Every day, viewers send us questions and claims about COVID-19 asking us to verify the answers.
Here are some of the most common questions and what the experts say about them.
Spanish Version: Verificando preguntas sobre vacunas contra COVID y mascarillas
Haley asked: "I have been told that the COVID vaccine can alter our DNA. I do not believe this but would like to know if it is possible?"
We checked with the CDC, which says no. COVID-19 vaccines contain genetic material, but don't actually alter our genes.
Steve asked for information about the number of people who die from COVID-19 after being vaccinated versus the number of deaths among the unvaccinated.
Data from the Tennessee Department of Health reveals how much the vaccine has protected Tennesseans. TDH reports 427 vaccinated Tennesseans have died, compared to more than 15 thousand deaths in people without the vaccine.
Eva asked us whether kids can inhale too much carbon dioxide while wearing a mask. The CDC said nope. Masks allow oxygen to flow, but block larger particles like the virus.
Doctors said "CO2 molecules are small enough to easily pass through any cloth mask material."
Finally, Jane asked whether surgical masks even work to filter out virus particles.
The CDC said some masks are better than others, but they say surgical masks help as long as you wear in correctly—over both your nose and mouth.
They remind us: masks help protect you from the virus, but they mostly protect the people around you in case you have the Coronavirus and don't know it.