Editor’s note: We updated the timeline Jan. 19, 2021. In the span of one year, Americans went from hearing about a new virus in central China to watching the slow rollout of a vaccine, with only a small percentage of Americans able to access it in the first several weeks. In between, they endured months […]
During the day-to-day coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, it can sometimes feel like there are more questions than answers. So in this edition of Ask PolitiFact, we answered more of our readers’ questions about the virus. We read the latest research on how long the coronavirus can live on different surfaces and consulted with experts […]
Got a fever? Feeling achy? If so, it makes sense that you’d want to take ibuprofen, the over-the-counter anti-inflammatory often recommended for those symptoms. But recent claims on social media warn that this everyday remedy could increase the risk of complications with a COVID-19 infection. Knowing the facts has never been more important. Please consider […]
With the rising likelihood of a recession caused by the coronavirus outbreak, lawmakers have begun talking about remedies that will sound familiar to anyone who lived through the Great Recession of 2008: stimulus checks, assistance to hard-hit businesses, and moves by the Federal Reserve. But economists say the upcoming recession is actually quite different from […]
The way President Donald Trump sees it, there’s nothing wrong with calling the new coronavirus the “Chinese virus.” But the World Health Organization, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other health experts say that phrasing is wrong. Reporters during White House briefings on the coronavirus have asked Trump why […]
A Miami Beach city commissioner created a stir when he suggested that first responders should try to catch coronavirus so that they will develop immunity. Commissioner Ricky Arriola said at a March 13 meeting that he was researching whether someone develops immunity after they recover from COVID-19. “Some doctors have told me yes,” Arriola said. […]
In this edition of Ask PolitiFact, we tracked down answers to your questions about the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. We spoke to experts and answered reader questions about government control of test kits, the rationale behind travel bans, what martial law is, and more. Here’s how to submit your questions for our […]
For the 18 years Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders both served in Congress, lawmakers passed some of the most consequential and controversial legislation in a generation, including the 1994 Crime Bill, the PATRIOT Act, and the federal response to the 2008 financial crash. How did Biden and Sanders vote on these bills, and others? The Tampa […]
As the number of coronavirus cases grows in the U.S., we’re hearing a lot about how social distancing, self-monitoring and even quarantine play into containment efforts. But what do those terms mean and when do they apply? We asked experts and found out there is some overlap and lots of confusion. Here’s a quick guide […]
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders debated alone for the first (and maybe last) time Sunday on a closed Washington television set, jointly criticizing President Donald Trump’s handling of the growing coronavirus crisis while attacking each other over their past votes and statements. There was a lot for fact-checkers to sort out, including a back-and-forth that […]
See Figure 1 on PolitiFact.com
President Donald Trump and his administration are pivoting quickly to a more sweeping response to the coronavirus. Trump declared a national emergency in a March 13 Rose Garden speech as the White House negotiated a multi-billion dollar relief bill with House Democrats to cover paid leave for some workers and bolster state health care spending. […]