Fact Check: Post claiming COVID-19 testing patent was submitted in 2015 is fake
Vishvas News investigated the post and found that the viral image is the screenshot of the child application that was filed in year 2020 following the submission of the parent patent application in 2015 that was not related to COVID-19. In fact, the parent application is generalized for a method of “acquiring and transmitting biometric data.” The post is viral with the fake claim.
- By: Urvashi Kapoor
- Published: Oct 23, 2020 at 09:11 PM
- Updated: Oct 28, 2020 at 12:15 PM
New Delhi (Vishvas News): A post featuring a screenshot of a patent application is going viral on social media. The caption alongside the photo claims that a person named Rothschild filed a patent for novel coronavirus tests in 2015 and thus, COVID-19 is a scam. Vishvas News investigated the post and found that the viral image is the screenshot of the child application that was filed in the year 2020 following the submission of the parent patent application in 2015 that was not related to COVID-19. In fact, the parent application is generalized for a method of “acquiring and transmitting biometric data.” The post is viral with the fake claim.
Claim
A post shared on social media shows a screenshot of a patent application. The caption of the post reads: “For those of you who don’t think that this COVID 19 Scam wasn’t planned years in advance … PLEASE explain how a Rothchild filed for a COVID 19 patent BACK IN 2015 ?!?! .. 5 YEARS AGO ?!?”
The archived version of the post can be checked here.
Investigation
The screenshot of the patent application shows that the patent application is for a “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TESTING COVID-19” that has been filed by an applicant named as “Richard A. Rothschild.”
The application has been filed on May 17, 2020 as per the screenshot. The highlighted portion in the document also states that a “provisional application” was filed on October 13, 2015.
Vishvas News investigated further by searching the patent on the website of Espacenet. Espacenet is a platform for searching patents and applications. It contains data on many patent documents from around the world.
We found the application for a “System and Method for Testing for COVID-19” is listed on Espacenet.
As per the document, the filing is a continuation of an existing application. The Rothschild’s patent was initially filed in the year 2015 for a method of “acquiring and transmitting biometric data.”
However, as per the patent’s abstract, the application was later submitted in May 2020 as the method can be used “determine whether the user is suffering from a viral infection, such as COVID-19.”
We also found the application via Google Patents.
Vishvas News spoke to Chaitanya Zanpure who is a Patent Agent. As per her, “the claim is false. The image is the screenshot of the child application filed in 2020. The parent application has been amended and refilled in 2020 by Rothchild. Because the patent application was amended in 2020 there is no basis of the claim that in year 2015 it was filed for COVID-19 testing.”
The post is shared on Facebook by a user named Clinton Wensley. The user hasn’t disclosed much detail about him in his profile.
Conclusion: Vishvas News investigated the post and found that the viral image is the screenshot of the child application that was filed in year 2020 following the submission of the parent patent application in 2015 that was not related to COVID-19. In fact, the parent application is generalized for a method of “acquiring and transmitting biometric data.” The post is viral with the fake claim.
- Claim Review : COVID-19 testing patent was submitted in 2015 and COVID19 is a scam
- Claimed By : FB user: Clinton Wensley
- Fact Check : False
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