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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Person: Joseph Ladapo

Posts Exaggerate Significance of Swiss Study on Heart Risk and COVID-19 Vaccination

Posts Exaggerate Significance of Swiss Study on Heart Risk and COVID-19 Vaccination
August 11, 2023

A Swiss study found that after a COVID-19 booster, less than 3% of people briefly had a slightly elevated blood level of a protein that can be a marker of heart injury. No one in the study had any serious heart damage, and other experts say the findings are unlikely to be clinically significant. Viral posts, however, are spinning the results to falsely claim that the study shows the vaccine’s risks are “off the scale.”

DeSantis’ Dubious COVID-19 Vaccine Claims

DeSantis’ Dubious COVID-19 Vaccine Claims
December 21, 2022

While announcing a request for a grand jury probe into “crimes and wrongdoing” related to the COVID-19 vaccines, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his panel of contrarian experts repeatedly suggested the shots were too risky. But such claims are unsupported and based on flawed analyses.

Autopsy Study Doesn’t Show COVID-19 Vaccines Are Unsafe

Autopsy Study Doesn’t Show COVID-19 Vaccines Are Unsafe
December 21, 2022

To date, the benefits of COVID-19 mRNA vaccination outweigh the risks, which include a rare but increased risk of myocarditis, or heart inflammation. Social media posts, however, are citing a German autopsy study to misleadingly suggest otherwise.

Florida’s COVID-19 Vaccination Analysis Is Flawed, Experts Say

Florida’s COVID-19 Vaccination Analysis Is Flawed, Experts Say
October 13, 2022

The state of Florida recently announced that it was no longer recommending that younger males receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, based on an unpublished analysis that purportedly found an increased risk of cardiac-related death following vaccination. But experts who specialize in the unique method used in the analysis say it was not properly done — and even if it had been, the findings would not mean that individuals should not get vaccinated.