It’s Episode 4 of Season 1 and we continue on our quest to disprove untruths that the COVID vaccine is dangerous. In this episode Dr Riaad Moosa tackles the urban legend that the vaccine has caused a large number of deaths. Once again the good doctor demonstrates that this particular rumour makes no sense. In fact, it is complete nonsense and Riaad shows this illogic by comparing a cow and a table, which both have four legs, so then making the assumption that a cow is the same as a table.
What Riaad is of course referring to is the misinterpretation of data, which was common with spreading vaccine myths. Adverse event reports in databases like VAERS were often misconstrued. These reports include all events post-vaccination, not just those causally linked to the vaccine. So, a person may have been vaccinated but died in a car accident and their death was attributed to the vaccine. In amongst the humour, the conclusion is serious: the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 far exceeds the rare adverse effects associated with vaccination.
By presenting this case in an accessible way, Riaad clarifies that vaccines are not causing large numbers of deaths but are a critical tool in reducing COVID-19’s impact.