A post shared on Facebook purports U.S. Army Special Forces destroyed a COVID-19 research laboratory at Boston University after scientists created a new strain.

Verdict: False

The claim stems from an article published on a satirical website. The U.S. military did not destroy the university’s COVID-19 research lab.

Fact Check:

The Daily Mail reported Monday that Boston University researchers created a new strain of the COVID-19 virus that molded the Omicron spike protein with the original Wuhan strain. The laboratory director claimed the report, which labeled the virus as having an 80 percent kill rate in mice, had “misrepresented” the study, according to Boston.com.

The Facebook post claims Special Forces destroyed the university lab where researchers created the new strain of COVID-19 using both the virus’ original strain and the Omicron variant. Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Specialists reportedly searched the premises and moved remaining samples of the new viral strain to mobile cooling units before destroying the lab.

The scientists responsible for the research claimed they had received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant for their work before being escorted from the former laboratory, the post claims.

The claim is false. There are no credible news reports to support the claim. Likewise, there is no mention of the purported claim on the Army, Marines, or Boston University lab’s verified social media accounts or their respective websites.

A keyword search reveals the claim stems from an Oct. 18 article published on the website, “Real Raw News.” A disclaimer included on the website’s “About Us” page indicates it contains “humor, parody, and satire.” (RELATED: Did The U.S. Military Find The Drug Scopolamine In COVID-19 Vaccines?)

Check Your Fact has contacted U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Boston University for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

This is not the first time an article from Real Raw News had been posted on social media as true. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim suggesting the U.S. military hanged Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink following a military tribunal.