From tomorrow onwards, citizens from 6 countries will start enjoying visa-free travel to China for 15 days! Here is what you need to know!
China Offers Visa-Free Travel For 6 New Countries!
China will start offering visa-free travel to 6 additional countries on a trial basis, starting on 1 December 2023.
On Friday, 24 November 2023, China announced that citizens from these 6 countries will enjoy visa-free travel for up to 15 days:
France
Germany
Italy
The Netherlands
Spain
Malaysia
These six countries will join Singapore, Japan, and Brunei, whose citizens already enjoy visa-free travel to China for up to 15 days.
According to Chinese government spokesperson Mao Ning, China has taken this step to help “promote the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world“.
This visa-free travel for those 6 countries, however, is a trial that will last from 1 December 2023 until 30 November 2024. This trial program may or may not be extended after that.
China Visa-Free Travel To Hopefully Revive Tourism
Travellers to China are generally required to apply for a visa. China is hoping that offering visa-free travel to certain favoured countries will help to revive its tourism industry that has been hard-hit by strict COVID-19 measures in the past 3 years.
China had the world’s strictest COVID-19 measures, maintaining them long after the rest of the world reopened. Even when the Chinese government decided to reopen its borders, it required inbound travellers to quarantine, which discouraged travel
It was only in March 2023 that China began issuing all types of travel visas again, and in July that it restored the 15-day visa-free travel for Singapore, Japan and Brunei. In August, China finally scrapped all COVID-19 test requirements for inbound travellers.
With visa-free travel removing the onerous application for a Chinese travel visa, it is likely that there will be tourists and business visitors who will take opportunity of the one-year trial to visit China. The only question is whether it is a surge, or merely a tiny bump.
After all, potential travellers would need to worry about the lack of access to essential apps like Google Maps, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. as well as popular apps like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. There is also the risk of being detained in China, and prevented from returning home.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
China just announced that citizens from 6 countries will enjoy visa-free travel for 15 days! Here is what you need to know!
China : Visa-Free Travel For 6 Countries!
On Friday, 24 November 2023, China announced that citizens from these 6 countries will enjoy visa-free travel for up to 15 days:
France
Germany
Italy
The Netherlands
Spain
Malaysia
These six countries will join Singapore, Japan and Brunei, whose citizens already enjoy visa-free travel to China for up to 15 days.
According to Chinese government spokesperson Mao Ning, China has taken this step to help “promote the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world“.
This visa-free travel for those 6 countries, however, is a trial that will last from 1 December 2023 until 30 November 2024. This trial program may or may not be extended after that.
Travellers to China are generally required to apply for a visa. China appears to be trying out this visa-free travel option to revive its tourism industry that has been hard-hit by strict COVID-19 measures in the past 3 years.
China had the world’s strictest COVID-19 measures, maintaining them long after the rest of the world reopened. Even when the Chinese government decided to reopen its borders, it required inbound travellers to quarantine, which discouraged travel
It was only in March 2023 that China began issuing all types of travel visas again, and in July that it restored the 15-day visa-free travel for Singapore, Japan and Brunei. In August, China finally scrapped all COVID-19 test requirements for inbound travellers.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did football legend Lionel Messi just die suddenly in a high speed car accident?!
Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2023-11-01 : Updated with new information
Updated @ 2023-09-24 : Added video fact check and comparison! Originally posted @ 2023-04-20
Claim : Lionel Messi Died Suddenly In High Speed Car Accident!
People are sharing TikTok and YouTube videos which claim that football legend Lionel Messi just died suddenly in a high-speed car accident, with photos of the tragic car crash!
Messi, Xavi and Christiano dead after car accident
#Rip Messie Messie❤️ respect for Messie ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️⚽️🥅
Messie the best of the world ❤️🇦🇷❤️❤️#Messie
LIONEL MESSI DIES IN UNBELIEVABLE CAR CRASH
INFO CHOC: Lionel Messi est décédé
SHOCK INFO: Lionel Messi has died
#fyp #soccer #messi #dead rest in peace legend👑⚽️🕊️
Truth : Lionel Messi Did NOT Die In High Speed Car Accident!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death
These social media posts, as well as YouTube and TikTok videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported on Lionel Messi’s death!
Lionel Messi is one of the world’s best footballer and a mega celebrity. His death would have been covered extensively by the media across the globe! And his fans would have mourned his death on social media.
Yet, no legitimate media outlet has reported that Lionel Messi died recently from any cause, never mind a tragic car accident. Why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / TikTok videos?
Fact #2 : Lionel Messi Is Still Alive + Well!
Lionel Messi (born Lionel Andrés Messi on 24 June 1987) is still very much alive and well, as of Tuesday, 10 October 2023, when he posted a trailer of an upcoming animated series – Messi and the Giants, on his Instagram account!
On Saturday, 9 October 2023, Lionel Messi also played in the Inter Miami game against FC Cincinnati, after missing the last four games due to an old injury. Inter Miami did poorly in his absence, losing two games, and playing to a draw in two other games.
He returned to the field that day for just over half an hour, but was unable to turn things around. Cincinnati ended up winning the game 1-0.
Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tara” Martino later said:
His injury is healed, but his rhythm was just off. He hasn’t played much, that’s why I only played him 35 minutes.
Despite his old injury cropping up again, Lionel Messi is very much still alive, many weeks and months after those social media posts, YouTube and Facebook videos claimed that he died suddenly in a tragic car accident!
To convince you that Lionel Messi died (even though he’s still alive), the fake news creators had to make use of unrelated car crashes.
In this example, the video claimed that Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, died in this car accident.
The truth is – that is a photo of a Ferrari 599 that crashed in October 2009, on the Great Ocean Road in southern Victoria, Australia. The driver was a 64 year-old man called Carlo Vaccari.
Mr. Vaccari lost control while driving his Ferrari 599 at 80 km/h and ploughed into two motorcyclists travelling in the opposite direction. He was convicted of careless driving, but only fined $3000.
Fact #4 : This Car Accident Photo Was Posted In 2014
It is unknown when this car accident happened, but this undated car accident photo was posted by WreckedExotics.com on August 13, 2014.
Apparently, the driver lost control of his Ferrari 458 Italia while trying to overtake another car, and crashed into a trash bin. The driver left the scene of the accident, possibly under the influence of drugs / alcohol.
Even though this incident happened in Madrid, Spain, this photo is old and has nothing to do with Lionel Messi.
This photo does not show Lionel Messi’s fatal car crash. This accident actually occurred at around 9 PM on 1 September 2012, at the E42 highway near Francorchamps in Belgium.
The driver was a 63 year-old man from Saint-Ghislain, and was obviously not Lionel Messi.
Fact #6 : Lionel Messi Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too
This Lionel Messi death hoax is, ironically, also fuelled by MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in its fake fact check article:
News of footballer Lionel Messi’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the October 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the 36-year-old footballer is alive and well.
Rumors of the footballer’s alleged demise gained traction on Monday after a ‘R.I.P. Lionel Messi’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the Argentine footballer’s passing:
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Monday (October 30, 2023), our beloved footballer Lionel Messi passed away. Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 36-year-old footballer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Lionel Messi Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
People are still claiming that Rab Wardell died from vaccine SADS, but that’s not true!
Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2023-08-06 : Updated with Rab Wardell’s official cause of death and other new details Originally posted @ 2022-09-03
Claim : Rab Wardell – Cause Of Death Was COVID-19 Vaccine!
It’s been almost a year since Rab Wardell died suddenly after he won the Scottish MTB XC Championships, but people continue to claim that the cyclist died from the COVID-19 vaccine. Here are just some examples circulating on social media :
rab wardell death read about rab wardell death cause #vaccine #StoptheShots🙀🙀🙀🙀
This is Mountain biker Rab Wardell speaking on TV last night about winning the Scottish championship 2 days ago.
He’s now dead, 37yrs old, “died in his sleep👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
Rab Wardell another victim of the covid vaccine. How about that Fauci ?
RIP Rab. Huge fan. The truth of what the spike proteins from both the virus and the “vaccine” are doing to us is coming out, little by little. Your death will not be in vain. The truth is slowly but surely coming out.
Rab Wardell : Cause Of Death Was Not Vaccine SADS!
It’s becoming tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all athlete deaths or injuries on the COVID-19 vaccine.
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Rab Wardell Died From Athlete’s Heart
37 year-old Scottish cyclist Rab Wardell died on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 – just two days after winning the Scottish MTB XC Championships, and hours after appearing on BBC Scotland’s The Nine programme to talk about that victory.
Almost immediately, anti-vaccination activists started claiming that he died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) caused by the COVID-19 vaccine.
The next day, his wife – Katie Archibald – spoke out, explaining that Rab Wardell died from a cardiac arrest he suffered while they were in bed together.
I think you’ve heard that Rab died yesterday morning. I still don’t understand what’s happened; if this is real; why he’d be taken now – so healthy and happy.
He went into cardiac arrest while we were lying in bed. I tried and tried, and the paramedics arrived within minutes, but his heart stopped and they couldn’t bring him back.
Mine stopped with it. I love him so much and need him here with me. I need him here so badly, but he’s gone. I can’t describe this pain.
Almost a year later – on 31 July 2023, Katie revealed Rab Wardell’s official cause of death – hypertrophy of the left ventricle, which is also known as athlete’s heart. She wondered if Wardell might still be alive if he had not returned to elite level competition.
Maybe if he had just stayed being a bit inconsistent, a bit s—…
Fact #2 : Rab Wardell Was Likely Fully-Vaccinated
While there is no direct evidence that Rab Wardell was vaccinated against COVID-19, he travelled a fair bit in 2021 – mostly to Europe and Canada.
The European Union and Canada both require non-residents to be fully-vaccinated. While it is possible to enter with a vaccine exemption, it is far more likely that Rab Wardell was fully-vaccinated.
Fact #3 : Rab Wardell Did Not Get Pericarditis From Vaccine
A number of blogs posted claimed that Rab Wardell suffered a serious adverse event after getting his second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in the summer of 2021, after which he attended a rally in Washington DC to speak up against the vaccine :
Following his second dose of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine last summer, Warner suffered a serious adverse event and was diagnosed with pericarditis. Subsequently, at a rally in Washington DC, he opened up about his experience in front of thousands of rallygoers.
“We were advocating for some acknowledgment and support for people whose lives have been affected by emergency use authorized vaccines.
I hope you can hear my message and understand why I decided to advocate for this cause. It was not something I had planned or wanted to do, but the truth needed to be revealed,” Warner said in an Instagram post.
There are a few problems with that claim.
the quote appears to be referring to someone called Warner, not Wardell.
Rab Wardell never travelled the United States since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Rab Wardell never said he suffered pericarditis from any COVID-19 vaccine.
In October 2021, Rab Wardell was in Italy for the Marathon World Championships when he shared that it was the first time he flew overseas since the pandemic began.
After he returned from Italy, he mostly stayed in Scotland and only travelled to Mallorca and London. In other words, he cannot be that “Warner” who spoke out against vaccines in a Washington D.C. rally in the summer of 2021.
Wardell also shared that he contracted COVID-19 in May 2021, but never once mentioned that he suffered from pericarditis when he detailed his last 18 months since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Such an adverse event would have materially affected his training and put him out of action for a few weeks. Yet, he had no issues preparing for the Marathon World Championships.
Fact #4 : No Evidence COVID-19 Vaccines Cause SADS
After billions of doses have been administered, there is still no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause SADS. In fact, this is a rather ludicrous claim as SADS was first documented in 1977 – long before COVID-19 vaccines were invented!
SADS also occurs at a rate of 0.12 to 0.21 per 100,000 people every single year. In other words, approximately 9,000 to 16,000 people die from SADS every single year, before the COVID-19 vaccines were invented.
Despite what anti-vaccination activists may tell you – SADS is not a new vaccine-related syndrome.
SADS is usually caused by an abnormal heart rhythm that leads to a cardiac arrest. That’s why it can be prevented by implanting a cardioverter-defribillator.
Fact #5 : Vaccine Side Effects Appear Within Hours / Days
Even if Rab Wardell was fully-vaccinated against COVID-19, he would have received all of his doses many months ago.
He cannot possibly have died from a vaccine side effect, because they appear within hours or days, not months later.
Mild side effects like injection site pain, fever, muscle ache, headache, lethargy develop within minutes to hours of the vaccination.
Anaphylaxis develops within minutes, while other severe adverse reactions like myocarditis and VITT develop within days.
The spike proteins produced by the COVID-19 vaccines also do not stick around for months. If these spike proteins are permanent (as antivaxxers claim), we would have lifelong immunity.
Your own immune system will identify the spike proteins as foreign, and destroy them within a matter of days, although some may last for up to a few weeks. This is part of how vaccines teach your immune system to identify the enemy and destroy it.
Fact #6 : Deaths / Injuries From COVID-19 Vaccines Can Be Proven
Despite anti-vaccination activists chalking up celebrity deaths to the vaccine; death or injury from rare vaccine adverse effects like anaphylaxis, myocarditis and VITT can be proven.
Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) from Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines happens within minutes. That’s why people are asked to wait for 15-30 minutes after getting the vaccine. People who get an anaphylactic shock will require an epinephrine shot to quickly relieve it.
Vaccine-induced myocarditis has distinct histopathology findings that are different from typical myocarditis, so a pathologist will be able to determine if the myocarditis was caused by the vaccines or otherwise.
Vaccine-induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) is very specific to the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. It is also easily differentiated by its unique combination of blood clots in large veins of the brains, abdomen and lungs, together with low platelet counts leading to bleeding tendencies.
Fact #7 : Many Athletes Die Unexpectedly Every Year
What many of us do not realise is that many athletes die unexpectedly every year, and the number has been steadily increasing every year.
This chart from the Maron study shows a progressive rise in sudden death reports of 6% per year, from 1980 to 2006.
In fact, the number of sudden deaths in young and fit athletes more than quadrupled from 1980 to 2006!
This debunks the claim that such a rise in sudden death must be due to the COVID-19 vaccine, which obviously did not exist back then.
COVID-19 vaccines underwent massive clinical trials, and were only approved after they were proven to be safe and effective.
In addition, they were constantly monitored after they received their approvals, which picked up rare side effects after they were administered to billions of people.
Anti-vaccination activists have often claimed that those who received the vaccine would die. Yet, the opposite was true – the vaccines are not only safe, they are effective in protecting people from getting hospitalised or dying from COVID-19.
Even prominent antivaxxer Steve Kirsch is healthy and well, despite being fully-vaccinated against COVID-19!
Fact #9 : COVID-19 Vaccine Injury Claims Often Proven False
This is yet another example of anti-vaccination activists abusing athlete deaths / injuries to create and propagate FAKE NEWS about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
So far, most claims of athlete deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false.
Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next athlete tragedy…
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did Amber Heard just officially change her name, after changing her domicile and job?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Amber Heard Just Officially Changed Her Name!
People are sharing a Music Mundial article which claims that Amber Heard just officially changed her name, after changing her domicile and her job!
Here is the viral Music Mundial article. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
Amber Heard has officially changed her name and this is what she will be called
The well-known and contentious American actress Amber Heard keeps moving forward with one clear objective in mind: to fade from the Hollywood spotlight. After all the controversy she endured due to her court struggle with her ex-husband, also an actor named Johnny Depp, the star has decided to change her identity, her domicile, and even her job.
The movements Amber Heard is making with her new life in Costix, a village on the Spanish island of Palma de Mallorca, where the interpreter has taken sanctuary, have been covered in recent weeks.
But it appears that the character that plays “Mera” in Aquaman has also undergone some significant identity alterations, beginning with the name they use for her there.
Amber Heard uses the nicknames “Calamity Jane” or Jane Camary at Costix. This name honors a pioneering American woman explorer from the nineteenth century. It is unknown, though, if the actress would ultimately decide to legally change her name in her personal documents, as she will do in Spain.
Truth : Amber Heard Did Not Officially Changed Her Name!
This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS created by Music Mundial to generate page views, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Amber Heard Did Not Officially Change Her Name
First, let me just quickly say that there is no evidence that Amber Heard officially changed her name in any way.
In fact, the Music Mundial itself did not actually say that she changed her name, despite making the claim in the title.
Fact #2 : Amber Heard Is Using An Alias
After the domestic abuse trial concluded with a settlement of $1 million to her husband, Johnny Depp, Amber Heard moved to Spain to get more privacy.
Like many celebrities, she used an alias to stay under the radar. In Spain, she is allegedly using the alias, Martha Jane Canary.
That does not mean that she changed her name. It is only a temporary name (alias) used by celebrities to avoid media attention while travelling.
Fact #3 : Her Alias May Have Been A Dig At Johnny Depp
Interestingly, Martha Jane Canary is the real name for Calamity Jane, the infamous American frontierswoman and sharpshooter who killed many Native Americans.
It is possible that Amber Heard may have chosen to adopt Calamity Jane’s real name as her alias in a dig at her former husband, Johnny Depp. The Pirates of the Caribbean star has often stated that he has Native American blood.
I guess I have some Native American (in me) somewhere down the line. My great grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek.
He was also adopted as an honorary son by LaDonna Harris, making him an honorary member of the Comanche Nation, and was given a Comanche name, Mah Woo May, which means shapeshifter.
This appears to be nothing more than yet another example of celebrity fake news posted by Music Mundial. Here are examples of Music Mundial fake news that I looked into:
Everything Music Mundial posts should be considered as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.
Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did former Al-Nassr president Musalli Al-Muammar say that the club was cheated by Cristiano Ronaldo, and called him a scam?!
Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Al-Nassr Got Cheated + Cristiano Ronaldo Is A Scam!
People are sharing articles by Music Mundial and Mundo Deportivo which claim that Al-Nassr president Musalli Al-Muammar felt cheated and called Cristiano Ronaldo a scam.
Here is the Music Mundial article. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
Al-Nassr president says Cristiano Ronaldo is a scam and feels “robbed” after signing him
The future of Cristiano Ronaldo in soccer is highly questionable. Musalli Al-Muammar, the president of Al-Nassr, the Saudi Arabian league team where the Portuguese star currently competes, recently made statements that drew heavy criticism for the way the well-known athlete was performing for his squad.
Ronaldo has not been particularly effective for Al-Nassr. At least that is what his employer, who recently spoke with an Arab media outlet, made clear when he threw a stinging jab at what the 38-year-old has accomplished thus far with the team, in an interview.
“I’ve only ever been taken advantage of twice. The first time was when I ordered three kebabs but only received two. The second was acquiring Cristiano Ronaldo¨, as Al-Muammar reported for the media outlet ‘ArabiaNews50’.
Al-Muammar is extremely annoyed by the fact that they spent $200 million to sign the former Real Madrid FC star, but he has already logged nearly 300 minutes without scoring a goal.
Additionally, despite expectations that the team would win the Saudi Arabian National Soccer Cup given the presence of the Portuguese player, the team was eliminated in the semifinals.
Al-Wahda defeated Al-Nassr 1-0 in the semifinal of the Saudi Arabian King of Champions Cup despite having one fewer player on the field since the 53rd minute. Despite this, Al-Nassr was still able to defeat the Portuguese squad.
It has been suggested in recent hours that Cristiano Ronaldo is leaving Al-Nassr. This information hasn’t been verified yet, though.
Here is the Mundo Deportivo article. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
Al-Nassr president slams Cristiano Ronaldo as he regrets signing the Portuguese star
Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr during the off-season, has continued to be a subject of conversation for fans. According to El Desmarque, Al-Muammar, president of Al-Nassr, expressed his anger with Ronaldo’s performance in an interview with ArabiaNews50:
“I have only been scammed twice in my life. The first was when I ordered three kebabs and I receive two of them. The second time was signing Cristiano Ronaldo.”
The president of Al-Nassr said he feels cheated by the level the Portuguese player has shown so far. It should be remembered that controversy has surrounded Ronaldo since his arrival to the Arabian club, among which stands out above all else his gesture made to the public touching his private parts after hearing chants from Leo Messi’s fans. This fact caused even a lawyer of the country to ask for the deportation of the Portuguese international.
Truth : Al-Nassr President Did Not Call Cristiano Ronaldo A Scam!
This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS created by Music Mundial and other websites to generate page views, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Fake Claim Originated With El Desmarque
The fake news appear to have originated with Spanish sports publication El Desmarque, and was quickly picked up by other websites.
It is odd why they posted it, because Al-Muammar’s statement reads like satire, particularly the part where he compared signing up Cristiano Ronaldo with getting two kebabs instead of the three he ordered.
Fact #2 : ArabiaNews50 Does Not Exist
ArabiaNews50 / ArabicNews50 / Arabia News 50 / Arabic News 50 – the news outlet that allegedly interviewed Al-Muammar does not exist!
Anyone who does a quick search online would quickly realise that, so it is very odd so many websites continue to propagate this claim. Wink wink, nod nod.
Fact #3 : Al-Nassr Called The Claim False
Al-Nassr’s press advisor Walid Al-Muhaidib vehemently denied that Al-Muammar made those comments, calling them “false”. He also pointed out that there was no such media outlet called Arabic News 50 / Arabia News 50.
The talk in the Spanish press that we felt cheated on the Ronaldo deal, based on the Arabia News 50 website, is false and incorrect. The press came up with his joke and thought it was true.
It is unknown why El Desmarque did not verify the facts, but it has since replaced its original article with a correction and apology:
Rectificamos el contenido de esta noticia
Tras revisar la información que contenía la versión original de esta noticia ElDesmarque.com ha confirmado que no era correcta. Procedemos a eliminarla y pedimos disculpas por el error.
We rectify the content of this news
After reviewing the information contained in the original version of this news, ElDesmarque.com has confirmed that it was not correct. We proceed to delete it and apologize for the mistake.
Fact #6 : This Is Just Music Mundial Fake News
This appears to be nothing more than yet another example of celebrity fake news posted by Music Mundial. Here are examples of Music Mundial fake news that I looked into:
Everything Music Mundial posts should be considered as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.
Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did the European Union torture and kill hundreds of African refugees?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : The EU Tortured + Killed Hundreds Of African Refugees!
The Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP (Chinese Communist Party) netizens are sharing a picture of African refugees apparently lying dead, together with this message.
This is massacre within NATO and European Union borders. African immigrants are being tortured and killed in numbers to prevent them from seeking refuge in Europe. This is not for Ukrainians. Do you remember how they treated Arabs and other Asians? Recorded 100 deaths yesterday alone.
For those who condemn Russian actions to restore equality and humanity across the globe let them think again. Please share it widely and quickly before the West (read the WORST) remove this video from their Facebook.
Truth : The EU Did Not Torture + Kill Hundreds Of African Refugees!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and shared by pro-CCP netizens and websites, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : The Incident Happened In Africa, Not Europe
The viral photo was not taken in Europe, but in Morocco, Africa, of what is now known as the 2022 Melilla Incident.
The 2022 Melilla Incident occurred on Moroccan soil, at the border fence separating Morocco from the autonomous Spanish city of Melilla.
Fact #2 : 2,000 Migrants Attacked The Border Fence
On June 24, 2022, about 2,000 African migrants attacked and tried to break through the Melilla border fence.
Security forces from both Morocco and Spain tried to disperse them, but ended up fighting them for two hours.
Fact #3 : Hundreds Of Migrants Did Not Die
The wumao claim that hundreds of refugees died is easily proven false.
Several refugees died in the stampede when they stepped on each other while trying to flee, while five fell and died trying to scale the fence. In the end…
At least 37 migrants died
At least 63 migrants were injured
Two Moroccan gendarmes (police officers) were killed
140 Moroccan officers were wounded, five seriously
49 Spanish Civil Guards were lightly injured
The wumao intentionally used a picture that shows most of the migrants lying down, instead of other pictures that show them sitting down after being detained.
While it may look like the migrants are dead, they are very much alive. If you look closely at the viral photo, you can see some of them sitting up.
Fact #4 : Individuals In The Photo Were Detained, Not Killed / Tortured
The wumao took the picture from Association Marocaine des Droits Humains – Section Nador (AMDH Nador), and edited out their watermark, so you cannot find the original post.
They did that to avoid people finding out that the migrants in the viral picture were not killed or tortured, from the AMDH Nador’s post :
They are currently in custody at Nador central police station. Given the large number of detained migrants and the heavy charges they may face prosecution, AMDH Nador wishes to mobilize more lawyers to defend them and ensure fair trials.
Unfortunately for them, I managed to trace the source of the viral photo, although the Rafah / Pafah Orient bus in the photo threw me off for a while.
Fact #5 : Moroccan Authorities Were Responsible
The wumao also did not want you to find out that it was the Moroccan authorities that were responsible for tackling the refugees that day.
If you traced the photo also posted a video showing part of the migrants’ effort to storm the Melilla border fence, in which they stated that the Spanish authorities just “quietly observed” the Moroccan authorities at work :
The video that shows it all. At the moment when the Moroccan authorities were playing the role of gendarme by prohibiting asylum seekers from arriving in Melilla using very violent practices, the Spanish authorities crossed their arms and quietly observed that they getting the dirty job done.
Fact #6 : China Wants To Divert Attention From Xinjiang
The wumao is creating fake news like this, not just to support Russia, but also to divert attention from its oppression of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang.
No, it’s not all kumbaya in Xinjiang, no matter what pro-CCP netizens keep claiming. That’s just Chinese propaganda.
Fact #7 : This Is Chinese Propaganda
This is really nothing more than yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).
All of the wumao articles that I looked at so far have proven to be false… at every instance. So please watch out for such false claims.
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The WHO has convened an emergency meeting on the monkeypox outbreak that has spread to 56 countries!
Here is what you need to know…
WHO Convenes Emergency Meeting On Monkeypox Outbreak!
On 23 June 2022, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus convened an emergency committee meeting under Article 48 of the International Health Regulations to discuss the current monkeypox outbreak.
Chaired by Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele and Dr. Nicola Low, this emergency WHO meeting on monkeypox is only open to members and advisors of the Emergency Committee.
The findings of this emergency meeting would be conveyed to the Director-General of WHO, on whether the outbreak should be classified as a public health emergency of international concern, and also on potential recommendations on how to address it.
This meeting comes as an NGO called World Health Network (unrelated to WHO) issued a press release describing the current monkeypox outbreak as a “pandemic”, urging “immediate and effective action” from country and global health authorities.
This led to a bit of confusion, as their names and acronyms were similar (WHO vs WHN). To be clear, WHO has not declared a monkeypox pandemic.
Over 4,000 Monkeypox Cases Confirmed In 56 Countries!
Discovered in 1958, the first human infection was only reported in 1970, and there were only like 400 cases from 1970 to 1986.
Monkeypox became more common over time, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014, and several outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019)..
However, nothing has come close to the 2022 monkeypox outbreak which has now affected at least 56 countries outside of endemic African countries, with over 4,000 cases!
Country
Confirmed
Cases
Suspected
Cases
Total
Spain
918
100
1,018
United Kingdom
793
–
793
Germany
676
–
676
France
330
–
330
Portugal
328
–
328
Canada
223
45
268
United States
173
–
173
Netherlands
167
–
167
Italy
85
–
85
Belgium
77
1
78
Switzerland
52
–
52
Ireland
28
–
28
Ghana
18
–
18
Brazil
11
6
17
Israel
16
–
16
Australia
13
–
13
Denmark
13
–
13
Sweden
13
–
13
UAE
13
–
13
Austria
12
–
12
Poland
12
–
12
Mexico
9
–
9
Slovenia
9
–
9
Hungary
7
–
7
Czech Republic
6
–
6
Uganda
–
6
6
Romania
5
–
5
Argentina
4
–
4
Finland
4
–
4
Malta
4
–
4
Norway
4
–
4
Somalia
–
4
4
Chile
3
–
3
Colombia
3
–
3
Greece
3
–
3
Iceland
3
–
3
Bulgaria
2
–
2
Latvia
2
–
2
Morocco
1
1
2
Bahamas
–
1
1
Cayman Islands
–
1
1
Fiji
–
1
1
Georgia
1
–
1
Gibraltar
1
–
1
Haiti
–
1
1
Libya
–
1
1
Lebanon
1
–
1
Luxembourg
1
–
1
Serbia
1
–
1
Singapore
1
–
1
South Africa
1
–
1
South Korea
1
–
1
Uruguay
–
1
1
Venezuela
1
–
1
Zambia
–
1
1
TOTAL
4,049
170
4,219
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Over 560 monkeypox cases have now been confirmed in at least 25 countries outside of Africa!
Find out if the monkeypox outbreak could become a new pandemic we have to worry about!
Over 560 Monkeypox Cases Confirmed In 25 Countries!
People are now worried about the rapid spread of monkeypox globally. although the WHO has said that it is unlikely to become a pandemic like COVID-19.
Discovered in 1958, the first human infection was only reported in 1970, and there were only like 400 cases from 1970 to 1986.
Monkeypox became more common over time, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014, and several outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019)..
However, nothing has come close to the 2022 monkeypox outbreak which has now affected at least 25 countries outside of Africa, with over 560 cases!
Country
Confirmed
Cases
Suspected
Cases
Total
United Kingdom
179
–
179
Spain
120
–
120
Portugal
96
–
96
Canada
26
37
63
Germany
33
–
33
Netherlands
26
–
26
France
17
–
17
United States
15
–
15
Italy
14
–
14
Belgium
9
–
9
Czech Republic
5
–
5
Switzerland
4
–
4
UAE
4
–
4
Sweden
3
–
3
Ireland
2
1
3
Argentina
2
–
2
Australia
2
–
2
Denmark
2
–
2
Israel
2
–
2
Slovenia
2
–
2
Austria
1
–
1
Finland
1
–
1
Malta
1
–
1
Mexico
1
–
1
Thailand
1
–
1
TOTAL
568
56
617
Monkeypox Cases May Increase, But Unlikely To Become Pandemic
On 30 May 2022, the World Health Organisation’s top monkeypox expert, Dr. Rosamund Lewis, gave a public briefing on the 2022 monkeypox outbreak.
Here is a summary of the key points Dr. Lewis shared in that public session :
She does not expect the monkeypox outbreak to turn into another pandemic like COVID-19.
There are still many unknowns about this outbreak, including how exactly it is spreading.
The suspension of mass smallpox immunisation decades ago may have resulted in increased transmission.
Vast majority of current cases seen in gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men.
There is a higher proportion of people with fewer visible lesions that are more concentrated in the genital region, and sometimes nearly impossible to see. This is a danger because they are infectious even though their lesions are not visible.
There is a window of opportunity to shut down the outbreak so it does not become endemic in new areas.
Fortunately, the 2022 monkeypox outbreak appears to be of the less virulent West African strain, because there is no proven treatment.
The smallpox vaccine can offer up to 85% protection against monkeypox, and certain antiviral treatments can be attempted.
But otherwise – hospitals can only offer supportive treatment as the patient isolates for 2-4 weeks until the disease resolves.
Monkeypox primarily spreads through close contact, but can spread through respiratory droplets. However, it is far less contagious and is not airborne like COVID-19.
Infected people are also not considered contagious until they start showing symptoms, which limits transmission. This is unlike COVID-19 which is often spread by people who are asymptomatic.
The best way to describe its ability to infect people would be to understand its R0 (Reproduction Number, pronounced as R naught) – how many people an infected person is expected to pass the disease along to.
The ancestral COVID-19 virus has an R0 of between 2 to 3, which increased to 8 with the Omicron variant. That’s really contagious – every infected person will (on average) transmit the virus to 8 other people.
On the other hand, past outbreaks of monkeypox had an R0 of less than one. That means even though there may be clusters of several cases, even outbreaks, the cases die out on their own.
Virus
R0
Measles
12 to 18
Omicron COVID-19
8
Smallpox
5 to 7
Ancestral COVID-19
2 to 3
H1N1 (2009)
1.5 to 2.5
Monkeypox
<1
Monkeypox fortunately does not spread very efficiently between humans. Generally, you need to have skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, or come into contact with his/her bodily fluids, to get infected.
The people most at risk would be close contacts of the infected person, like family members or healthcare workers taking care of them.
Transmission is really happening from close physical contact, skin-to-skin contact. It’s quite different from COVID in that sense.
– Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO Infectious Disease Epidemiologist
It’s not as highly transmissible as something like smallpox, or measles, or certainly not Covid. It does not spread easily from person to person, the risk to the general public is low.
– Anne Rimoin, infectious disease epidemiologist at University of California.
That is why it is very unlikely to become a pandemic, although if it spreads to susceptible rodent populations, it could become endemic in those areas.
There is also the fact that the monkeypox is so closely related to the smallpox virus, the smallpox vaccine offers 85% protection against monkeypox infections.
In fact, one smallpox vaccine – JYNNEOS – was approved in the United States to serve as protection against monkeypox. Even though there is no public access to this vaccine, that can quickly change.
Several countries, including the United States, have strategic reserves of smallpox vaccines, which can be deployed in a monkeypox outbreak.
Countries have also started purchasing smallpox vaccines :
19 May 2022 : Spain’s Ministry of Health announced that it was in the process of purchasing thousands of doses of smallpox vaccines
24 May 2022 : CDC announced that the US is in the process of releasing some JYNNEOS smallpox vaccine doses for people who are “high risk”.
25 May 2022 : the German government announced that it was buying 40,000 doses of the JYNNEOS smallpox vaccine from Bavarian Nordic.
26 May 2022 : the UK Health Security Agency announced that it purchased 20,000 doses of the JYNNEOS smallpox vaccine from Bavarian Nordic.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Monkeypox primarily spreads through close contact, but can spread through respiratory droplets. However, it is far less contagious and is not airborne like COVID-19.
Infected people are also not considered contagious until they start showing symptoms, which limits transmission. This is unlike COVID-19 which is often spread by people who are asymptomatic.
The best way to describe its ability to infect people would be to understand its R0 (Reproduction Number, pronounced as R naught) – how many people an infected person is expected to pass the disease along to.
The ancestral COVID-19 virus has an R0 of between 2 to 3, which increased to 8 with the Omicron variant. That’s really contagious – every infected person will (on average) transmit the virus to 8 other people.
On the other hand, past outbreaks of monkeypox had an R0 of less than one. That means even though there may be clusters of several cases, even outbreaks, the cases die out on their own.
Virus
R0
Measles
12 to 18
Omicron COVID-19
8
Smallpox
5 to 7
Ancestral COVID-19
2 to 3
H1N1 (2009)
1.5 to 2.5
Monkeypox
<1
Monkeypox fortunately does not spread very efficiently between humans. Generally, you need to have skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, or come into contact with his/her bodily fluids, to get infected.
The people most at risk would be close contacts of the infected person, like family members or healthcare workers taking care of them.
Transmission is really happening from close physical contact, skin-to-skin contact. It’s quite different from COVID in that sense.
– Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO Infectious Disease Epidemiologist
It’s not as highly transmissible as something like smallpox, or measles, or certainly not Covid. It does not spread easily from person to person, the risk to the general public is low.
– Anne Rimoin, infectious disease epidemiologist at University of California.
That is why it is very unlikely to become a pandemic, even though it is really abnormal for so many outbreaks to occur simultaneously.
There is also the fact that the monkeypox is so closely related to the smallpox virus, the smallpox vaccine offers 85% protection against monkeypox infections.
In fact, one smallpox vaccine – JYNNEOS – was approved in the United States to serve as protection against monkeypox. Even though there is no public access to this vaccine, that can quickly change.
Several countries, including the United States, have strategic reserves of smallpox vaccines, which can be deployed in a monkeypox outbreak.
We have already worked to secure sufficient supply of effective treatments and vaccines to prevent those exposed from contracting monkeypox and treating people who’ve been affected.
– Dr. Raj Panjabi, White House Pandemic Office.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did Western countries just steal US$600 BILLION from Russia?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Western Countries Just Stole $600 Billion From Russia!
Pro-China groups and supporters are sharing this post on social media and WhatsApp, claiming that Western Countries took opportunity of the Ukraine War to steal US$600 billion from Russia.
It’s a long post, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
Good morning. Happy Monday Those who have read English literature would be familiar with the saying ” A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet”.
What they may not know is that thievery by any other name ,as in sanction, is also thievery.
Of course the West would want to sanitize and justify their actions by avoiding the term “thievery” when they stole Afghanistan’s US$ 7 billion last year. Today they are stealing US$600 billion from Russia’s Central Bank apart from other assets belonging to Russian individuals.
Such acts are reminiscent of their thievery habit which was rampant during the days of Queen Elizabeth-1 when pirates from England would lie in wait and would pounce on home bound Spanish galleons ladened with gold and silver also stolen from the Caribbeans and Americas. They committed these acts with no sense of shame or guilt because the natives, from whom the precious metals came from, were regarded as soulless and subhuman and therefore acts of all kinds committed against them were guiltless.
Sadly ,500 years have gone by but the descendents of the Europeans , England included , continue to practice their thievery habit under the ruse of ” law based order ” except that the “trophies” are sitting in their vaults and are waiting to be whisked away by the stroke of a pen.
Which other nation is next on their target list after Russia? China is a huge temptation to the West because China’s vault in the West is filled to overflowing. USA is finding ways to goad China to fire the first shot at Taiwan and with that USA would label China as the aggresor and would then unleash sanctions against China. Top of their target list is the US $ 1 trillion it owes China.
The world should know that today’s pirates are no different from the pirates of yesteryears . They are motivated only by the sights of precious assets belonging to others even though they prowl around and brandish flags of democracy, human rights, freedom and other pretenses.
Truth : Western Countries Did Not Steal $600 Billion From Russia!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and/or propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : US Did Not Steal US$7 Billion From Afghanistan
The US government did not steal US$7 billion from Afghanistan.
This false claim is based on an executive order by the Biden Administration to freeze approximately US$7 billion worth of US-based assets owned by Afghanistan’s central bank – Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB).
The US Feds are holding onto those assets, so they are not actually being taken or used by the US government.
US$3.5 billion will be allocated for “the benefit of the Afghan people”.
Another US$3.5 billion will be held, as they are subject to “ongoing litigation by US victims of terrorism”.
In essence, the Biden Administration is blocking the Taliban government from using the assets to purchase what they don’t believe would be in “the benefit of the Afghan people”. Chief on their mind would be weapons, and financing of terrorist activities.
One may argue that the Taliban is the Afghan government of the day – as reprehensible as they may be, and therefore have the right to access all of that money.
That may well be true, but it does not mean that the US government stole the money. After all, they did not take or use it for their own purposes.
I should also point out that the US contributed at least $130 billion to Afghanistan, so it would seem silly for them to “steal” $7 billion from Afghanistan, wouldn’t it?
Fact #2 : US + Allies Froze $400 Billion Of Russian Assets
Right after Russia invaded Ukraine, the US and its European allies sanctioned Russia’s central bank, preventing it from accessing most of its foreign reserves.
Russia had built up about $630 billion worth of foreign currency and gold reserves in various countries, but the US government and its allies froze about $400 billion of those reserves.
So right off the bat, the claim that the US government stole $600 billion from the Russian bank is wrong.
Not only did the wumao writer (intentionally?) get the figure wrong, it was not just the US government. The European Union also sanctioned the Russian central bank.
Fact #3 : Russian Reserves Were Frozen, Not Seized
The foreign currency and gold reserves of the Russian central bank were FROZEN, not seized.
That blocks the Russian central bank from accessing them in any way, but does allow the US government or any other country to take control of those assets, or use them.
For a Western government to seize any frozen asset, they would have to first prove that the assets are linked to a crime. Until that happens, they too cannot access those assets.
These cases need to be built, there has to be a showing of some sort of underlying theory of forfeiture, there has to be a reason that they are forfeited. The mere fact that somebody the United States has said is a target owns this asset isn’t enough to form a basis of seizure under U.S. law.
That’s the difference between “law-based order” where everyone follows the same rules, and “autocratic order” like in China, where the government can and have arbitrarily seized assets belonging to individuals that have fallen out of favour.
Fact #4 : Only Assets Of Sanctioned Individuals Were Frozen
The post falsely claimed that assets belonging to Russian individuals were also stolen.
Not only were they not stolen, only assets belonging to sanctioned individuals were frozen. The assets of other Russian individuals were not affected.
Chinese netizens need not be overly concerned about their money stashed in Western banks.
Even if China decides to do something similarly evil like Russia, and invade another country, Western banks will only be forced to freeze the assets of those in power, like Chinese President Xi Jinping, for example.
Fact #5 : English Piracy Has No Relevance To Spanish Abuses
The viral post falsely claimed that English pirates attacked Spanish galleons filled with gold and silver, because they looked down on the native people of the Caribbeans and Americas.
That’s an astonishingly silly claim. Pirates attacked Spanish galleons because they were after the cargo, not because they had something against the native people.
Whatever the pirates may think of the native people is irrelevant. They were not remotely interested in the abuses that the Spanish conducted in their theft of gold and silver from the Incas.
This is no different from how robbers are only interested in taking your money, and not at all interested in whether you earned your money through hard work, or stole it from someone else.
Fact #6 : Russian Assets Only Frozen After Invasion Of Ukraine
The viral post falsely suggested that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was planned by the West, as a way to steal Russia’s money.
Not only was the money not stolen at all, Western countries had repeatedly threatened sanctions if Russia invaded Ukraine.
The West tried to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine. Russia explicitly chose to ignore their threats, and invade Ukraine.
Fact #6 : China Has Publicly + Unilaterally Threatened Taiwan
The viral post falsely suggested that the West is planning to target China next for its riches, by goading China to shoot first at Taiwan.
That’s another silly claim. The West does not need to goad China to do something that it is already doing – repeatedly provoking tensions with Taiwan, even publicly threatening military action.
China and its 50 Cent Army have also been actively creating and disseminating fake news and threats not just against Taiwan, but against other countries and Western nations.
The writer falsely claimed that the US will sanction China’s ownership of $1 trillion worth of US debt if China attacks Taiwan. That’s nonsense.
China has steadily purchased US Treasury securities as an investment, and a way to push down the value of the renminbi (RMB).
These securities are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the United States, and is considered one of the world’s lowest-risk investments, because they have never defaulted on a payment.
If the United States defaults and refuses to pay China what it’s owed, it would suffer a massive hit to its reputation and credit rating, and the yield rate of its debt would skyrocket.
Even though China owns $1.065 trillion worth of US debt (as of October 2021), that is only 3.68% of the $28.9 trillion US national debt.
It would be idiotic for the US to risk over 96% of its rock-solid bonds, by refusing to repay China for its ownership of those bonds.
This fake news appears to be part of the disinformation campaign conducted by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Please SHARE this fact check with your family and friends, so they know the truth!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did 10 countries just cancel all COVID-19 tests, quarantine procedures and vaccinations?
Take a look at the viral message, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : 10 Countries Cancelled All COVID-19 Tests + Vaccinations!
This is the first part of a viral message, that appears to be combined from two different viral messages. Read part two.
It claims that 10 countries just cancelled all COVID-19 tests, quarantine procedures and vaccinations, because they now consider COVID-19 to be “just a seasonal flu”.
The following countries announced the cancellation of all quarantine procedures, Corona tests, and compulsory vaccination, and considering Corona just a seasonal flu:
1) Turkey 🇹🇷 2) Brazil 🇧🇷 3) Britain 🇬🇧 4) Sweden 🇸🇪 5) Spain 🇪🇸 6) Czech Republic 🇨🇿 7) Mexico 🇲🇽 8) El Salvador 🇸🇻 9) Japan 🇯🇵 10) Singapore 🇸🇬
Truth : Those Countries Did NOT Cancel COVID-19 Tests / Vaccinations!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on Facebook and WhatsApp, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : None Of Those Countries Cancelled COVID-19 Tests
None of the ten countries mentioned in the viral message cancelled any requirement to test for COVID-19.
Turkey : Travellers must submit negative PCR test taken 72 hours before arrival. Proof of vaccination or negative PCR test within last 48 hours is required to enter certain venues in Turkey. Symptomatic people in Turkey are tested for COVID-19.
Brazil : Travellers must test negative for COVID-19 within 24 hours (RTK) or 72 hours (PCR) before boarding.
Britain : Travellers who are not fully vaccinated must take a COVID-19 test within 2 days before departure, or on arrival in England. Negative COVID-19 tests are still required to enter certain venues in Wales and Scotland.
Sweden : Travellers must be fully-vaccinated or show a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before arrival in Sweden.
Spain : Travellers must be fully-vaccinated or show a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours (PCR) or 48 hours (RAT) before arrival.
Czech Republic : Travellers must present a negative COVID-19 test, irrespective of vaccination status.
Mexico : Travellers were never required to undergo a COVID-19 test.
El Salvador : Travellers were no longer required to present a negative COVID-19 test since 17 November 2021,
Japan : Travellers (including citizens) must submit a negative test result within 72 hours prior to departure.
Singapore : Travellers must submit a negative test result within 48 hours prior to departure.
Fact #2 : None Of Those Countries Cancelled COVID-19 Quarantine
Turkey : Unvaccinated travellers must undergo mandatory quarantine for up to 10 days. COVID-19 positive individuals and unvaccinated close contacts must quarantine for 7 days.
Brazil : Unvaccinated travellers must undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days. COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine for at least 7 days.
Britain : Travellers who are not fully-vaccinated must quarantine for 10 days, until 11 February 2022. After that, only those who test positive on arrival in England must quarantine. COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine for 10 days, including close contacts who are not fully-vaccinated.
Sweden : COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine at home for at least five days.
Spain : COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine at home for at least seven days.
Czech Republic : Close contacts must quarantine for 5 days. COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine for at least 5 days.
Mexico : Travellers were never required to undergo a mandatory quarantine. COVID-19 positive individuals are required to quarantine for 5-10 days.
El Salvador : El Salvador can place municipalities under special quarantine with little to no prior notice.
Japan : Even with a negative test, all travellers from countries where Omicron variant is dominant must self-quarantine for 7 days. Close contacts must quarantine for 7 days,
Singapore : Travellers must quarantine until they receive a negative result for their On-Arrival COVID-19 PCR test. COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine for 10 days.
Fact #3 : None Of Those Countries Cancelled COVID-19 Vaccination
COVID-19 vaccinations are still continuing in all ten countries mentioned in the fake message.
In fact, most of those countries have pretty high vaccination rates :
Turkey : 62.1% fully vaccinated
Brazil : 70.4% fully vaccinated
United Kingdom : 71.9% fully vaccinated
Sweden ; 72.9% fully vaccinated
Spain : 80.8% fully vaccinated
Czech Republic : 63.3% fully vaccinated
Mexico : 59.7% fully vaccinated
El Salvador : 64.8% fully vaccinated
Japan : 79.2% fully vaccinated
Singapore : 83.6% fully vaccinated
Fact #4 : None Of Those Countries Considers COVID-19 A Seasonal Flu
While many health experts predict COVID-19 could be “endemic”, that is still not certain.
If COVID-19 becomes endemic, that means SARS-CoV-2 is is impossible to completely eradicate, and is here to stay… forever.
However, it does not mean they consider COVID-19 to be nothing more than “just a seasonal flu”.
For one thing, COVID-19 is far more deadly than the seasonal flu, even though the flu is caused by multiple viruses.
The WHO also considers COVID-19 to be a pandemic, warning that it is too early to treat it as an endemic disease.
“We still have a huge amount of uncertainty and a virus that is evolving quite quickly, imposing new challenges. We are certainly not at the point where we are able to call it endemic.”
No matter how you slice or dice it, COVID-19 is currently not close to being “just a seasonal flu”.
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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Please note that the new travel ban by Malaysia on 23 countries with high COVID-19 cases is FAKE NEWS!
Here is what you need to know!
Claim : Malaysia Travel Ban On 23 Countries!
On 7 January 2022, people started sharing a screenshot of a travel advisory by the Embassy of Malaysia in Berlin, Germany.
Please skip to the next section for the facts…
Embassy of Malaysia, Berlin
TRAVEL ADVISORY ENTRY RESTRICTIONS ON FOREIGN TRAVELERS TO MALAYSIA
Effective from 08 January 2022, the Government of Malaysia is imposing travel restrictions into Malaysia on foreign travellers who are travelling from countries that have recorded over 150,000 COVID-19 cases as listed below:
United States of America
The United Kingdom
Brazil
Bangladesh
India
Saudi Arabia
Russia
Pakistan
Peru
France
Colombia
Turkey
South Africa
Italy
Mexico
Germany
Spain
Iraq
Argentina
The Philippines
Chile
Indonesia
Iran
The entry restrictions include travellers who are citizens of/holders of long-term passes of the countries listed above who are residing in or travelling from those countries.
The latest decision is part of continuing efforts by the Government of Malaysia to contain the spread of COVID-19 and in view of the recent increase in the number of imported COVID-19 cases detected at international points of entry to Malaysia among travellers coming from the listed countries. The restriction is a temporary measure and will be reviewed regularly.
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS being created and circulated on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the facts…
Fact #1 : This Travel Advisory Was Forged
This travel advisory was forged from the original September 2020 travel advisory.
Back then, the government of Malaysia announced the temporary travel ban on those 23 countries, that would start on 7 September 2021.
The original travel advisory was edited, with the new date added to make it look like it’s new. But it was a very poor photo-editing job.
If you look carefully, the 08 January 2022, date is not only in bold , but of a different type of font and a much larger size.
Note : Here is the screenshot that went viral. I added a FAKE overlay to prevent further abuse.
Fact #2 : Embassy of Malaysia In Berlin Confirms It Is Fake
The Embassy of Berlin in Malaysia confirmed that the viral travel advisory is FAKE.
ANNOUNCEMENT
The Embassy of Malaysia, Berlin would like to warn the public that there has been a fake news being circulated regarding travel advisory by the Embassy of Malaysia, Berlin on entry restriction on foreign travelers [sic] to Malaysia.
We condemn the actions of those who maliciously spread fake news which can have an adverse effect and concern to the public. The public is advice [sic] to validate the source before circulating any news.
Thank you.
Embassy of Malaysia, Berlin
7 January 2022
Fact #3 : Malaysia Currently Has No Travel Ban
There is currently no travel ban in Malaysia.
In fact, Malaysia just ended a temporary travel ban of 8 countries, on 27 December 2021, due to the risk of Omicron variant.
There is currently only a list of 18 countries that are considered high-risk due to the Omicron variant.
Australia
The United States of America
The United Kingdom
Norway
France
Denmark
Canada
Nigeria
India
Saudi Arabia
South Africa
Botswana
Eswatini
Lesotho
Mozambique
Namibia
Zimbabwe
Malawi
Travellers from those 18 high-risk countries can still travel to Malaysia, but they must comply with the following additional restrictions :
Negative COVID-19 PCR test within 2 days before departure
COVID-19 PCR test on arrival in Malaysia
Wear a digital tracker on arrival in Malaysia
Mandatory quarantine of 7 days or 10 days, depending on vaccination status, either at home or at a quarantine centre, subject to approval.
Additional PCR test on Day 5 (for 7-day quarantine) or Day 8 (for 10-day quarantine).
Risk assessment on the last day of quarantine, which may be extended if you are symptomatic.
You will only be free from the quarantine on Day 8 or Day 11, if there is no quarantine extension and the Day 5 or Day 8 PCR test is negative.
Travellers from the United Kingdom have the additional requirement of conducting daily RTK-Ag tests during their quarantine, which must be reported in MySejahtera.
Now that you know the truth, please SHARE this fact check with your family and friends, so they won’t get fooled by it!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
With the Omicron variant rapidly spreading across the globe, Malaysia has initiated new measures to block it from reaching our shores.
Here is what you need to know…
New Measures To Block Omicron Variant From Malaysia!
On 1 December 2021, the Malaysia Minister of Health Khairy Jamaluddin announced a series of new measures to block the Omicron variant from reaching our shores.
This decision came after 20 countries reported over 200 cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 :
Country
Omicron
Cases
Country
Omicron
Cases
South Africa
128
Austria
4
Botswana
19
Brazil
2
Portugal
13
Canada
2
The Netherlands
12
Japan
2
United Kingdom
9
Denmark
2
Australia
6
Spain
1
Hong Kong
5
Reunion Island (France)
1
Germany
5
Belgium
1
Italy
4
Czech Republic
1
Israel
4
Sweden
1
How Malaysia Intends To To Block Omicron Variant!
Temporary Travel Ban
Malaysia will no longer allow flights from or transiting through countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high risk countries, will be blocked.
These are the eight (8) countries that the Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) has listed under the travel ban :
South Africa
Botswana
Eswatini
Lesotho
Mozambique
Namibia
Zimbabwe
Malawi
There is also a temporary travel ban for non-Malaysian citizens from those countries, including travellers who have been in those countries during the last 14 days prior to arrival.
Malaysian citizens and holders of long-term passes (PR status, spouse visa, MM2H and resident pass) are still ALLOWED to return to Malaysia, subject to these restrictions :
Irrespective of their vaccination status, they must undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine at a quarantine station.
They must undergo three RT-PCR COVID-19 tests :
– within 72 hours before departure,
– on arrival in Malaysia, and
– on the 10th day of the mandatory quarantine
A risk assessment will be conducted on the 14th day of quarantine, which may be extended if the traveller is symptomatic.
Malaysian citizens who are planning to visit the listed countries are NOT ALLOWED to continue with their travel plans.
Vaccinated Travel Lane
Arrangements to create a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) with countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high risk countries, have been postponed.
In addition, the Malaysia-Singapore VTL programme for both air and land travel has been amended to require travellers to undergo additional COVID-19 self-tests on the 3rd and 7th day after arrival.
They must then report their test results in MySejahtera.
Monitoring Of Countries With Omicron Variant Cases
The Ministry of Health (KKM) will monitor and provide the other government ministries with a DAILY LIST of countries with Omicron variant cases, or at high risk.
Strengthening Of International Gateways
The Immigration Department of Malaysia has immediately STOPPED the use of the Autogate system.
Flights carrying passengers from the listed countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high risk countries, are only allowed to enter Malaysia through KLIA.
Airlines are responsible for identifying passengers travelling from countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high-risk countries. This information must be submitted to the KLIA Health Office for easier handling of the arrivals.
MAHB is required to create a special “gate” and path for travellers from countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high-risk countries, to undergo a health screening before undergoing their special quarantine.
International Students + Foreign Workers
International students and foreign workers from countries with Omicron variant cases, or high-risk countries, will be temporarily BANNED from entering Malaysia.
Langkawi International Tourism Bubble
Tourists from countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high-risk countries; or those with history of travel to those countries in the past 14 days, are NOT ALLOWED to participate in the Langkawi International Tourism Bubble.
Malaysian citizens (Langkawi residents) returning from countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high-risk countries, are ALLOWED to return to Malaysia, but only through KLIA and must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine in a special quarantine station.
Foreign tourists who are confirmed to be positive with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 will be isolated and treated in a private hospital, at their own cost.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did a new study just prove that chlorine dioxide is effective in curing COVID-19, by eliminating it in 100% of patients?!
Let’s take a closer look at this study, and find out if chlorine dioxide can really cure or prevent COVID-19!
Claim : Chlorine Dioxide Now Proven To Cure COVID-19!
Andreas Kalcker has long promoted chlorine dioxide as a cure for COVID-19, as well as many other diseases.
Recently, he claimed that a new clinical study showed that chlorine dioxide was 100% effective at treating COVID-19.
Here is an excerpt of what he wrote. It’s pretty long, so just skip to the next section for the facts!
You now have the opportunity to read the first multicenter clinical study carried out in several Latin American countries that clearly demonstrates that chlorine dioxide is a fully effective treatment against COVID-19.
The highly satisfactory results of the first multicenter clinical study in humans, on the effectiveness of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) as CDS in the treatment of COVID-19, were successfully published in the scientific journal Journal of Molecular and Genetic Medicine (ISSN: 1747-0862).
This is the first clinical study with chlorine dioxide for therapeutic use in humans, demonstrating with scientific evidence its effectiveness and safety in the treatment for COVID-19. The research focused on studying the effectiveness of the use of ClO2 in patients with SARS-CoV-2, measuring before and after treatment, the clinical symptoms present and laboratory variables based on standardized and accepted scales in research (VAS and Likert) of an experimental group, compared to a control group.
The clinical study showed that chlorine dioxide is effective in patients treated with oral ClO2 and that its use in the COVID-19 pandemic becomes and positions itself as a great hope to control it, based on the scientific foundations revealed in previous research .
Chlorine dioxide was shown to be beneficial in the treatment of COVID-19, making negative RT-PCR at 7 days in one hundred percent of the patients who took it during the clinical study, rapidly mitigating their symptoms associated with this disease, and significantly reducing the laboratory parameters to normal in a space of 14 to 21 days.
In addition, the researchers observed that patients who consumed chlorine dioxide as a treatment for COVID-19 also substantially reduced post-illness symptoms, compared to patients not treated with ClO2.
We are facing a solution that can end the pandemic, now scientifically proven: CDS works and saves lives!
Following this clinical study, physicians around the world now have the right to legally use chlorine dioxide in accordance with the paragraph 37 of the Declaration of Helsinki. The therapeutic use of chlorine dioxide gives new hope to end the COVID-19 pandemic and save millions of lives.
The truth is – chlorine dioxide does NOT cure COVID-19, and is TOXIC.
The study is highly-flawed, and has many errors.
The study was not peer-reviewed or published in a legitimate journal.
Chlorine dioxide only works as a disinfectant, and is only approved for that use at very low concentrations.
Chlorine dioxide is a toxic chemical, which can cause organ failure as well as heart and liver problems.
A 5 year-old Argentinian boy died from multiple organ failure after being treated with chlorine dioxide.
Fact #1 : The Insignares-Carrione Eduardo et. al. Study Is Highly Flawed
The Insignares-Carrione Eduardo et. al. study, which you can also obtain here, is a highly-flawed study for these reasons :
It was a really small study with only 40 participants, 20 of whom received chlorine dioxide
They used COVID-19 patients who were 3-7 days post-infection, which means at least some of these infections would have naturally resolved by the first week of the study (midpoint).
The participants were NOT randomised, which means they are subject to manipulation by the researchers.
The study was NOT blinded in any way – the patient and researchers knew who was getting the treatment, and who was getting the placebo.
The only objective COVID-19 specific test they did was an RT-PCR test. A viral load test was not performed.
Otherwise, the study only ran a simple blood test and asked participants to self-report vague symptoms like fever, cough, throat pain, headache, which may or may not be related to COVID-19.
They did not monitor oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter, but still claimed that those on chlorine dioxide had better oxygen saturation.
As you can tell by now, this is a highly-flawed study.
There is no way any legitimate health authority / hospital / doctor would ever approve the use of chlorine dioxide for the treatment of COVID-19 based on such a study.
Chlorine dioxide does NOT work as a treatment against COVID-19, when consumed.
It only works as a surface disinfectant, which is why it is used to sanitise water and food and some medical equipment. Even then, it is used a VERY LOW DOSES.
It is such a powerful oxidising agent that it is used to bleach wood pulp. Imagine what it can do to your body if you consume it!
Fact #4 : Chlorine Dioxide Is Toxic
Despite claims that chlorine dioxide is safe, it is actually a toxic chemical :
US EPA sets a maximum limit of 0.8 mg/L in drinking water
US OSHA sets an 8-hour exposure limit of 0.1 ppm for those who work with chlorine dioxide
The US FDA even warned about the serious adverse effects experienced by people who consumed chlorine dioxide products :
Respiratory failure caused by a serious condition where the amount of oxygen carried through the blood stream is greatly reduced (methemoglobinemia);
Changes in the electrical activity of the heart (QT prolongation), which may lead to potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms;
Life-threatening low blood pressure caused by dehydration;
Acute liver failure;
Low blood cell counts, due to the destruction of red blood cells faster than the body can make it (hemolytic anemia), which required a blood transfusion;
Severe vomiting; and
Severe diarrhea.
Fact #5 : Andreas Kalcker Was Charged With Death Of 5 Year-Old Boy
In September 2021, Argentinian authorities charged Andreas Kalcker for the death of a 5 year-old boy in Neuquen, Western Argentina.
The boy died in August 2020 from multiple organ failure, after his parents (who were influenced by Kalcker) gave him chlorine dioxide to prevent COVID-19.
Fact #6 : Liechtenstein Is Not Part Of Switzerland
The main researcher, Insignares-Carrione Eduardo, is based in Colombia but calls himself the Global Research Director of Liechtensteiner Verein für Wissenschaft und Gesundheit in Liechtenstein, Switzerland.
It seems obvious, but it must be said – Liechtenstein is not part of Switzerland. Liechtenstein is an independent country, located between Austria and Switzerland.
Fact #7 : Bolivia Is Not Part Of Spain
Three of the other authors are listed as residents of La Paz in Bolivia, Spain.
La Paz is the capital of Bolivia, as well as a barrio (administrative district) in Madrid, Spain. However, they are two completely different locations.
Again, it seems obvious, but it must be said – Bolivia is NOT part of Spain.
Bolivia is an independent country located in South America, while Spain is an independent country located in Europe. They are not even in the same continent!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Malaysia has conditionally approved the Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine!
Find out this means for the COVID-19 vaccination program in Malaysia!
Malaysia Approves Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 Vaccine!
On 5 August 2021, the Malaysia Ministry of Health announced that the Drug Control Authority (DCA) issued a conditional registration for the following vaccines :
The Moderna Spikevax vaccine (formerly known as mRNA-1273) is an mRNA vaccine like the Pfizer-BioNTech COMIRNATY vaccine.
The Spikevax vaccine uses mRNA (messenger RNA) instructions to teach your cells to create the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
Once presented on the surface of those cells, the spike protein triggers the immune system to create antibodies that will protect you against the real SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The Moderna Spikevax is a 2-dose vaccine with 94.1% efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did Spain halt Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination due to 46 nursing home deaths after receiving the first shot of the vaccine?
Find out what’s going on, and what the FACTS really are!
Claim : Spain Halts Pfizer Vaccination After 46 Nursing Home Deaths!
Websites like The COVID Blog, Humans Are Free and Health Impact News claim that Spain halted their Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination program after 46 nursing home deaths from the first shot!
Here were the key takeaways from their articles :
The Nuestra Señora del Rosario (Our Lady of the Rosary) nursing home is reeling due to mass deaths after mRNA inoculations.
All residents and workers at the facility received the first dose of Pfizer mRNA in early January, according to Spain mainstream media outlet ABC de Sevilla. Most residents became extremely ill shortly after the shots. It is believed many came down with COVID-19, despite being “vaccinated against it.”
The Andalusian Health Service reported that at least 46 residents have died since January. For perspective, Our Lady has a maximum capacity of 145 residents.
The situation remains dire, as at least 28 residents and 12 staff members were COVID-19 positive last week. Health officials halted all further mRNA shots as a result.
Chinese propaganda outlet, GlobalTimes, also chipped in on the controversy earlier this month, naturally attacking the Pfizer vaccine.
Concerns over the mRNA vaccine intensified following a Russia Today report on Monday that all 78 residents at a nursing home in Madrid, Spain had tested positive for COVID-19 after being given their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on January 13, and at least seven people have died.
A Chinese virologist advised elderly people, especially those with underlying conditions, not to take mRNA vaccine such as Pfizer’s, as it could induce their condition and worsen their health.
No, Spain Did NOT Halt Pfizer Vaccination After Nursing Home Deaths
Despite quoting a legitimate news report, both The COVID Blog and Humans Are Freefabricated many parts of their articles.
You can take a look at their source – a 4 February 2021 news report by ABC – a Spanish national daily newspaper.
Now, let’s examine their claims one by one, and show you why they both created a FALSE narrative out of this tragedy to support their anti-vaccination beliefs.
Fact #1 : They Died From COVID-19
All 46 residents of the Nuestra Señora del Rosario nursing home in Los Barrios died from COVID-19, not the vaccine.
The COVID-19 outbreak was first detected on 12 January 2021, and it quickly resulted in multiple deaths :
18 January : 8 deaths in total
28 January : 30 deaths in total
3 February : 46 deaths in total
The Spain Ministry of Health was forced to intervene after an inspection determined that that private nursing home was not capable of disinfecting and isolating the COVID-19 positive cases.
Fact #2 : They Only Recently Received A Single Dose
The residents of this nursing home received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine early this year. They did not receive their second dose because of the outbreak.
We do not know the exact date, but since the outbreak happened before their second dose, it’s safe to say they were only 1-2 weeks post-vaccination.
As COVID-19 has an incubation period that could be as long as 14 days, it is likely the residents were infected before or just after receiving their vaccination.
That means they remained vulnerable to COVID-19, even though they had already received the first dose of the vaccine.
As these Israeli test results show, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine confers very little immunity in the first two weeks.
That’s because it takes time for the body to react to the antigens created by the vaccine, and build up the necessary antibodies to counter them.
The vaccine therefore only offers partial protection in the third week, and significant protection in the fourth week, and maximum protection after the second dose.
After Vaccination
Single Dose
Two Doses
Week 1
2.82% infected
–
Week 2
2.96% infected
–
Week 3
0.746% infected
–
Week 4
0.044% infected
0.037% infected
% of total infected
99.44%
0.56%
More importantly, the results show that 99% of post-vaccination infections happen within 3 weeks of a single dose.
Only 1% of those infected with COVID-19 after vaccination were in their fourth week with a single dose, or just had their second dose.
Fact #3 : Vaccination Was Interrupted By Outbreak
Both The COVID Blog and Humans Are Free claimed that “health officials halted all further mRNA shots as a result” of the outbreak.
That is COMPLETELY FALSE. The ABC news report clearly stated that the second dose vaccination was “interrupted” by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Once that happened, the residents had to be isolated and the nursing home disinfected. The Health Ministry only intervened “a few weeks later” after the situation turned serious.
Fact #4 : Spain Has Almost Fully Vaccinated All Nursing Home Residents
As of 19 February 2021, the FED Care Home Association said that almost all nursing home residents in Spain have received both doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
Spain’s Health Emergency Chief Fernando Simon also said that, for the first time since the pandemic began, “people over 65 who live in care homes have a lower rate of infection than those who live outside“, signalling that the vaccine was working.
That completely debunks the claim that Spain halted Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination due to nursing home deaths.
In fact, Spain is one of the fastest to vaccinate their people with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine – 2.45% of the population – about 1.15 million people, as of 17 February 2021.
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China just sent medical aid including face shields to the United States, but US President Donald Trump flew into a rage when he saw the face shields they sent!
Face Shields : Critical PPE!
Face shields are critical PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for doctors, because COVID-19 is highly contagious.
But they are rapidly running out in the United States, because US President Donald Trump spent his time attacking China, instead of preparing for COVID-19.
As part of their efforts to gain soft power, China has been sending planeloads of medical equipment and even doctors to countries like the Philippines, Spain and Italy.
Yesterday, they even sent a flight to the US filled with what they called “Gifts for The Great President Trump“.
Accompanying the janitors and water bottle face shields, was a letter from the pugnacious Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, stating :
To The High & Mighty American President Donald J. Trump,
The Middle Kingdom graciously offers you our very best experts, and the very best examples of Chinese ingenuity.
These sanitation specialists come to you directly from Wuhan, after completing two full months of training against the American virus.
Now that they have conquered the virus that was introduced into our beautiful Wuhan by your military cyclist, they will help you clean America and make it great again!
They will also help show your American doctors how to use our special face shields that we have designed to fit even the biggest American heads.
Please extend them your very best American hospitality. We understand that the Trump International Beach Resort is quite decent.
Meanwhile, China Sends These Gifts To Other Countries…
China also makes a point to show off the gifts they are sending to other countries, like…
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