jpd459/healthver_resplit huggingface dataset:
Question: what are the mortality rates overall and in specific populations
Claim: COVID-19 may hit older adults harder than kids and younger
Evidence: A confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection substantially increased the probability of death across all patient groups, ranging from nine (6 to 15) times the population mortality in 35-year old infected females to a 53-fold increase (46 to 59) for 95 year old infected males. The highest relative risks were observed among males and older patients.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence:  The COVID-19 population-level mortality rate (per 100,000 person-years) increased with age: from 0.1 deaths among 30-39 year olds to 9.5 deaths among 80 year olds.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Mortality was significantly associated with older age, lower body mass index, chronic renal disease, higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, lower PaO2/FIO2 ratio, higher D-dimer, higher C-reactive protein, and receipt of mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, renal replacement therapy, or vasodilator therapy.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: As COVID-19 mortality occurs mainly in elderly and as Africa has a comparably young population, the death rates should be lower than on other continents. We calculated standardised mortality ratios (SMR) using age-specific case fatality rates for COVID-19 and the age structure of the population of Africa and of other continents. Compared to a European or Northern American population, the standardised mortality ratio was only 0.22 and 0.25, respectively, corresponding to reduction of deaths rates to a quarter. Compared to the Asian and Latin American & Caribbean population, the SMR was 0.43 and 0.44, respectively, corresponding to half the death rate for Africa.
Verdict: Supports
Question: Is a headache sign of the coronavirus disease?
Claim: headache was the first symptom in COVID-19 patients.
Evidence: since moderate conjunctival hyperemia can be the first sign of a severe respiratory distress.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: Ocular manifestation as first sign of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Verdict: Refutes
Question: Can smoking help in preventing COVID-19?
Claim: Tobacco smoking is a known risk factor for many respiratory infections and increases the severity of respiratory diseases.
Evidence: Cannabis smoking is linked with poor respiratory health, immunosuppression and multiple contaminants. Potential synergism between the two epidemics would represent a major public health convergence. Cigarettes were implicated with disease severity in Wuhan, China.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: These findings indicate that these comorbidities are not only associated with severity of disease but also predispose for getting Covid-19.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: Does heat prevent COVID-19?
Claim: Taking a sauna or hot bath can kill covid-19
Evidence: Of note, 44.12% of the detected IgM levels were dropped below the cutoff value after heating, suggesting heat inactivation can lead to false-negative results of these samples.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: Since many coronaviruses are sensitive to heat, heating inactivation of samples at 56C prior to testing is considered a possible method to reduce the risk of transmission, but the effect of heating on the measurement of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies is still unclear.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: Our results indicate that heat inactivation of serum at 56C for 30 minutes interferes with the immunoanalysis of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Heat inactivation prior to immunoanalysis is not recommended, and the possibility of false-negative results should be considered if the sample was pre-inactivated by heating.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: We showed that heat inactivation significantly interferes with the levels of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. The IgM levels of all the 34 serum samples (100%) from COVID-19 patients decreased by an average level of 53.56%. The IgG levels were decreased in 22 of 34 samples (64.71%) by an average level of 49.54%.
Verdict: Refutes
Question: Can face masks protect me from the coronavirus disease?
Claim: Data has shown that the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mainly spreads from person to person among those in close contact (within about 6 feet, or 2 meters).
Evidence: In this study, we demonstrated, using avian coronavirus of infectious bronchitis virus to mimic SARSCoV2, that medical masks and N95 masks remained their blocking efficacy after being steamed on boiling water even for 2 hours.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: and 3) provides suggestion that the public should wear the mask during COVID-19 pandemic according to local context.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: We also demonstrated that three brands of medical masks blocked over 99% viruses in aerosols. The avian coronavirus was completely inactivated after being steamed for 5 minutes.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Surgical face masks significantly reduced detection of influenza virus RNA in respiratory droplets and coronavirus RNA in aerosols, with a trend toward reduced detection of coronavirus RNA in respiratory droplets.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: Can wearing masks help in preventing the spread of the coronavirus disease?
Claim: Should you wear a face mask to prevent COVID-19? Yes
Evidence: Face masks are an avenue to curb the spread of coronavirus, but few people in Western societies wear face masks.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Wearing medical masks or N95 masks (namely N95 respirators) can slow the virus spread and reduce the infection risk.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: This study 1) illustrates transmission routes of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); 2) addresses controversies surrounding the mask from perspectives of attitude, effectiveness, and necessity of wearing the mask with evidence that the use of mask would effectively interrupt the transmission of infectious diseases in both hospital settings and community settings; and 3) provides suggestion that the public should wear the mask during COVID-19 pandemic according to local context.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Evidence that face masks provide effective protection against respiratory infections in the community is scarce. However, face masks are widely used by health workers as part of droplet precautions when caring for patients with respiratory infections. It would therefore be reasonable to suggest that consistent widespread use of face masks in the community could prevent further spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Verdict: Supports
Question: Does garlic protect against covid-19
Claim: Can Covid-19, the new coronavirus, be cured by garlic or garlic water? No.
Evidence: compounds derived from Allium sativum (garlic) have the potential to decrease the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and to reverse the immunological abnormalities to more acceptable levels. Allium sativum is suggested as a beneficial preventive measure before being infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: In late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, several patients with viral pneumonia were identified as 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). So far, there are no specific treatments for patients with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), and the treatments available today are based on previous experience with similar viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and Influenza virus.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: In conclusion, Allium sativum may be an acceptable preventive measure against COVID-19 infection to boost immune system cells and to repress the production and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines as well as an adipose tissue derived hormone leptin having the proinflammatory nature.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: 51% will drink ginger with honey and 42.7% eat garlic for infection prevention.
Verdict: Refutes
Question: Does Vitamin D impact COVID-19 prevention and treatment?
Claim: Having adequate levels of Vitamin D may improve the outcome of patients hospitalized with COVID-19
Evidence: A principal defence against uncontrolled inflammation, and against viral infection in general, is provided by T regulatory lymphocytes (Tregs). Treg levels have been reported to be low in many COVID-19 patients and can be increased by vitamin D supplementation. Low vitamin D levels have been associated with an increase in inflammatory cytokines and a significantly increased risk of pneumonia and viral upper respiratory tract infections. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increase in thrombotic episodes, which are frequently observed in COVID-19. Vitamin D deficiency has been found to occur more frequently in patients with obesity and diabetes. These conditions are reported to carry a higher mortality in COVID-19. If vitamin D does in fact reduce the severity of COVID-19 in regard to pneumonia/ARDS, inflammation, inflammatory cytokines and thrombosis, it is our opinion that supplements would offer a relatively easy option to decrease the impact of the pandemic.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Vitamin D deficiency that is not sufficiently treated is associated with COVID-19 risk.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Several studies demonstrated the role of vitamin D in reducing the risk of acute viral respiratory tract infections and pneumonia. These include direct inhibition with viral replication or with anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory ways. In the meta-analysis, vitamin D supplementation has been shown as safe and effective against acute respiratory tract infections. Thus, people who are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency during this global pandemic should consider taking vitamin D supplements to maintain the circulating 25(OH)D in the optimal levels (75-125nmol/L).
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: A significant negative correlation (p=0.033) has been observed between mean vitamin D levels and COVID-19 cases per one million population in European countries.
Verdict: Supports
Question: has social distancing had an impact on slowing the spread of COVID-19?
Claim: Coronavirus is most likely to spread from person to person, when we come into close contact with one another.
Evidence: social distancing is associated with a statistically-significant reduction in the doubling rate for all but three states.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Discussion: The combined social distancing measures implemented by the Greek authorities within the first few weeks after the first confirmed case of the virus reduced the COVID-19 growth rate.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: The decentralized strategy is insufficient when used alone, but offers the best results when combined with the centralized one. Indeed, the (C+D) is the most efficient isolation strategy at mitigating the network superspreaders and reducing the highest node degrees to less than 10% of their initial values.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: stronger social distancing, e.g., cutting 75% of social ties, can reduce the outbreak by 75% for the C isolation, by 33% for the D isolation, and by 87% for the (C+D) isolation strategy.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: Does garlic protect against covid-19
Claim: Aspirin in honey, raw garlic: Dubious COVID-19 'cures' spread
Evidence: In conclusion, Allium sativum may be an acceptable preventive measure against COVID-19 infection to boost immune system cells and to repress the production and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines as well as an adipose tissue derived hormone leptin having the proinflammatory nature.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: In late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, several patients with viral pneumonia were identified as 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). So far, there are no specific treatments for patients with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), and the treatments available today are based on previous experience with similar viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and Influenza virus.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: compounds derived from Allium sativum (garlic) have the potential to decrease the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and to reverse the immunological abnormalities to more acceptable levels. Allium sativum is suggested as a beneficial preventive measure before being infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Verdict: Refutes
Question: are there any drugs that work for SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 in animals?
Claim: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) rapidly spread around the globe after its emergence in Wuhan in December 2019.
Evidence: There is no therapeutic FDA-approved drug against SARS-CoV-2 infection, although a combination of anti-viral drugs is directly being practiced in some countries. 
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: We show that a high (5106 pfu) and medium (5104 pfu) dose of SARS-CoV-2 induces consistent upper respiratory tract (URT) viral RNA shedding in both groups of six challenged animals, whilst a low dose (5102 pfu) resulted in only one of six displaying signs of URT viral RNA replication.  
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: When used for prophylaxis or treatment neither the standard human malaria dose (6.5 mg/kg) nor a high dose (50 mg/kg) of HCQ had any beneficial effect on clinical disease or SARS-CoV-2 kinetics (replication/shedding) in the Syrian hamster disease model. Similarly, HCQ prophylaxis/treatment (6.5 mg/kg) did not significantly benefit clinical outcome nor reduce SARS-CoV-2 replication/shedding in the upper and lower respiratory tract in the rhesus macaque disease model. In conclusion, our preclinical animal studies do not support the use of HCQ in prophylaxis/treatment of COVID-19.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: At this point, the data here presented on hydroxychloroquine either alone or combined with azithromycin (together with previously reported in vivo data in macaques and ferrets) provide no scientific basis for further use of the drug in humans.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: what are the best masks for preventing infection by Covid-19?
Claim: masks can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and that the more people wearing masks, the better
Evidence: However, low quality evidence suggests that N95 respirators protect HCWs from clinical respiratory infections.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Herein, we report that nosocomial infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may be mitigated by using surgical masks and closed looped ventilation for both non-critical and critical patients.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Most hospitals have implemented universal masking for their healthcare workers, and the Center for Disease Control currently advises even the general public to wear cloth masks when outdoors. The pertinent need for masks arises from plausible dissemination of the SARS-CoV-2 through close contacts, as well as the possibility of virus transmission from asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic, and mildly symptomatic individuals.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence:  However, wearing N95 respirators can prevent 73 more (95% CI 46-91) clinical respiratory infections per 1000 HCWs compared to surgical masks (2 RCTs; 2594 patients; low quality of evidence).
Verdict: Supports
Question: what are the early symptoms of COVID-19?
Claim: The COVID-19 virus can spread in hot and humid climates
Evidence: Anosmia and ageusia as primary symptoms of COVID-19
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: The various symptoms identified for COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, sore throat, dyspnea, fatigue, myalgia, and headache. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions are emerging as a new symptom more in the European patients.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Gustatory Dysfunction as an Early Symptom in COVID-19 Screening
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Acute abdomen as an early symptom of COVID-19.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: how do people die from the coronavirus?
Claim: sudden death among some severe patients with improved symptoms post-treatment may be caused by severe arrhythmia such as ventricular fibrillation induced by severe sinus delay.
Evidence: Compared to the recovered group, more patients in the death group exhibited characteristics of advanced age, pre-existing comorbidities, dyspnea, oxygen saturation decrease, increased WBC count, decreased lymphocytes, and elevated CRP levels.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: Can animals spread COVID-19?
Claim: The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person, typically through respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing, or talking
Evidence: Little information on the SARS-CoV-2 virus in animals is available to date.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: There is currently no indication that feline- or canine-to-human transmission can occur, though there is rising evidence of the reverse.
Verdict: Supports
Question: has social distancing had an impact on slowing the spread of COVID-19?
Claim: It's very important to do what you can to reduce the risk of you and other people getting ill with coronavirus.
Evidence: The decentralized strategy is insufficient when used alone, but offers the best results when combined with the centralized one. Indeed, the (C+D) is the most efficient isolation strategy at mitigating the network superspreaders and reducing the highest node degrees to less than 10% of their initial values.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: the centralized social distancing is necessary to minimize the pandemic spreading.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: The government of different countries has adopted various policies to contain this epidemic and the most common were social distancing and lockdown. Our analysis revealed that the measures can slow down the outbreak. We can reduce the epidemic size and prolong the time to arrive at the epidemic peak by seriously following the measures suggested by the authorities.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Discussion: The combined social distancing measures implemented by the Greek authorities within the first few weeks after the first confirmed case of the virus reduced the COVID-19 growth rate.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: Can drinking alcohol help in preventing COVID-19?
Claim: Alcohol can be used to disinfect surfaces and kill COVID-19, and some distilleries are making hand sanitizer to address the shortage. But drinking it will not provide any protection against this
Evidence: While it remains much too early to determine precisely how alcohol use might affect risk for or progression of COVID19, any efforts to connect the dots from past alcohol research would suggest it wise for nondrinkers and lowrisk drinkers to maintain that status during this public health crisis.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Among the basic protective measures against COVID-19, the need to wash hands frequently and in a prolonged way using soap, and to regularly use alcohol-based hand sanitizers is well established for the whole population.
Verdict: Supports
Question: Where can I buy hand sanitizer and if I can’t find it in the store, can I make my own?
Claim: Homemade hand sanitizers are just as effective as what you buy as long as you use the right percentage of alcohol,
Evidence: To date, most of the effective hand sanitizer products are alcohol-based formulations containing 62%-95% of alcohol as it can denature the proteins of microbes and the ability to inactivate viruses.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: With the beginning of the pandemic of COVID-19 throughout the world, the demand and consumption of hand sanitizers has increased, which had led to a sharp crunch in these products at all levels.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Hand hygiene is of utmost importance as it may be contaminated easily from direct contact with airborne microorganism droplets from coughs and sneezes. 
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Particularly in situations like pandemic outbreak, it is crucial to interrupt the transmission chain of the virus by the practice of proper hand sanitization.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: Can smoking help in preventing COVID-19?
Claim: After all, we know smoking is bad for our health. It's a leading risk factor for heart disease, lung disease and many cancers. Smoking also reduces our immunity, and makes us more susceptible to respiratory infections including pneumonia. And smokers touch their mouth and face more, a risk for COVID-19 infection.
Evidence: Cannabis smoking is linked with poor respiratory health, immunosuppression and multiple contaminants. Potential synergism between the two epidemics would represent a major public health convergence. Cigarettes were implicated with disease severity in Wuhan, China.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Statistical surveys of COVID-19 patients indicate, against all common logic, that people who smoke are less prone to the infection and/or exhibit less severe respiratory symptoms than non-smokers.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: Cannabis thus joins tobacco as a SARS2-CoV-2 risk factor.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: In this case-control Mexican study we found that obesity represents the strongest predictor for Covid-19 followed by diabetes and hypertension in both sexes and chronic renal failure in females only.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: what is the origin of COVID-19
Claim: There are many types of coronaviruses
Evidence: The COVID19, which appeared to originate in China in December 2019, has spread worldwide pandemically.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) originated in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, Central China
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Zhou et al (1) mentioned that 'Direct contact with intermediate host animals or consumption of wild animals was suspected to be the main route of SARSCoV2 transmission.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: This provides evidences strongly supporting scientific hypotheses that bats and pangolins are probable hosts for the COVID-19 virus. At the whole genome analysis level, our findings also indicate that bats are more likely the hosts for the COVID-19 virus than pangolins.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: Can smoking cannabis (weed) help in preventing COVID-19?
Claim: What happens to your airways when you smoke cannabis is that it causes some degree of inflammation, very similar to bronchitis, very similar to the type of inflammation that cigarette smoking can cause. Now you have some airway inflammation and you get an infection on top of it. So, yes, your chance of getting more complications is there.
Evidence: Cannabis thus joins tobacco as a SARS2-CoV-2 risk factor.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Data indicate CVIR demonstrates significant trends across cannabis use intensity quintiles and with relaxed cannabis legislation. Recent cannabis use is independently predictive of CVIR in bivariate and multivariable adjusted models and intensity of use is interactively significant. Cannabis thus joins tobacco as a SARS2-CoV-2 risk factor.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Since many articles have reported the effect of smoking (tobacco and cannabis) and vaping in cerebrovascular and neurological systems, and considering that smokers are more prone to viral and bacterial infection compared to non-smokers, it is high time to explore the probable correlation of smoking in COVID-19 patients.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Male, older than 65, and smoking were risk factors for disease progression in patients with COVID-19 (male: OR=1.76, 95% CI (1.41, 2.18), P < 0.00001;
Verdict: Supports
Question: Is it safe to go outside during COVID-19 pandemic?
Claim: Travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19.
Evidence: All surgery performed in an epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, irrespective of the known or suspected severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) status of the patient, should be regarded as high risk and protection of the surgical team at the bedside should be at the highest level.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence:  Given the increasing incidence especially in elderly and individuals with comorbid conditions, it is advised by health authorities to stay home if possible, maintain social distancing and stay away from those who are sick or could be infected.
Verdict: Supports