2 Oct 2020 | Facts and news from Full Fact

FACT CHECK

It’s wrong to say that only 3% of Covid-19 cases are caused by restaurants and pubs

The Sun, the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Star have all run stories claiming that pubs and restaurants caused just 3% of Covid-19 infections in the week before the new 10pm curfew was announced (up to Sunday September 20).

But this appears to stem from a misreading of Public Health England (PHE) data on acute respiratory infection (ARI) incidents.

Indeed, 17 of 532 confirmed ARIs in England, or 3%, were from food outlets and restaurant settings.

But a confirmed ARI is not the same as a Covid-19 case - it only covers outbreaks and clusters where more than one person has a respiratory infection.

Over the same period, there were 26,259 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in England, compared to 532 ARIs.

So rather than 3% of all Covid-19 cases coming from restaurants, as was reported, it was actually 3% of reported incidents linked to Covid-19 investigated by PHE.
How many people get infected in pubs and restaurants?
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The second series of the Full Fact podcast kicks off with Deep Fakes
 
Deep Fakes have often been touted as an emerging tool of disinformation. But how big is the problem now, and how big will it get?

In the first episode of the series, available to listen from Monday, world-leading photo forensics expert Dr Hany Farid joins us from California to explain how Deep Fake technology is improving, and whether the detection technology can keep up with its progress.
 

FACT CHECK

Serco didn’t build and does not run the NHS Test and Trace app

We’ve spotted claims on social media that Serco, a private company that is contracted to provide a range of public services, is behind the Test and Trace app.

Serco does play a role in the Test and Trace process, but not the app itself. Along with other companies, Serco is contracted to manage facilities at some regional test sites as well as some aspects of contact tracing via call centres for pillar 2 tests, (which are tests taken by members of the public).

But this work is separate from the app. The company is not listed as a group involved in the app, which includes arms of the NHS, as well as staff from the private firm Accenture.

It’s unclear where this false claim first originated, although RT did claim Serco were behind the app back in May.
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ANNOUNCEMENT

Full Fact launches a WhatsApp fact checking service in the UK

One of the hallmarks of misinformation in this coronavirus pandemic is that we’ve seen more and more harmful content coming to us via WhatsApp.

We’ve seen bogus health advice, footage purporting to show body bags piling up in a UK hospital and vastly exaggerated coronavirus ‘warnings’ purporting to come from paramedics. All were false, and many are designed to spread fear and panic.

We’re partnering with WhatsApp to create a Full Fact WhatsApp service (in the UK only).

The next time you see something being shared on Whatsapp that you’re not sure of, you can add Full Fact's number, forward it on directly to us, and we’ll fact check it for you.
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EVENT

Upcoming event: misuse of statistics webinar

The coronavirus pandemic has shown just how critical it is that everyone has access to accurate information that they can use to make important decisions. As well as promoting good information, it is crucial that the misuse of data and information is challenged.

Full Fact is not alone in these efforts, and the International Association for Official Statistics is hosting an event on 6 October that will bring together leaders from around the world to discuss how statistical agencies can prevent misuse of statistics.
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