Supermarkets are recalling coronavirus-infected toilet paper.
The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published by Forget The Upset And Laugh on March 9, 2020, under a Fox News Tonight logo. It read:, Users on Facebook and other social media saw this:, , "Its clearly a joke, given the sites name and Facebook information. But the Fox News logo may fool some people into believing its true that toilet paper is being recalled or can pose a health risk by carrying the novel coronavirus.", "Hinting at the creators whereabouts, Deep Heat is a topical pain and heat remedy sold in the United Kingdom. The brands website claims it is the Number One selling heat brand in the UK, similar to Icy Hot or Bengay in the United States. The story uses what appears to be an old Fox News logo, but Fox never aired such a story.", It has been widely reported that many stores are experiencing a toilet paper shortage as people prepare for an emergency or extended quarantines due to the coronavirus. But the story about toilet paper being contaminated has also been debunked, including just Wednesday, March 11, 2020, by Lead Stories., The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the novel coronavirus is transmitted by respiratory droplets. It notes that, so far, there have not been any documented cases of the disease being picked up from a contaminated surface. Still, the CDC cautions that there is evidence suggesting COVID-19 - the scientific name for the novel coronavirus - may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials., So, the CDC offers tips on how to clean surfaces and prevent the virus from spreading., An article on NBC.com quotes researchers and experts about how long the virus could potentially survive outside the body, including comparing the life cycle of the new virus to other known germs:, A preliminary study published this week found the virus could be detected in the air for up to three hours after it was aerosolized with a nebulizer, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel., The newest research, which has not yet been peer reviewed, was conducted by scientists at the National Institutes of Health, Princeton University, the University of California and the CDC., And an article in the Washington Post on March 5, 2020, quotes epidemiologists as saying there is no evidence the virus can be transported by mail. By extension, there is no support for saying COVID-19 can be transmitted through shipping toilet paper from abroad. Paper products, including toilet paper and their rolls, are made all over the world - not just China., In the About section of its Facebook page, Forget The Upset and Laugh says it is for people who are having a bad day, bored or need a laugh., "You can join our group to get some awesome and funny memes, Quotes, Photos, Pics and videos," it says in part, adding, "This place is not for the faint hearted or thin skinned. That being said, it is a place for lighthearted humor and laughter.", , See who is sharing it (it might even be your friends...) and leave the link in the comments.:, Lead Stories is working with the CoronaVirusFacts/DatosCoronaVirus Alliance, a coalition of more than 100 fact-checkers who are fighting misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about the alliance here., Anne Brown, a staff writer and fact-checker for Lead Stories, is the former Senior Director of Special Events at CNN. Over the course of her 30-plus year career in television news based at CNN’s world headquarters in Atlanta, she covered major events both domestic and international, winning Emmy and Peabody awards along the way.\xa0\xa0Brown led on-location production and logistics teams through events ranging from long-standing political events to breaking news, and everything in between: Royal weddings, state funerals, POTUS overseas trips, summits, inaugurations, trials, hurricanes, Super Bowls and many debates. She has a Journalism degree from Northeastern University and a passion for finding trails to the truth., , Lead Stories is a fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, deceptive or\n      inaccurate stories (or media) making the rounds on the internet.\n      \n      Spotted something? Let us know!., Lead Stories is a fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, deceptive or\n        inaccurate stories (or media) making the rounds on the internet.\n        \n        Spotted something? Let us know!.
Fact Check: Supermarkets Are NOT Recalling Coronavirus-Infected Toilet Paper | Lead Stories