An Icelandic study is being used to claim that the COVID-19 reinfection rate increases with each vaccine dose. The study investigated broad reinfection trends and found that a slightly higher proportion of people who tested positive for COVID-19 reinfection had received two or more vaccine doses. A physician known for promoting vaccine misinformation shared the article on social media, where it received high engagement.
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Emphasizing the flaws in the posts’ interpretation of the study’s purpose and findings is recommended, as is explaining that the researchers explicitly state that the findings did not enable them to identify factors that influence reinfection rates. The analysis also did not include data about vaccine type, time since last vaccine dose, COVID-19 exposure risk, underlying conditions, or frequency of COVID-19 testing, which would be necessary to determine if vaccination status influences reinfection risk. Fact Checking Source(s):
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