During a congressional hearing, a former CDC director claimed that COVID-19 vaccine side effects were intentionally covered up by health officials and that the vaccines should not have been mandated because they didn’t prevent infection. A senator described the vaccine spike protein as “toxic,” a false claim with which the former CDC director said he “agreed completely.”
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The high-profile nature of the claim’s source increases its risk. Prebunking messaging may emphasize that COVID-19 vaccines have been through four years of rigorous testing and safety monitoring by independent researchers worldwide with no evidence of widespread serious adverse reactions. All available evidence shows that the vaccines are safe. Talking points may explain that COVID-19 vaccines not only help reduce the risk of serious illness, long COVID, or death but that they also do help reduce transmission—even if they don’t fully eliminate it. Continuing to emphasize that COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives globally is also recommended. Fact Checking Source(s): Reuters, IDSA
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