Unsubstantiated claims by Michael Palmer and Sucharit Bhakdi don’t demonstrate that COVID-19 vaccines harm organs

Before receiving marketing authorization, COVID-19 vaccines demonstrated their safety and effectiveness through several stages of clinical trials. However, regulatory agencies and health authorities continue to monitor possible safety issues among vaccinated people to identify any potential rare effect. There is an overwhelming body of evidence indicating that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination continue to outweigh the known and potential risks, and serious reactions after vaccination are rare.

COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of death, contrary to Mark Steyn’s misleading interpretation of mortality data

Scientific evidence overwhelmingly shows that COVID-19 vaccines are very safe and highly effective at reducing the risk of severe illness and death. No evidence suggests an association between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden death in young people. On the contrary, analyses comparing the proportion of deaths among vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals indicate that COVID-19 vaccines actually reduce the risk of all-cause death.

Unvaccinated people are twice as likely to die from COVID-19 in San Diego county; vaccines don’t cause COVID-19, contrary to claim by Shaun Frederikson

Clinical trials showed that COVID-19 vaccines effectively reduce the risk of developing severe forms or dying from the disease. In San Diego county, statistics show that the COVID-19 mortality rate of unvaccinated people is twice as high as for vaccinated ones. All COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the U.S. only contain a fragment of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, either the genetic information to produce the spike protein, or the protein itself. Therefore they cannot cause COVID-19, which would require a whole, functional virus.

COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of pregnancy complications; Pfizer’s clinical trial didn’t show increased rate of miscarriage in pregnant women

Pregnant women are at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 than non-pregnant women and are also at a higher risk of pregnancy complications if they get COVID-19. All available evidence, including data from clinical trials, safety monitoring, and research studies, show that COVID-19 vaccines aren’t associated with any safety issues during pregnancy. On the contrary, vaccination reduces the risk of pregnancy complications, improving the outcomes for both the mother and the baby.

Justin Bieber’s facial paralysis is caused by a viral infection; no evidence that COVID-19 vaccine played a role

Ramsay Hunt syndrome is a rare neurological condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus in people who had chickenpox. Once the person recovers from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in nerve tissue, but can reactivate depending on the circumstances in the form of shingles. Ramsay Hunt syndrome occurs when shingles affects the facial nerve, causing facial paralysis and hearing loss. Current evidence doesn’t indicate that COVID-19 vaccination increases the risk of reactivation of the virus, but COVID-19 itself might.

SADS is caused by genetic mutations affecting the electrical system regulating heartbeat; no evidence it is caused by COVID-19 vaccines

Reports of sudden arrhythmia death syndrome (SADS) date back to the early 1990s. SADS is the result of genetic mutations that disrupt the electrical system that regulates the pumping action of the heart. This can lead to abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) and sudden cardiac arrest. Some people who have these conditions may not exhibit any symptom at all; others may be prone to seizures as well as fainting under physical or emotional stress. The SADS Foundation recommends that people with SADS conditions get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Large-scale studies have found that COVID-19 vaccination doesn’t increase the risk of negative pregnancy outcomes, contrary to claim by Naomi Wolf

Pregnant women are among those at a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19, which also increases the risk of pregnancy complications like early birth. Such complications could also have cascading negative effects on their babies. COVID-19 vaccination reduces the risk of severe COVID-19 in pregnant women, and therefore can reduce the risk of complications and negative outcomes in both the mother and baby.