Social media post falsely claims COVID-19 vaccines cause long COVID

A recent social media post mocked long COVID patients in Minnesota for “blaming everything for their condition except the [COVID-19] vaccine.” The post came in response to Minnesota long COVID patients attending the first U.S. Senate hearing on long COVID. Social media users falsely claimed that COVID-19 vaccines cause long COVID and that COVID-19 vaccines contain particles from other dangerous diseases.

Risk level: Low

Recommendation: These types of posts may discourage patients in the Midwest from getting the updated COVID-19 vaccine. Doctors may face questions about COVID-19 vaccine safety. Messaging may emphasize that long COVID is caused by a COVID-19 infection. The latest research shows that staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines dramatically reduces the risk of developing long COVID. COVID-19 vaccines and their ingredients have been rigorously tested and have been determined to be safe. The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 6 months and older.