‘Thanks Pfizer:’ The COVID-19 Vaccine’s Latest Controversy
Heavily politicized within the United States, the COVID-19 Vaccine continues to garner attention across various social media platforms. The latest controversy are Twitter users sharing their adverse reactions to the shot.
One of the first trending Twitter hashtags of 2023, #ThanksPfizer, followed these claims with users across the platform spreading videos of their favorite celebrities and characters dancing in a bizarre manner.
The Claims
James Cintolo, Boston-based nurse and self-proclaimed ‘expert on medical and nutritional health,” used Twitter to share the stories of multiple Americans experiencing rare side-effects after getting the Pfizer vaccine. Cintolo’s most popular post showcases a 45-year-old woman who suffered from severe convulsions and “became paralyzed from the legs down” just three days after receiving their first Pfizer dose.
Another twitter user, Angelia Desselle, shares a video of her experiencing the same convulsions and mini seizures, captioning the post “Thanks Pfizer.” This post quickly gained over 24.7 million views, while creating a trending meme based off of the caption.
Desselle’s post has since been flagged by Twitter for spreading misinformation and now features a pop-up explaining that “spasming has not been a proven side effect of the vaccine.”
The Reaction
The meme #ThanksPfizer trended on Twitter soon after multiple anti-vaxxer’s shared their stories. One user commented under Desselle’s thread by reposting her exact video with Nicki Minaj’s song “Roman Holiday” over the original sound. Another post gained over 12 million views by using the hashtag to a video of Dua Lipa dancing during a performance.
Duolingo, a popular education and language service, jumped on the trend by sharing a post of its mascot dancing. The brand also included a thread linking CDC articles and a picture that reads, “twerking is not a side effect.”
Medical Response
According to the CDC, reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine “vary from person to person.” In adults ages 18 and older, the most common side effects include pain and swelling in the injection site, nausea, fever, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, and chills.
Adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines occur sporadically, with the CDC stating the vaccines are “safe and effective.” The most common of these side effects is anaphylaxis, presenting at a rate of “5 cases per one million vaccine doses administered.”
Other adverse reactions include TTS Syndrome, Guillian-Barré Syndrome, and Myocarditis. However, each have occurred less than four times for every one million doses of the vaccine administered. Convulsions, seizures, and spasms are not present among side effects listed through CDC data or any COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer.
The Conclusion
As COVID-19 continues to attract media attention within the United States, controversies surrounding the virus and vaccine alike will frequent social media platforms. Staying informed through the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) is the best way for users to combat misinformation.