A trending social media video features a man claiming to be a rancher who alleges that “live” mRNA vaccines are being tested on livestock and that 26 percent of those tested have had serious adverse reactions. The video claims that the meat from the animals contains “live vaccines.” A conspiracy theorist sharing the video repeats the myth that COVID-19 vaccines force the body to “mass produce the deadly HIV spike protein.”
Prebunking talking points may emphasize that livestock vaccination to prevent disease outbreaks is one of the oldest forms of vaccination, dating back to the 1700s. Messaging may explain that some pork producers use mRNA livestock vaccines that have been rigorously tested for safety. Like all livestock vaccines, mRNA vaccines are not transmitted through meat products. The mRNA in vaccines can’t survive inside the body for extended periods and breaks down long before the animals enter the food supply. Debunking messaging may emphasize that mRNA vaccines don’t contain live viruses, and COVID-19 vaccines don’t contain any HIV component.
