Can Ivermectin cure coronavirus? No! The huge amount of misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has been a serious problem. Sometimes they are just ridiculous and harmless, but rumors related to unproven medical treatment can have serious widespread health ramifications.

In this week’s article, we will fact-check 3 of the biggest ongoing rumors. They may sound wild, ridiculous, or even too crazy to imagine, but can you tell which are true and which are false?

Can Ivermectin Cure Coronavirus?

No. Mostly False. (Rated by PolitiFact)

Rumor has it that Ivermectin, a well-known antiparasitic medicine for horses, can cure coronavirus. Lots of people have been discussing if the medicine really cures COVID-19 on social media, and several posts went viral with some people claiming that it actually worked for them.

Btw less than a hour after taking Ivermectin paste per my body weight I was mostly symptom free…. Was in bad shape until then! This shit works I don’t care what anyone else says…..

Even famous podcaster Joe Rogan posted a video on his Instagram, claiming that he got COVID and recovered well after consuming Ivermectin as well as other medicines:

As a result, some people decided to give it a try. Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly) they got poisoned ­– most likely because they took a dosage designed to be consumed by large animals. As reported by USA Today, there was a 550% increase in poison control-related calls from people in Texas who used anti-parasite horse medicine on themselves!

Please don’t follow the trend! In fact, the FDA already warned the public not to use Ivermectin as a COVID treatment. Its effectiveness at treating coronavirus remains UNPROVEN. No evidence says it can cure the disease. What’s worse, taking it can actually make you very sick!

Sometimes find it hard to decide if a statement is true or false? Use Trend Micro ScamCheck to search for the information you need to always be in the know!

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Will the Make-A-Wish Foundation deny unvaccinated children’s wishes?

No. The statement is False. (Rated by Snopes)

Recently a video that condemned the Make-A-Wish Foundation for not granting ill children’s wishes unless they’re fully vaccinated went viral on social media:

“This is literally a new low for humanity. Terminally ill children will not be granted a wish.. from the make a wish foundation… unless.. you guessed it.. they’re fully vaccinated”

Lots of people shared the same video:

So, is it real? Well, let’s see exactly what happened.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation posted the original video on June 10, announcing a change in the way it is currently handling wish fulfillments. Due to the recent lifting of some COVID restrictions, the nonprofit organization is now able to grant air, train, and bus travel wishes. Wishes requiring large gatherings of people can also take place for vaccinated families. The changes to the organization’s policy will come into effect as of September 15.

In the video, Richard Davis, CEO of Make-A-Wish, stated that “all wish participants, including your wish kid and any siblings, will need to be two weeks past completion of either a one-dose or a two-dose vaccine”.

Does that mean the foundation will turn those kids who are not yet vaccinated down? No! Unvaccinated kids may be unable to travel for now, but that doesn’t mean Make-A-Wish will reject their wishes. The video people have been sharing online is an edited video that makes it seem as though the organization will be rejecting unvaccinated kids’ wishes – but it’s not true.

The foundation stressed in an announcement that they will NOT deny wishes to children who are not vaccinated:

Can you use the walkie-talkie app Zello with no internet service?

No. The statement is false. (Rated by USA Today)

People have been discussing for years whether Zello, a popular walkie-talkie app, can still work in an emergency situation even without internet access. The rumor has recently been stirring up again due to Hurricane Ida and many people worrying about the prospect of losing contact with others during the disaster.

For example, a Facebook post claiming Zello can turn cellphones into walkie-talkies if you lose service has been widely spread:

Unfortunately, the statement is not accurate. Although Zello can be used as a walkie-talkie, it needs an internet connection to function. Back in 2017, Zello already clarified that the app requires the internet to work:

Did you successfully identify the real from the rumors? It’s always a good idea to pay attention to what you read online! To combat rumors and misinformation, remember, you should always verify before you share.

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