Facts, On Video and en Español

In recent months, you may have noticed our efforts to provide our fact-checking work not only in English, but in Spanish as well. That's because COVID-19 misinformation knows no barriers—language or otherwise—and the facts shouldn't, either.

This week, we published our first video with Univision Noticias, with whom we've partnered to produce bilingual content addressing COVID-19 vaccine misinformation. It's a joint project funded by the Google News Initiative.

Using our preemptive model of fact-checking, the video lays out some facts about the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and then debunks false claims made by a Texas doctor and activist—including the erroneous assertion that the vaccines do not confer immunity to anyone who receives them. In fact, the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have demonstrated in clinical trials to be highly effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 disease. They've also proven to be highly effective in preventing infection with the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, that causes the disease, in real-world conditions.

Watch the video in English and Spanish.

¡Vivan los hechos! Long live facts!

Reader: I have but one question: Who funds FactCheck.org? Await your response. 

FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely: Great question. We provide quarterly and annual financial reports on our funding sources. Go to the “About Us” drop down menu on our home page and click on “Our Funding.” Currently, we receive funding from the Annenberg Foundation, Facebook, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and individual donors. Our policy is to disclose the identity of any individual who makes a donation of $1,000 or more. In 2015, Inside Philanthropy praised our disclosure policy for “exemplifying nonprofit transparency.”

Wrapping Up

Here's what else we've got for you this week:

• "Republican Spin on Democrats’ Voting Bill": In the days leading up to the Senate vote on the House-passed elections bill, Republicans offered several misleading talking points about the Democratic bill, and made other statements that required more context.
   
• "Conservative Outlets Advance Unfounded Theory About Capitol Attack": There is no evidence that “unindicted co-conspirators” mentioned in federal indictments related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack are undercover FBI agents or informants, as conservative outlets have claimed or suggested. Legal experts and federal case law say that government agents and informants cannot be labeled conspirators to a crime.
   
• "Soccer Star’s Collapse Was Unrelated to COVID-19 Vaccine": Danish soccer star Christian Eriksen is recovering well after he suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed during a match on June 12. But after the incident, social media posts falsely claimed he had recently been vaccinated for COVID-19 and suggested that led to his collapse. Team officials said he has not been vaccinated.
   
• "Post Misrepresents Details of Postmortem Study of Vaccinated Patient": A controversial radio show host and blogger misrepresented findings of a published case report to conclude that an 86-year-old man died as a result of being vaccinated against COVID-19. The case report’s lead author said the man died of bacterial pneumonia and “there was not any sign of vaccination side effect.”
   
• "Airlines Are Encouraging, Not Banning, Vaccinated Passengers": Airlines are encouraging people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine to fly once again. Yet social media posts falsely claim that airline executives around the world are discussing banning vaccinated passengers due to a risk of blood clotting at high altitudes. Experts say there is no evidence of an added risk of blood clots for vaccinated air travelers.

• "La evidencia apunta a que las vacunas contra el COVID-19 son seguras para personas embarazadas": Los ensayos clínicos y los estudios médicos han indicado que las vacunas contra el COVID-19 son seguras para personas embarazadas. Sin embargo, mensajes en redes sociales tergiversan reportes no verificados presentados en los sistemas de monitoreo de vacunas en los Estados Unidos y Europa para sugerir engañosamente que “920 mujeres” perdieron bebés porque recibieron vacunas contra el COVID-19.