although studies have been done in cancer cells in the lab, and in mice, there isn’t sufficient evidence that it can cure cancer in humans. Read
Fact checks
Facebook post offering free Toby Carvery meals isn’t genuine
The post claiming to be giving away free meals to those who share and comment on it has been shared thousands of times on Facebook. Read
Fact checks
The WEF hasn’t required unvaccinated pilots for Davos delegates
The false claim that delegates had to be flown to Davos by unvaccinated pilots has been circulating on social media. Read
Fact checks
A road sign showing Oxford is being divided into ‘districts’ is fake
Oxfordshire County Council has confirmed there are no plans to introduce such road signs in the city, contrary to posts on social media. Read
Fact checks
Mice study didn’t show flu vaccine causes strep A
A 2014 study has been repeatedly used to falsely claim that nasal flu vaccines can cause strep A infections. Read
Fact checks
Electoral Commission has no evidence of tellers engaging in voter fraud
A Facebook post claims tellers outside polling stations are collecting information to enable people to commit voter fraud. There’s no evidence this is actually happening. Read
Fact checks
Covid-19 vaccines are not being used to treat strep A or scarlet fever
In a Facebook video, Chris Preddie made a number of inaccurate claims about the Covid-19 vaccines. Read
Fact checks
Evidence you can rely on
Fact checking claims made by politicians, public figures and viral online content can give you the full picture backed by the evidence.
Subscribe to weekly email newsletters from Full Fact for updates on politics, immigration, health and more. Our fact checks are free to read but not to produce, so you will also get occasional emails about fundraising and other ways you can help. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy.