A recent “analysis” claims that COVID-19 vaccines caused 300,000 excess deaths, 1.3 million disabilities, 26.6 million vaccine injuries, and nearly $150 billion in economic damage to the U.S. A far-right blog and several large social media accounts have widely shared the report. The organization that published the report has no expertise in medical science, public health, or epidemiology.
Debunking messaging may emphasize that the so-called analysis is not a real study and wasn’t peer-reviewed. It is a post published on a website for the organization’s “vaccine damage project.” The analysis uses unverified VAERS data and assumes that every serious side effect reported during the vaccine clinical trials caused long-term disability. It then applies that inaccurate assumption to the entire vaccinated population. Explaining that there is no scientific analysis or verified data to support the report’s conclusions is recommended, as is emphasizing that many large-scale studies show COVID-19 vaccines are safe, prevent severe illness, and save lives.
