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Biden uses the Defense Production Act for vaccines
Elected President Joe Biden will use the Defense Production Act to expand the production of COVID-19 vaccine and vaccination supplies as part of a broad plan to fulfill his promise to vaccinate 100 million people in the first 100 days. to perform. (January 15)
AP
The claim: Adm. Brett Giroir, an assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, said the COVID-19 vaccines have detection mechanisms.
Since last year, social media users have been spreading false allegations that COVID-19 vaccines contain detection devices. Now some claim that a top health official confirmed in a viral video that the vaccines have Pfizer and Moderna detection mechanisms.
‘Did I just hear what I heard about this vaccination ??? Holy cow people. This is Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Admiral Brett Giroir, ‘a Facebook user showed an entry on a post containing a short video of Giroir at a press conference.
Another user shared the same track with the caption of the message: ‘Note the section where he says’ we have very sophisticated ways to locate’. Lol, yeah, it’s built into the injections. ”
“MILITARY ADMIRAAL SAYS IT IS ALSO A TRACKING DEVICE,” wrote another user.
In the 94-second video, Giroir discusses the need for people to receive two shots of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, noting that recipients must take the shot from the same manufacturer both times.
“There are very sophisticated detection mechanisms as well as important incentives – financial incentives – for those who provide the vaccines, to make sure they get the second vaccine from the same person,” Giroir said.
More: Fact check: Syringes with RFID technology follow vaccinations, not recipients
USA TODAY directed users for comments.
Giroir did not say there are detection mechanisms in the vaccine
In a video of Giroir’s full remarks, which took place at a Dec. 2 press conference with Louis Bel Governor Louis Bel Edwards, Giroir responded directly to a reporter’s question about how the federal government would ensure that people vaccine dose received and whether there will be a detection system to aid this process.
While Giroir said that there were ‘detection mechanisms’ during the discussion of the vaccines, he did not say that there were detection devices in the vaccines.
The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to US TODAY’s requests for comment on Giroir’s comments.
There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccine contains any form of detection devices. However, there are systems in place that help vaccine providers and government officials track down who has been vaccinated.
At another press conference on December 2, Army General Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of the Trump administration’s vaccination initiative Operation Warp Speed, said there are different ways to ensure people receive second doses.
Perna said pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens have set up tracking systems with which they can set appointments or send notifications. He added that the federal government can issue reminders for the second dose if it is in compliance with the regulations and policies of individual states.
More: Fact check: What is true and what is false about the COVID-19 vaccine
Healthcare systems, hospitals and private providers also use record-breaking systems to track patient information, according to HHS.
Federal and state databases are helping officials track down who was vaccinated against COVID-19, the U.S. reported TODAY. Immunization information systems – state-run databases – help keep track of people’s immunization records and can remind families of the vaccination, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC has also introduced a new optional application called the Vaccine Administration Management System, which patients can use to track appointments or receive reminders for a second dose, according to USA TODAY.
According to Bloomberg’s vaccine detection, as of January 18, the United States has administered approximately 14.3 million doses.
No evidence of vaccine detection devices
The Pfizer or Moderna vaccine does not contain microchips or detection devices.
“Our vaccine does not contain any detection mechanism within its ingredients or capabilities,” Pfizer spokeswoman Jerica Pitts said in a statement.
“Moderna has no detection mechanism in its vaccine,” Moderna spokeswoman Colleen Hussey said in a statement.
More: Fact check: Americans will not have microchips implanted by the end of 2020
Last year, social media users began spreading false allegations that Microsoft founder Bill Gates wanted to use mass coronavirus vaccinations to implant microchips in billions of people. Gates has denied the allegations and the claim has been exposed several times, USA TODAY reports.
False claims that COVID-19 vaccine syringes with RFID chips will be used to track the location of vaccine recipients have also gained traction online.
USA TODAY reports that RFID technology is giving healthcare professionals access to real-time coverage maps and reports from across the country. The chips can also check the expiration dates and detect counterfeit vaccines.
However, the technology cannot detect the location of vaccines. The chips, which are located on the outside of the container containing the vaccine, are not injected into patients.
Our verdict: Missing context
The claim that Brett Giroir, Assistant Secretary to Health and Human Services, said the COVID-19 vaccines have detection mechanisms is missing the connection, based on our research. Giroir said there were ‘detection mechanisms’ when discussing vaccines, but he did not say it was in the vaccines themselves. The Pfizer and Modern vaccines do not contain any detection device. However, there are systems that help vaccine providers and government officials track down who has been vaccinated to ensure everyone gets a second dose.
Our fact-checking sources:
- YouTube, 2 December 2020, “12/02/20 – John Bel Edwards’ update”
- C-SPAN, 2 December 2020, “Development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines”
- USA TODAY, December 17, 2020, “Where is the COVID-19 vaccine? Who was vaccinated? Here’s how we will know. ”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “On Immunization Information Systems”
- The Department of Health and Human Services, “From the factory to the front lines”
- Bloomberg, January 18, “Covid-19 vaccine detection”
- Statement by Jerica Pitts, Pfizer spokeswoman, January 15
- Statement by Colleen Hussey, spokesperson for Moderna, 19 January
- USA TODAY, June 12, 2020, “Fact check: Bill Gates does not intend to microchip the world with a COVID-19 vaccine”
- USA TODAY, 16 December 2020, “Fact check: syringes with RFID technology monitor vaccinations, not recipients”
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Our fact-checking work is supported in part by an award from Facebook.