VAERS data reviewed and misstated, live

A video was live-streamed on Facebook and has received tens of thousands of views, in which a woman records a screen share of data reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). The woman incorrectly claims that COVID-19 vaccines cause adverse health reactions, including deaths. The VAERS is a passive surveillance system in which any individual can self-report any health problem following self-reported immunization. VAERS is the official US vaccine adverse event reporting system, maintained and monitored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. However, reports to the VAERS do not determine if a vaccine caused a reaction or death; if a report is found to have merit, it begins the first of many subsequent steps taken by health officials to investigate adverse events.

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About Us

The Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) was formed in 2020 to coordinate and amplify public health messaging on COVID-19 and increase Americans’ confidence in guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local public health officials.

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