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An update from FactCheck.org
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** Biden's Numbers: A Mixed Bag
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As our regular readers know, we have been tracking the nation’s progress — or lack thereof, in some cases — for nearly 10 years, since October 2012, when we introduced a feature we called “Obama’s Numbers ([link removed]) .”

Every three months, we updated Obama's Numbers, which was followed by Trump's Numbers ([link removed]) and, more recently, Biden’s Numbers ([link removed]) , which debuted in January.

This week, we published our first quarterly update of Biden's Numbers.

These stories tend to be a mixed bag for presidents and full of interesting -- sometimes eye-popping -- statistics.

Consider this: For the most recent 12 months on record, ending in February, apprehensions at the southern border totaled 2,079,543. That’s a whopping 309% higher than the average during Trump’s last year in office.

Or this: The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services has grown by more than 34% under President Joe Biden, and it's on pace to exceed $1 trillion for the first time in history in 2022.

But there's also the fact that the economy regained 7.9 million jobs, the unemployment rate fell to 3.6%, and the percentage of Americans without health insurance dropped by 1.4 points.

For more about these and other key statistical measures, read "Biden's Numbers (First Quarterly Update) ([link removed]) ."
HOW WE KNOW
When it comes to comparing state laws, a useful fact-checking resource is the National Conference of State Legislatures. Staff writer D'Angelo Gore used the NCSL for a story he did on a TV ad that claimed -- without proof -- that the Democrats in Georgia won both U.S. Senate seats in runoff elections in January 2021 because of "widespread illegal ballot harvesting." According to the NCSL ([link removed]) , 31 states, including Georgia, explicitly allow someone other than the voter to mail or drop off an absentee ballot on behalf of the voter, usually a family member or caregiver.
FEATURED FACT
Remdesivir is the only antiviral drug that’s gotten full approval from the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of COVID-19. But it’s not the only drug that’s available. Other treatment options have been authorized for emergency use, including an oral antiviral called Paxlovid, which has been the preferred treatment for COVID-19 patients who aren’t hospitalized. For more about COVID-19 treatments and the science supporting their use, please see our item "What treatments are available for COVID-19? ([link removed]) "
WORTHY OF NOTE
FactCheck.org Science Editor Jessica McDonald discussed COVID-19 -- what else? -- in a recent interview that aired April 10 on several of Philadelphia's iHeartRadio stations.

Jessica spoke with Loraine Ballard Morrill, host of the Philadelphia community affairs shows “What’s Going On” and “Insight,” to discuss her article “Q&A on Second COVID-19 Boosters for Older People ([link removed]) ." The Food and Drug Administration authorized the shots for people 50 years and older at the end of March.

A day after the interview aired, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health announced ([link removed]) it would reinstate its indoor mask requirement. In her interview, Jessica discussed the metrics that Philadelphia uses to determine when a mask mandate should be required. Get a link to her interview here ([link removed]) .
REPLY ALL

Reader: Social Security recipients receive in $1657 in the month of April cost-of-living raise. This is a true fact!

FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely: There was no change in benefits in April; the change occurred in January.

Every year, Social Security adjusts benefits based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. In October, the Social Security Administration announced ([link removed]) that the cost-of-living increase would be 5.9% for 2022.

According to an SSA fact sheet ([link removed]) , the average monthly payment for all retired workers will increase from $1,565 to $1,657 -- which is the number you reference in your email.

However, the change in benefits took effect in January of this year -- not in April -- according to ([link removed]) a Social Security FAQ on the 2022 increase.

"The increase will begin with benefits that Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2022," the FAQ says.

So, there will be no change in April. The cost-of-living adjustment has already taken effect.


** Wrapping Up
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Here's what else we've got for you this week:
* "Distorted Graphic in Georgia Governor Race ([link removed]) ": When it comes to political images, seeing shouldn’t always be believing. Case in point is an image recently tweeted by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp that is misleadingly presented to make his polling advantage over Republican rival David Perdue appear larger than it actually is in a hypothetical general election matchup with Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams.
* "COVID-19 Vaccines Reduce Hospitalization and Death Rates, Contrary to Social Media Claims ([link removed]) ": Those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 are more prone to serious illness and are dying at higher rates than those who are vaccinated. But partisan social media accounts, including a post by a member of former President Donald Trump’s campaign legal team, continue to misleadingly suggest the vaccines are unnecessary and discourage their use.
* "TV Ad Attacking Brian Kemp Makes Unsubstantiated Georgia Election Claim ([link removed]) ": The Georgia secretary of state’s office is investigating a conservative watchdog group’s claims of illegal “ballot harvesting” in the state during the November 2020 general election and a special election runoff in January 2021. But the pending investigation is not evidence that “widespread illegal ballot harvesting” elected Georgia’s two Democratic U.S. senators, as a conservative super PAC’s TV ad claims.
* "Social Media Posts Misrepresent Tennessee Bill Allowing Common Law Marriage ([link removed]) ": A Tennessee bill is aimed at excluding same-sex couples from proposed common law marriage contracts. Social media posts misleadingly claim the bill would allow child marriage and “legalize pedophilia.” The bill initially omitted a minimum age, but was amended on April 6 to say individuals must be at least 18 years old.
* "Donald Trump Jr. Spreads His Father’s False Russia-Related Claims on Facebook ([link removed]) ": Former President Donald Trump repeated false claims about a Russian natural gas pipeline, U.S. energy production and the 2020 U.S. presidential election in a four-minute video clip posted to Facebook by his eldest son, Donald Jr. YouTube removed the full video from its platform for spreading misinformation.
* "Zelensky and Soros Aren’t Cousins, Contrary to Social Media Claim ([link removed]) ": Conspiracy theories aimed at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have been circulating on social media since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. One recent example, falsely attributed to a “Pentagon official,” is the unfounded claim that Zelensky is the cousin of billionaire philanthropist George Soros.
* "Josh Mandel Campaign Ad Was Not Photoshopped, Contrary to Social Media Posts ([link removed]) ": In a campaign ad, Josh Mandel, a Republican Senate candidate from Ohio, shared an image of himself as a Marine with a group of Black troops. Social media posts falsely claim that Mandel photoshopped his head onto the body of a Black Marine. The Mandel campaign denied the claim and provided the media with a copy of the original image.

Y lo que publicamos en español ([link removed]) (English versions are accessible in each story):
* "Ensayos clínicos no encuentran aumento en mortalidad entre pacientes con COVID-19 tratados con remdesivir, al contrario de lo que afirman en redes sociales ([link removed]) ": Remdesivir es el único medicamento antiviral aprobado por la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de Estados Unidos para tratar el COVID-19. Pero un quiropráctico retirado afirma engañosamente en un videoclip que se viralizó en las redes sociales que el fármaco está “matando a la gente”. Estudios han demostrado que el remdesivir puede resultar en una recuperación más rápida para pacientes hospitalizados.

Have a question about COVID-19 and the vaccines? Visit our SciCheck page ([link removed]) for answers. It's available in Spanish ([link removed]) , too.
Donate to Support Our Work ([link removed])

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