jpd459/healthver_resplit huggingface dataset:
Question: what are the mortality rates overall and in specific populations
Claim: In tracking COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, early reports indicated that young people were more likely to have milder cases of the disease.
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
Evidence: We estimate an overall infection fatality rate of 1.29% (95% credible interval [CrI] 0.89 - 2.01), as well as large differences by age, with a low infection fatality rate of 0.05% for under 60 year old (CrI 0-.19) and a substantially higher 4.25% (CrI 3.01-6.39) for people above 60 years of age.
Verdict: Neutral
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: Neutral
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: Refutes
Question: Can smoking help in preventing COVID-19?
Claim: Nicotine may play an indirect role that makes it harder for the virus to gain to access cells
Evidence: Epidemiological and laboratory research seems to suggest that smoking and perhaps nicotine alone could reduce the severity of COVID-19.
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. 
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: At this time there is no clear evidence that smoking is protective against COVID-19, so the established recommendations to avoid smoking should be emphasized.
Verdict: Refutes
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: Supports
Question: how does the coronavirus respond to changes in the weather
Claim: Warm Weather slow The Spread Of COVID-19
Evidence: Preliminary observations from our team and others suggest that temperature and climatological factors could influence the spread of this novel coronavirus
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: temperature is the most influential parameter that reduces the growth at the rate of 13-17 cases/day with a 1C rise in temperature.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: We show that the delay between exposure and detection of infection complicates the estimation of weather impact on COVID-19 transmission, potentially explaining significant variability in results to-date
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: The current study focuses on the relationship between environmental parameters and the growth rate of COVID-19. The statistical analysis suggests that the temperature changes retarded the growth rate and found that -6.28C and +14.51C temperature is the favorable range for COVID-19 growth.
Verdict: Supports
Question: will SARS-CoV2 infected people develop immunity?
Claim: Many rheumatoid arthritis patients are on medications that suppress the immune system, making them more vulnerable to infection - but those same drugs could also help fight COVID-19
Evidence:  According to this hypothesis vaccine formulations (tetanus, diphtheria, Bordetella pertussis) could be re-administrate after the first contact with Covid-19, better before the development of respiratory severe illness and of course before full-blown ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome). The CD4+ memory exploiting could help immune system to recall immunity of already know antigens against coronaviruses, avoiding or limiting lung crash until virus specific immunity develops and making it faster and prolonged. 
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Distinguishing pre-existing and de novo antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 will be critical for serology, seroprevalence and vaccine studies, as well as for our understanding of susceptibility to and natural course of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of viral cycles and immunity is an important prerequisite for the development of vaccination strategies and development of effective drugs.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: The number of these epitopes and the prevalence of the common coronaviruses suggest that a large part of the world population has some degree of specific immunity against SARS-CoV-2 already, even without having been infected by that virus.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: Do antibiotics work against the coronavirus?
Claim: Antibiotics: Antibiotics work against bacterial infections, not viral infections like COVID-19.
Evidence: Teicoplanin, an antibiotic used to treat staphylococci infection, previously showed efficacy to inhibit the first stage of MERS-coronarivus viral cycle in human cells. 
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: Despite frequent prescription of broad-spectrum empirical antimicrobials in patients with coronavirus associated respiratory infections, there is a paucity of data to support the association with respiratory bacterial/fungal co-infection.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: This activity is conserved on the SARS-Cov-2, thus placing teicoplanin as a potential treatment for patients with this virus.
Verdict: Refutes
Question: are patients taking Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE) inhibitors at increased risk for COVID-19?
Claim: High blood pressure drugs do increase COVID-19 risk
Evidence: Patients who take ACEIs and ARBS may be at increased risk of severe disease outcomes due to SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: The present study has found that the use of ACE inh/ARBs therapy might be associated with an increased in-hospital mortality in patients who were diagnosed with Covid-19 pneumonia.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Our results strongly support the recommendation that ACEI and ARB should be continued in the population and in COVID-19 positive patients, reinforcing the position of several scientific societies.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence:  current evidence did not confirm the concern that ACEI/ARB exposure is harmful in patientswith COVID-19 infection. This study supports the current guidelines that discourage discontinuation of ACEIs or ARBs in COVID-19 patients and the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic
Verdict: Refutes
Question: what hand sanitizers kill COVID-19?
Claim: To be effective at killing some types of germs, hand sanitizers need to have a strength of at least 60% alcohol and be used when hands are not visibly dirty or greasy.
Evidence: The index of India has remained very low (161) so far, mainly due to early implementation of social lockdown, social distancing, and sanitizing hands.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence:  There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19, leaving governments and public health agencies with little defense against the virus aside from advising or enforcing best practices for virus transmission prevention, which include hand-washing, physical distancing, use of face covers, and use of effective disinfectants.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: By extrapolating effectiveness of hand sanitizers on viruses of similar structure to SARS-CoV-2, this virus should be effectively inactivated with current hand hygiene products
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Efficient SARS-CoV-2 inactivation was demonstrated for all tested alcohol-based disinfectants. These findings show the successful inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 for the first time and provide confidence in its use for the control of COVID-19.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: how does the coronavirus respond to changes in the weather
Claim: Coronaviruses are separate from influenza viruses.
Evidence: the temperature changes retarded the growth rate and found that -6.28{degrees}C and +14.51{degrees}C temperature is the favorable range for COVID-19 growth
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Temperature is the most influential parameter that reduces the growth at the rate of 13-16 cases/day with a 1{degrees}C rise in temperature
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: These results provide evidence for the relationship between several weather variables and the spread of COVID-19. However, the (conservatively) estimated relationships are not strong enough to seasonally control the epidemic in most locations.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: We show that the delay between exposure and detection of infection complicates the estimation of weather impact on COVID-19 transmission, potentially explaining significant variability in results to-date
Verdict: Neutral
Question: does hydroxychloroquine treat COVID-19?
Claim: hydroxychloroquine could prevent or treat COVID-19.
Evidence: Despite its small sample size our survey shows that hydroxychloroquine treatment is significantly associated with viral load reduction/disappearance in COVID-19 patients and its effect is reinforced by azithromycin.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: The available evidence suggests that CQ or HCQ does not improve clinical outcomes in COVID-19.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: There is theoretical, experimental, preclinical and clinical evidence of the effectiveness of chloroquine in patients affected with COVID-19. 
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: patients treated with HCQ at the time of early hospital recovered faster than those who treated later or taken as second line choose for their obvious shorter hospitalization time.
Verdict: Supports
Question: can bcg vaccine cure covid-19
Claim: Evidence Shows BCG Vaccine May Help Versus COVID-19
Evidence: it has been shown that Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) might protect against COVID-19.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Since 1975, BCG vaccination policy in Sweden changed from routine vaccination of all newborn infants to selective vaccination of groups at higher risk [3], andSpain did the same, but not Portugal(Fig.1).
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Two recent studies have suggested a link between the BCG vaccination policy and the morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine (BCG vaccine) designed to prevent tuberculosis in children has been shown to induce a adaptive immune response in the body to fight against bacteria as well as other parasites and viruses.
Verdict: Supports
Question: is remdesivir an effective treatment for COVID-19?
Claim: Remdesivir is a potent inhibitor of SARS coronavirus infection
Evidence: remdesivir is not sufficient on its own and may be suitable in combination with other antivirals or treatments such as convalescent plasma.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: In vitro, remdesivir inhibited replication of SARS-CoV-2.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: remdesivir and its active metabolites are unlikely to be adequate in the lung to kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: Currently, there is not any specific effective antiviral treatment for COVID-19.
Verdict: Refutes
Question: what are the early symptoms of COVID-19?
Claim: If you are considered high risk, you may show rarer and more severe symptoms.
Evidence: Gustatory Dysfunction as an Early Symptom in COVID-19 Screening
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: In our cohort, ODs were an early symptom of COVID-19
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Acute abdomen as an early symptom of COVID-19.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Anosmia and ageusia have recently been hinted as significant early symptoms in COVID-19.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: how does the coronavirus respond to changes in the weather
Claim: there is no reason to believe cold weather can kill the new coronavirus  or other diseases, for that matter.
Evidence: In the southern cities, the ambient temperature and air pollution have a negative interactive effect on COVID-19 transmission, implying that rising temperature restrains the facilitating effects of air pollution and that they jointly lead to a decrease in new confirmed cases.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Each 1 C rise of temperature was associated with a 4.8951% (t = 2.29, p = 0.0226) decrease in the number of daily cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Temperature is the most influential parameter that reduces the growth at the rate of 13-16 cases/day with a 1{degrees}C rise in temperature
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Correcting for that distributed delay and offering conservative estimates, we find a negative relationship between temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius and estimated reproduction number ([R]), with each degree Celsius associated with a 3.1% (95% CI, 1.5% to 4.8%) reduction in [R]. Higher levels of relative humidity strengthen the negative effect of temperature above 25 degrees.
Verdict: Supports
Question: Do COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 mean the same thing?
Claim: Note: SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the virus, COVID-19 is the name of the illness.
Evidence: The recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 (Coronaviridae; Betacoronavirus) is the underlying cause of COVID-19 disease.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: The recent global outbreak of viral pneumonia designated as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has threatened global public health and urged to investigate its source. 
Verdict: Supports
Question: What are the possible symptoms of COVID-19 in children?
Claim: When children and teens get sick with COVID-19, their symptoms appear to be milder than in adults.
Evidence: Children of all ages can get COVID-19, although they appear to be affected less frequently than adults, as reported in our preliminary survey.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: The numbers of children with COVID-19 pneumonia infection are small, and most of them come from family aggregation. Symptoms are mainly mild or even asymptomatic, which allow children to be a risk factor for transmission.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: None of the screened children resulted positive for COVID-19 infection. At first presentation, the most frequent signs and symptoms were: fever (71.4%), fatigue (35.7%) and cough (30.9%). An high C-reactive protein value and abnormalities of chest X-ray (bronchial wall thickening) were detected in 26.2% and 19% of patients, respectively. Almost half of patients (45.2%) required hospitalization in our Pediatric Unit and one patient in Intensive Care Unit.
Verdict: Supports
Question: Do COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 mean the same thing?
Claim: Do COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 mean the same thing? YES
Evidence: The data shown here give hints on the origin of this virus and may inform efforts on transmissibility, host adaptation and other biological aspects of this virus.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: The recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 (Coronaviridae; Betacoronavirus) is the underlying cause of COVID-19 disease.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: The recent global outbreak of viral pneumonia designated as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has threatened global public health and urged to investigate its source. 
Verdict: Refutes
Question: what evidence is there for dexamethasone as a treatment for COVID-19?
Claim: dexamethasone was found by British researchers to be effective in treating severely ill COVID-19 patients
Evidence: To date, there has been no definite therapy for COVID-19.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: dexamethasone may be useful for the short-term in severe, intubated, COVID-19 patients, but could be outright dangerous during recovery since the virus will not only persist, but the body will be prevented from generating protective antibodies.
Verdict: Refutes
Question: Does heat prevent COVID-19?
Claim: Taking a hot bath will not prevent you from catching COVID-19.
Evidence: Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) has spread widely throughout the world since the end of 2019. Nucleic acid testing (NAT) has played an important role in patient diagnosis and management of COVID-19.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: Airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via air-conditioning systems poses a significant threat for the continued escalation of the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Verdict: Neutral
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: Supports
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: Supports
Question: Does Vitamin C impact COVID-19 prevention and treatment?
Claim: Though vitamin C supplements are considered safe, according to the CDC, it's easy to consume all the vitamin C you need through your diet.
Evidence: Some nutrients are actively involved in the proper functioning and strengthening of the human immune system against viral infections including dietary protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, iron, zinc, and selenium. Few studies were done on the effect of dietary components on prevention of COVID-19, but supplementation with these nutrients may be effective in improving the health status of patients with viral infections.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: CONCLUSION The use of IV vitamin C in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 disease may be feasible.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: The majority of documents encouraged the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods. Thirty-one percent of the guidelines highlighted the importance of minerals and vitamins such as zinc and vitamins C, A, and D to maintain a well-functioning immune system.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Dietary supplementation has not been linked to COVID-19 prevention.
Verdict: Neutral
Question: Can taking medication to lower fever, such as paracetamol (tylenol) and ibuprofen (advil) worsen COVID-19?
Claim: taking ibuprofen is not safe for covid-19 patients since ibuprofen could increase the expression of an enzyme that facilitates SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Evidence: In this cohort of COVID-19 patients, Ibuprofen use was not associated with worse clinical outcomes, compared to paracetamol or no antipyretic.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: Fever has been reported as a common symptom occurring in COVID-19 illness.
Verdict: Neutral
Evidence: As fever may have benefit in shortening the duration of viral illness, it is plausible to hypothesize that the antipyretic efficacy of ibuprofen may be hindering the benefits of a fever response when taken during the early stages of COVID-19 illness.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: the safety of ibuprofen in COVID-19 patients has been questioned due to anecdotal reports of worsening symptoms in previously healthy young adults.
Verdict: Supports
Question: Can taking medication to lower fever, such as paracetamol (tylenol) and ibuprofen (advil) worsen COVID-19?
Claim: if they develop a fever and COVID-19 symptoms, they should not take NSAIDs (ibuprofen) because it can worsen the covid-19 disease
Evidence: In this cohort of COVID-19 patients, Ibuprofen use was not associated with worse clinical outcomes, compared to paracetamol or no antipyretic.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: The Expert Working Group on the Commission of Human Medicines in the UK and other organizations have stated that there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between ibuprofen and susceptibility to or exacerbation of COVID-19.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: there is no supporting evidence to discourage the use of ibuprofen.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: There are clearly COVID-19 cases where NSAIDs should not be used, but there is no strong evidence that NSAIDs must be avoided in all patients with COVID-19;
Verdict: Refutes
Question: Can animals spread COVID-19?
Claim: there is no evidence that companion animals, such as dogs and cats, can spread COVID-19 or that they might be a source of infection
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
Evidence: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is now a pandemic threat. This virus is supposed to be spread by human to human transmission.
Verdict: Supports
Evidence: Experimental data showed ferrets and cats are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 as infected by virus inoculation and can transmit the virus directly or indirectly by droplets or airborne route.
Verdict: Refutes
Evidence: Cellular angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor of SARS-CoV-2 which is identical or similar in different species of animals such as pigs, ferrets, cats, orangutans, monkeys, and humans. Moreover, a recent study predicted that dog might be secondary host during the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 from bat to human. Therefore, there is a possibility of spreading SARS-CoV-2 through domestic pets.
Verdict: Refutes
Question: what are the mortality rates overall and in specific populations
Claim: Covid-19 seems to most seriously affect older people, particularly those with pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, lung disease and diabetes.
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
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: We estimate an overall infection fatality rate of 1.29% (95% credible interval [CrI] 0.89 - 2.01), as well as large differences by age, with a low infection fatality rate of 0.05% for under 60 year old (CrI 0-.19) and a substantially higher 4.25% (CrI 3.01-6.39) for people above 60 years of age.
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