Context: People continue to spread this false claim citing this table—which does not include deaths from most of January—and comparing this figure with past years' complete number. cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr…
From the NCHS Mortality Surveillance Data, you can see all deaths recorded for 2020, which are ALREADY HIGHER than ever recorded with a month to spare and incomplete data for recent weeks. cdc.gov/coronavirus/20…
And the "incomplete" caveat is important. CDC's numbers are based on statistics forwarded from local jurisdictions, which takes time. When the numbers are final, there will be perhaps 400,000 more deaths this calendar year than 2019.
Context: This is either a lie, or a wild misunderstanding, so of course it's gotten almost 10,000 retweets, being amplified by the usual suspects.
At the time the test was developed, the CDC did not have quantified samples of virus (meaning: where the number of RNA copies is nailed down). But that doesn't mean they used the common cold. They tested it against synthesized RNA strands matching the sequenced virus.
"VAIDS" has been circulating for a while, be really perked up when an mRNA AIDS vaccine trial was announced. Antivaxxer theory: vaccines cause AIDS, which will be treated with new vaccines! Ka-ching!
Context: The media did cover this to say that it's wrong. Because it is. There are dozens of authorized PCR tests, and it just happens that an obsolete one was phased out. reuters.com/article/factch…
This meme got started in July, but I've seen a lot recently as the imaginary end date for PCR tests approaches. I predict I'll see more next year when folks claim that PCR is illegal or something. Misinformation is immortal.
Context: This is an incredibly disingenuous plot that conceals an absurdly broad age range (10-59!) to falsely suggest vaccinations increase death. What's going on is >85% of people in their 50s are vaccinated (incl. 94% high risk) and 0% under 12 are. coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccin…
Older people just die more of heart disease and other conditions in general. When one group is mostly under 25 and another group is mostly over 40, the second group will have more deaths.