Utah woman who claims she became disabled after a COVID-19 vaccine trial sues AstraZeneca

A Utah woman who claims she became disabled after participating in AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial is suing AstraZeneca. She claims that the company breached its contract by failing to adequately cover the medical expenses associated with her alleged vaccine injury. After the New York Post covered this woman’s story, news of her lawsuit spread across multiple social media platforms and news websites.

Recommendation: Some social media posts about this lawsuit are attempting to undermine the public’s perception of COVID-19 vaccine safety. These posts provide an opportunity for health departments, community-based organizations, and other partners in Utah to debunk false claims about COVID-19 vaccine safety and clarify which COVID-19 vaccines are approved and recommended in the United States. Messaging may emphasize that serious adverse reactions to vaccination are extremely rare, and it’s up to health and legal authorities to determine whether such a reaction occurred as a result of vaccination. While it was not approved for use in the United States, AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine has been credited with saving 6.3 million lives within the first year of the global COVID-19 vaccine rollout.