A post on Facebook makes several claims about the COVID-19 pandemic and the presidential election in 2020. These allegations are false.
An example of the post can be seen here.
The post makes various allegations about COVID-19, claiming that ballots were the only way Democrats could win the election. It provides no source or evidence for these claims.
WORLD IN CONCLUSION ON OUR ELECTION
The post also claims that the world is in the lock because of the US election, not the virus.
COVID-19 was discovered on December 31, 2019 by the World Health Organization (WHO) following reports from Wuhan, China. The WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise the public to help slow the spread of COVID-19 by keeping a distance of 6 feet from others, washing hands regularly and wearing a mask.
Reuters Fact Check has previously dismissed various allegations about the virus here, here, here and here.
Countries around the world (and this was not yet in an election year) have introduced different levels of lockdown to slow down the spread of the virus. The Oxford University Coronavirus Government Response Tracker provides an interactive map with restrictions for most countries.
With more than 65 million cases and more than 1.5 million deaths, it is clear that the blockade limits the spread of viruses (here).
There is no evidence to support the claim that the world is locked up because of the US election.
COVID-19 IS JUST A VERY BAD FLU
COVID-19 differs from the flu in different ways, making it difficult to prove that a case of COVID-19 is just a very bad case of the flu virus.
John Hopkins Medicine explains on its website that although 290,000 to 650,000 people die from the flu virus annually, so far more than 1.5 million deaths have been reported due to the COVID-19 virus. (here)
A US study has shown that the complication rates are higher for those infected with severe COVID-19 than with severe flu (here).
COVID-19 and the flu virus have similar symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, aches and headaches. Unlike the flu virus, COVID-19 can cause loss of taste or sense of smell, and it seems to be more contagious than flu (here and here).
Reuters Fact Check has previously downplayed various flu-related coronavirus claims here, here, here and here.
COVID-19 IS A BIOWEAPON
The US CDC explains that the source of COVID-19 was probably a large market for seafood and live animals in Wuhan, China (here).
There is no publicly available indication or evidence that the coronavirus is ‘designed’ (for more information here: here, here).
COVID-19 dies when temperature reaches 73 degrees
WHO explains on its website that hot temperatures do not prevent or cure COVID-19. (here) UNICEF dismissed this claim here, pointing out that many people are also infected in countries such as Australia, Saudi Arabia and Libya, with a warmer climate.
Healthline reported that the temperature at which the virus dies is much higher than 73 Fahrenheit (22.7 Celsius) (here).
PANDEMY WAS JUST ELECTION
The post claims that the only way the Democrats could win the election was to scare the public into voting in person because of the virus and that the ballots by mail helped the Democrats win.
Reuters Fact Check earlier denied a claim that COVID-19 was created to eliminate President Donald J. Trump here.
Before the election, President Trump claimed without proof that voter fraud could hand over the presidency to Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Democrats have sounded the alarm that voter intimidation and attempts to suspect Republicans’ assent will discourage minority groups in particular from voting (here)
Despite the fears expressed on both sides, the election is seen by international observers as “well run”.
Trump told author Bob Woodward that he was aware of the risks, but underestimated the danger of the virus, according to Woodward’s new book “Rage” (here).
“I always wanted to play it,” Trump told author Bob Woodward on March 19, days after declaring a state of national emergency. “I still like playing it because I do not want to create a panic.”
There is no evidence to suggest that the pandemic was created so that the Democrats could win the election by consent. More information on the security of the entries can be seen here.
VERDICT
Untrue. There is no evidence to support the allegations that the pandemic was used by the Democrats to win the election, that the closure is related to the election, that COVID-19 is just a ‘very bad flu’, a bioweapon or that the virus dies at 73 Fahrenheit (22.7 Celsius).
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here.