A 22-second video has circulated on social media claiming that a phone can stick to your shoulder after receiving a dose of the coronavirus vaccine, as seen in a video screenshot shared by the AFC editorial team. Beware! This is nothing but an illusion crafted by conspiracy theorists. There is no scientific evidence to support this claim.
The video, which has been widely shared across various social media discussion groups, reached the AFC fact-checking team. The video’s creator, speaking in Sango (an official language in the Central African Republic) and translated by the AFC, states: “This is serious and authentic. Once I received the vaccine dose, I placed my phone on my shoulder, and it didn’t fall. It’s stuck.”
This claim has been refuted by pandemic and bioclinical research specialists, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO). The video is a fabricated piece that does not reflect any scientific reality. To verify the authenticity of this alleged experiment and separate fact from fiction, the AFC fact-checking team visited a vaccination center to test this phenomenon. Their findings did not align with what the video claimed.
Dr. Louis Médard Ouarandji, the COVID-19 focal point at the voluntary testing center at Bangui General Hospital, expressed his doubts: “False! This is the first time I’ve heard of such a thing.” Stéphane Gopaye, one of the youth leaders, added, “I feel fine after the vaccine. I’m in good health, so those claims are lies.” The vaccine is safe, with the exception of some mild side effects, according to the WHO.
Moreover, the AFC consulted the official WHO website, where biologists and doctors confirmed that the vaccine poses no harm to humans in the medium or long term, a stance supported by the WHO in their “Vaccines Explained” series.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe, and getting vaccinated helps protect against severe forms of COVID-19 and prevents death from the disease. It is possible to experience mild side effects after vaccination; these are signs that your body is building protection. The WHO explains why mild side effects are normal after vaccination: Vaccines are designed to give you immunity without the dangers of contracting the disease. It is common to experience mild to moderate side effects after receiving a vaccine. They occur because your immune system prompts your body to respond in various ways: increasing blood flow so that more immune cells can circulate, and raising your internal temperature to kill the virus. Mild to moderate side effects, such as slight fever or muscle aches, are normal and not alarming. These side effects usually occur within the first few days after receiving a vaccine. Since the first mass vaccination program began in early December 2020, hundreds of millions of vaccine doses have been administered, and no side effects beyond a few days have been reported.
Beware of infodemics, as they can be as dangerous as the pandemic itself.
Severin Garba / AFC Editorial Team
Do you find information or images suspicious? Contact our editorial team at 00236 75 38 11 73 / 72 30 85 45, or email us at [email protected].
