Posts claim that Dr. Anthony Fauci created COVID-19 virus in Montana lab

Last week, several viral social media posts claimed that Dr. Anthony Fauci created the virus that causes COVID-19 in his Montana lab and released the virus in order to sway election results. 

Recommendation: Responding directly to conspiracy theories may detract from priority talking points. Ensuring that informational materials about COVID-19 include prebunking information about the origins of the virus is recommended. Messaging may emphasize that although the precise origins of SARS-CoV-2 remain unknown, thorough scientific analysis has largely ruled out the possibility that the virus was artificially generated in a lab.