Posts Falsely Claim Vaccines Increase Omicron Infection Rate
The Claim
A study has shown that after three months, the vaccine effectiveness of Pfizer and Moderna against Omicron becomes negative. Pfizer customers are 76.5%, and Moderna customers are 39.3% more likely to be infected than unvaccinated people.
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Emerging story
Social media users have circulated posts claiming a study has shown that the vaccine effectiveness of Pfizer & Moderna against Omicron goes negative after three months.
The posts added that Pfizer customers are 76.5%, and Moderna customers are 39.3% more likely to be infected than unvaccinated people.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be misleading. Our team looked up the study on the medRxiv platform, which is an online website for preliminary reports.
The study did not mention that mRNA vaccines harm the immune system of vaccinated people. And it seems that the claim has misinterpreted the data.
The platform has mentioned that its reports “have not been certified by peer review and should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior.”
Photo description: The platform contains preliminary unverified reports.
The study referred to in the claim aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines against the Omicron variant, and it found evidence of protection against infection with the Omicron variant. But, according to the report, this effectiveness is significantly lower than against Delta infection.
It is worth mentioning that the report has confirmed that the vaccine effectiveness is re-established upon revaccination.
PolitiFact has also mentioned, regarding the same study, that its findings might be negative because the vaccinated people may test more than unvaccinated ones.
Photo description: The report has mentioned that the vaccine’s effectiveness is re-established upon revaccination.
The study found that some vaccines' efficacy against the Omicron variant is lower than Delta since it declines rapidly a few months after the second shot but becomes re-established following a booster. And did not mention any adverse impact on immune systems.
