The Claim:
Former presidential candidate and collector of animal carcasses, RFK Jr., is spreading the rumor that COVID vaccination is unsafe, ineffective, and unnecessary for infants.
The Facts:
COVID vaccines are approved for children aged 6 months to 12 years under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). This does not mean these vaccines are untested or unsafe; they are. The EUA process allows for vaccines to be used in emergencies, like the COVID pandemic, after rigorous testing and ongoing monitoring.
These vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID, even in younger populations, and the benefits of these vaccines far outweigh the risks.
The idea that there’s no licensed vaccine for kids under 12 is misleading because EUA vaccines are carefully monitored, and ongoing data collection lets us know that they are safe. The difference between EUA and full licensure is mainly the length of time the data has been available, not the rigor of safety testing.
The supposed evidence that these vaccines are unsafe comes from VAERS. What is VAERS? The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) analyzes unverified reports of adverse events that happen after vaccination. Anyone can submit a report to VAERS, and submissions do not mean that a vaccine caused the event.
One doctor famously submitted a report that the flu shot turned him into the Incredible Hulk. VAERS is helpful for keeping track of vaccine safety, but just because something is reported doesn’t mean the vaccine caused it. Even if they’re not sure, doctors should report any important health problems that happen after vaccination.
The most pertinent warning on the website helps put the above claims into context: “VAERS reports may contain information that is incomplete, inaccurate, coincidental, or unverifiable. Reports to VAERS can also be biased. As a result, there are limitations on how the data can be used scientifically. Data from VAERS reports should always be interpreted with these limitations in mind.”
Disclaimer: Science is always evolving and our understanding of these topics may have evolved too since this was originally posted. Be sure to check out our most recent posts and browse the latest Just the Facts Topics for the latest.
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