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Can you help protect people from false information about the coronavirus?
As the coronavirus pandemic rolls on and some cities face fresh lockdowns, we’re still facing a torrent of false and harmful information. Can you help protect people from being misled?
In the past week, we’ve fact checked false claims that Bill Gates is putting microchips in Covid-19 vaccines, and that ordinary face masks can damage people’s health.
At best, false content and pranks cause confusion. At worst they can lead people to make harmful decisions about their lives and communities. We need your immediate support to help stamp it out.
Monthly supporters are helping make sure false information is spotted and called out.
But we face hundreds of posts like this. By giving just a few pounds a month, you can help make sure people have the information they need to make safe choices.
If you agree that good information matters can we count on your support today?
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FACT CHECK
We’ve seen posts on Facebook claiming or implying that face masks can be harmful, because they force the wearer to breathe in too much carbon dioxide—which can lead to a condition known as hypercapnia.
For most masks and face coverings this is not true. Keith Neal, Emeritus Professor of the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases at the University of Nottingham has described these claims as “malicious misinformation”.
In rare cases, this might happen when wearing certain medical respirators, known as N95 masks in the US and FFP2 masks here in the UK.
Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine at the University of East Anglia, added: “There are studies that show, with an N95 mask, some people have an elevated blood carbon dioxide level, [but] that does not apply to ordinary surgical masks, and it sure as heck doesn’t apply to other types of face covering.”
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Has our work made a difference? We’d love to hear from you
Have you ever changed your mind after reading a Full Fact article?
Perhaps we’ve helped you make a decision you wouldn’t have otherwise, or we’ve helped inform conversations you’ve had with friends or colleagues.
It’s thanks to our supporters and readers that we’re able to stand up for good information, publishing our regular fact checks and pushing for corrections. We’d love to hear from you.
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FACT CHECK
Last month, we spotted a dubious accusation made by Shaun Bailey, the Conservative candidate for London Mayor, against the current Mayor, Sadiq Khan.
He tweeted: “By deciding to increase the Congestion Charge, @SadiqKhan put politics above London’s economic recovery after Covid. Mr Mayor, just reverse it.”
It is true that London’s congestion charge has gone up, from its pre-pandemic level of £11.50 to £15.
But Mr Bailey failed to mention that, as a condition of a £1.9 billion bailout for Transport for London, the government stipulated that Mr Khan had to not only reintroduce the charge (it was briefly suspended to support key workers), but also “urgently bring forward proposals to widen the scope and levels of these charges.”
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FACT CHECK
Also this week...
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Find these updates useful? We'd be incredibly grateful if you could share our fact checks and help more people access good information.
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