COVID-19 Headlines V.S. Reality
Lately (especially in this new lockdown) internet users are constantly being exposed to headlines regarding COVID-19. These headlines range from fear-mongering to de-emphasizing a real threat. We decided to take a look at some of the the most obscene (yet somehow believable!) headlines we could find.
“Californian dies hours after getting COVID-19 vaccine, prompting probe” by The New York Post’s Kathianne Boniello (January 23, 2021)
No, the vaccine did not kill a perfectly healthy individual within hours. The deceased, who was not named, died on January 21 after testing positive for the virus in December. The article also states that the cause of death was still under investigation as of the posted date. Did someone die hours after receiving the vaccine? Yes. Did the vaccine cause the individual to die? This is still unconfirmed, but investigators say that it is unlikely.
“Here’s why your coronavirus face mask might be doing more harm than good” by The Boy Genius Report’s Yoni Heisler (September 30, 2020)
No, your facemask, if approved, is not more dangerous to you than COVID-19. When I took the time to read this article, it was very informative and accurate. The issue is that many people don’t actually read beyond headlines, and this one suggests that you shouldn’t wear a mask. Upon reading, the point that the author is trying to make is that “not all masks are created equal,” and that some are largely ineffective at reducing viral transmission. The moral of the story: any mask is better than no mask, but medically proven surgical masks are your best preventative measure.
“COVID-19 vaccines and aborted fetuses” by Fact Check NI (December 7, 2020)
No, the COVID-19 vaccine is not made from aborted fetuses. This rumour circulated social media quite a bit in late 2020. Although I didn’t find any headlines explicitly stating that the rumour was true, this one comes close. Once again, the truth behind the headline lies in the actual article. In the process of creating the vaccine, researchers used the HEK 293 cell line that originated from the cells of a fetus that was aborted in 1973. This cell line was said to be uniquely quick in its reproduction and has been replicated for modern-day use. The vaccine itself does NOT contain any fetal cells.
“Ontario death count includes people who didn't die of COVID-19, but exactly how many is unknown” by The Chronicle Herald’s Anthony Furey (October 8, 2020)
No, Ontario is not randomly stating that people are dying of COVID-19. Ontario’s death count does include people that did not necessarily die directly from the disease, however, it only counts deaths of individuals that died while sick with an active positive strain. For example, if someone died of cancer after testing positive for COVID-19 then it would be counted on the death toll because the virus may have been a contributing factor. If someone died in a car accident but did not have COVID, it would not be counted on the death toll just because it happened during the pandemic.
Quite frankly, it was more difficult for me to find these articles than I thought. Whenever I searched very biased statements such as “masks are deadly,” lots of fact-checking articles popped up. Even when I managed to find misleading headlines, they often contained real information after I gave them a click. With that, here are my parting messages:
Always read beyond the headline
Check to see if what you’re reading comes from a reliable source
Facebook commenters are not reliable sources: no matter what expertise they claim to have !
Read more than one article about the same topic and compare the information
Utilize Google Scholar
Be open to the idea that you may be wrong about something
Feel comfortable changing your opinion after you have received new, reliable information
Stay safe!