evidence: The claim: The coronavirus pandemic resulted from human consumption of animals. On March 15, vegan influencer Ed Winters, who often goes by the name "Earthling Ed" on social media, posted a graphic to his Instagram account stating that "COVID-19 was caused by eating animals." "The new coronavirus pandemic would not have started if we didn’t farm and eat animals," Winters wrote. [...] We rate the claim that COVID-19 was caused by eating animals partly false because some of the claim is not supported by our research. While it is true that many infectious diseases that have wreaked havoc on humans have come from animals, it is not entirely the case that ending the consumption of animals would put an end to such diseases. Limiting contact with animals, even assuming they are not being consumed by humans, would be necessary to lessen the chances that viruses and other pathogens transfer between species and infect humans.