#YouAsked Covid-19 Health Are there fewer overall deaths in South Africa during the coronavirus pandemic? Source Report on weekly deaths in South Africa (South African Medical Research Council) Short answer Are there fewer overall deaths in South Africa during the coronavirus pandemic? The Burden of Disease Research Unit of the South African Medical Research Council has been using information from the National Population Register and historical data from 2018 and 2019 to estimate the number of deaths that could be expected during 2020. They compare it with deaths registered during... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 How and where can I get individual financial or food assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic? Source Nigerian government Short answer How and where can I get individual financial or food assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic? In an address about the pandemic on 29 March, Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari said conditional cash transfers for the next two months would be paid to “the most vulnerable in society” immediately. But it is not possible to apply for this assistance as community leaders and groups help to det... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sponsoring Africa Check? Source Africa Check partners Short answer Is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sponsoring Africa Check? The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a funder of Africa Check’s work, having provided 11% of our income in 2019. As a signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, Africa Check subscribes to a code of principles. According to the code, signatories should ensure that “funders have n... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Did the first coronavirus vaccine candidate die? Source Dr Elisa Granato Short answer Did the first coronavirus vaccine candidate die? Dr Elisa Granato, a postdoctoral researcher in the Oxford’s zoology department, received one of the first two jabs administered at the start of a Covid-19 vaccine trial at the University of Oxford. She has denied reports of her death.More: ‘I’m very much alive.’ No, first volunteer in UK Cov... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Did Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari say Nigerians should appreciate him for the extended Covid-19 lockdown? Source Nigerian president’s speech Short answer Did Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari say Nigerians should appreciate him for the extended Covid-19 lockdown? President Muhammadu Buhari announced a two-week extension of the lockdown on 13 April. At no point during the speech did he say Nigerians should appreciate him for the extension. More: Was President Buhari Smug Over the Two-Week Extension to the Lockdown? ... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Did Barack Obama urge Africans to reject Covid-19 vaccines? Source Barack Obama’s office Short answer Did Barack Obama urge Africans to reject Covid-19 vaccines? Barack Obama’s office denied a claim, contained in a WhatsApp message, that the former US president had warned Africans against the use of “toxic” Covid-19 vaccines. Obama’s office said he had not made any statements about coronavirus vaccines and that he was pro-vaccination. Mo... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Is palm oil a cure for Covid-19? Source World Health Organization Short answer Is palm oil a cure for Covid-19? There is no scientific evidence that supports the claim that palm oil is a cure for Covid-19. According to the World Health Organization, “some Western, traditional or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate the symptoms of Covid-19”, but there is “no evidence that current medicine can... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 What are the risk factors for the new coronavirus? Source World Health Organization Short answer What are the risk factors for the new coronavirus? Covid-19 can infect anyone, but some people are believed to be more likely to develop severe illness. Examples include patients who are older than 60 years and those with pre-existing medical conditions that “affect the cardiovascular, respiratory and immune system”. These conditions include lun... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 What is the evidence that BCG vaccination inhibits infection with the Covid-19 virus or mitigates the effects of the virus? Source World Health Organization Short answer What is the evidence that BCG vaccination inhibits infection with the Covid-19 virus or mitigates the effects of the virus? The authors of an academic paper, which hasn’t been peer reviewed, claim that there is a correlation between Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination and the extent to which countries are affected by Covid-19. BCG is a tuberculosis vaccine. Professor Salim Abdool Karim, a clinical infectious ... Back Full answer