It’s April Fools’ Day. Let’s Do This!

Daily Debunker

It’s April Fools’ Day. Let’s Do This! Nothing puts a damper on hilarity like a deadly pandemic, but by the same token human buffoonery knows no bounds. Pandemic or not, April Fools’ Day is on. While a few high-minded pranksters have opted to sit it out this year, others are dutifully cranking out spoofs and gags to give the rest of us something to laugh at. It’s a tradition here at Snopes to keep a running list of notable April Fools’ pranks throughout the day. Distracted though we may be this time around, we’re happy to be able to bring you this year’s edition of April Fools’ fact checks. Enjoy! April Fools’ Day 2020

Fact Checks Did an Orangutan Start Hand-Washing During COVID-19 Pandemic? Sandra the orangutan loves to wash her hands. We should all be more like Sandra. Miscaptioned Did Trump Golf, Hold Rallies After Learning About COVID-19 Threat? After U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell suggested the government's response to the initial coronavirus outbreak was in part distracted by the president's impeachment, rebuttal memes started flying. True Did the Trump Administration Send 18 Tons of PPE to China in Early 2020? Critics have questioned the wisdom of exporting to China medical supplies that would soon be vitally needed in the U.S. True Do Photos Show Las Vegas Homeless Sleeping in ‘Social Distanced’ Parking Lot? "Las Vegas is now packing people into concrete grids out of sight," one critic proclaimed. True Did the House Give Itself a $25M Raise in Coronavirus Aid Bill? Rumors claimed that U.S. representatives were using coronavirus aid legislation to give themselves a pay raise. False Were Ventilators Found ‘Stashed’ in a Warehouse in New York? Social media posts painted a misleading picture about the plan for distributing ventilators amid the coronavirus pandemic. False

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Staff Pick April Fools’ Day Origins How the custom of pranking on April 1 came about remains shrouded in mystery. We’ve compiled a list of theories, as well as some classic pranks from years past. Read more

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