Claim: The world’s biggest snake has been caught by two hunters in Florida, United States of America (USA). Fact: The record for the longest snake in the world dates back to 1912, when a reticulated python measured in at 32 feet and 9.5 inches. This record has not yet been broken. In 2020, two python […]
Claim: A video captioned “Govt Imposed Ban On Sinopharm And Moderna Vaccine, But Why?” was shared by Facebook page City 42. Fact: District Health Officer Dr. Zaeem Zia confirmed to Soch Fact Check that the Sinopharm and Moderna vaccines have not been banned by the government. A video titled “Govt Imposed Ban On Sinopharm And […]
Claim: European countries stopped using the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after cases of blood clots were reported. Fact: Some European countries temporarily paused the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s vaccine. At least 18 of these countries have now removed the pause. Thromboembolic Events with Blood Clots During the first three weeks of March, countries across Europe temporarily paused […]
Claim: Pakistan is using a Chinese vaccine which was proven to have an efficacy of 50.4% during late-stage trials held in Brazil. Fact: Pakistan has currently approved Sinopharm Biotech Ltd.’s vaccine from China. The Sinovac vaccine that was tested in Brazil has not been approved in Pakistan. Pakistan is currently testing one other Chinese vaccine, […]
Claim: The Covid-19 vaccine negatively impacts male fertility. Fact: Any relationship between male fertility and the Covid-19 vaccine has not been scientifically proven. On 12 January, 2021 Zaid Hamid tweeted a screenshot of this article with the misleading headline “Study investigates effects of Covid-19 on male fertility,” implying the clinical trial has been completed and […]
Claim: A WhatsApp message being circulated claims that South City Hospital, Imtiaz Supermarket and Chase Up have all been shut due to Covid-19 outbreaks. The message also claims that 16 positive Covid-19 cases can be traced to Al Jadeed store. Fact: No recent Covid-19 outbreaks have been reported in any of the above mentioned places […]
Claim: Eating locusts boosts the immune system’s response against Covid-19. Fact: The immune system cannot be modified significantly by the consumption of any specific food, locusts or otherwise. Adhering to a healthy diet on the whole is the only way to provide ongoing support to the immune system. On June 24 2020, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA […]
Claim: News headlines portray bubonic plague case in China as a novel occurrence Fact: Cases of the bubonic plague are reported worldwide every year. The disease is curable in most cases. A number of western international media outlets such as CNN, BBC and the New York Times reported over the weekend that a case of […]
Claim: Fumigation of outdoor spaces with a disinfectant is an effective way to curtail the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19). Fact: Spraying or fumigation of outdoor spaces is not recommended and is ineffective in preventing the spread of Covid-19. Since the start of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak, we have seen videos and images from […]
Claim: A mob interrupted Antim Sanskar or cremation of a Hindu trader from Dadu who passed away from Covid-19 claiming it could lead to the spread of the virus. Fact: Although dead bodies of Covid-19 patients aren’t infectious in general according to WHO, even if the virus was present it would have been destroyed during […]
Claim: The Ozone layer is recovering after a larger than usual hole formed above the Arctic in April 2020 due to a reduction in aerosol pollutants caused by Covid-19 lockdowns. Fact: The polar vortex is a system of strong and cold circular winds in the Arctic which caused the formation of the hole, and when […]
Claim: Walk-through disinfection gates kill the virus that causes Covid-19 and helps restrict its transmission. Fact: Spraying water, chlorine (bleach) and alcohol over the body does not prevent the spread of Covid-19. In the earliest stages of the pandemic, various methods of discouraging the spread of the virus had been put in place by local […]