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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center
SciCheck’s COVID-19/Vaccination Project

Social Media Swirls With Unsupported Claims About Cause of Justin and Hailey Bieber’s Medical Conditions

Social Media Swirls With Unsupported Claims About Cause of Justin and Hailey Bieber’s Medical Conditions

Pop star Justin Bieber announced he has Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a form of facial paralysis caused by a reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox. Social media posts have claimed his condition was caused by COVID-19 vaccination, but there is no established link between vaccination and the syndrome. Some posts have also baselessly claimed vaccination was behind a mini-stroke suffered by Bieber’s wife, Hailey.

Posts Distort Questionable Study on COVID-19 Vaccination and EMS Calls

Posts Distort Questionable Study on COVID-19 Vaccination and EMS Calls

Studies have found that COVID-19 increases the risk for heart complications, and that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the risks for males and females in all age groups. Social media posts, however, have misinterpreted and publicized a criticized study that claims to have identified a correlation between emergency calls for cardiac events and the vaccination rate in Israel.

Vaccinated People Not More Susceptible to COVID-19 Than Unvaccinated

Vaccinated People Not More Susceptible to COVID-19 Than Unvaccinated

Q. Are vaccinated and boosted people more susceptible to infection or disease with the omicron variant than unvaccinated people?
A. No. Getting vaccinated increases your protection against COVID-19. Sometimes, certain raw data can suggest otherwise, but that information cannot be used to determine how well a vaccine works.

Red Cross Accepts Blood Donations From People Vaccinated Against COVID-19

Red Cross Accepts Blood Donations From People Vaccinated Against COVID-19

The American Red Cross and other blood collectors in the U.S. strongly encourage everyone who is feeling healthy to donate blood, including people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine. But a social media post falsely implies the organization does not use the blood from vaccinated people. 

COVID-19 Vaccines Reduce Hospitalization and Death Rates, Contrary to Social Media Claims

COVID-19 Vaccines Reduce Hospitalization and Death Rates, Contrary to Social Media Claims

Those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 are more prone to serious illness and are dying at higher rates than those who are vaccinated. But partisan social media accounts, including a post by a member of former President Donald Trump’s campaign legal team, continue to misleadingly suggest the vaccines are unnecessary and discourage their use.

Q&A on Second COVID-19 Boosters for Older People

Q&A on Second COVID-19 Boosters for Older People

At the end of March, the Food and Drug Administration authorized a second COVID-19 booster dose for people 50 years of age and older. But the data supporting the extra shot is limited. Here, we break down the available evidence and share what scientists recommend.