Thread by @PedsGeekMD, A thread on VAERS reports of deaths following COVID vaccines.VAERS is a [...]

A thread on VAERS reports of deaths following COVID vaccines.

VAERS is a system for reporting things that occur *after* a vaccine, even if not shown to be caused by one. Anyone can report to it. Drs, nurses, parents, lawyers, unrelated dudes on the web.

What is it good for? 1/

No, not "absolutely nothing."

But VAERS *can’t* show causation. When millions upon millions of vaccines are given a year, of course a lot of things will follow vaccines that are not caused by them.

Still, the purpose of VAERS is important... 2/

The collection of large amounts of reports lets CDC look for statistical red flags to investigate further with studies that *can* figure out if vaccines cause such events, using databases like the Vaccine Safety Datalink.

So what's up with the increased COVID vax reports? 3/

Because anyone can report regardless of causality, VAERS will be influenced by many things. A new or “controversial” vax will get a lot more attention, & it's more likely that events, including those unrelated to the vaccine will get reported.

This has happened before! 4/

When the HPV vaccine was new and (quotes bc not really) "controversial," VAERS reports were high. As time went on & fearmongering decreased, reports went down. And many, many studies since have confirmed HPV vaccines are in fact safe & lifesaving.

What about COVID vaccines? 5/

Of course COVID vaccines are at the forefront of people’s minds. And the antivax movement is making a massive push to portray them as dangerous. So it stands to reason that any event, related or unrelated to the vaccine, will be far more frequently reported.

In fact.. 6/

There's V-SAFE, a web/text based app hopefully offered to everyone who gets a COVID vaccine. V-SAFE *actively* solicits adverse events from each user & has a link to VAERS reporting. No other vaccine has this. So of course reporting will be much higher.

In addition… 7/

COVID vaccines are far more likely to be given to older people & the medically vulnerable, esp early in the rollout. These groups have a higher rate of death from other causes, & are more likely to have deaths coincidentally after vaccination.

Anyway, all this to say...

8/

Any implication that increased VAERS reports of death, or anything else, indicate real danger from COVID vaccines comes from ignorance about VAERS and vaccine safety, or deliberate deception.

In reality... 9/

No deaths have been proven to be caused by mRNA COVID vaccines, & serious risks from all COVID vaccines have been extremely rare. Trials of these vaccines in 10,000's of people has shown excellent safety.

Get vaccinated, save a life, maybe yours.

Fin

Some references
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/patient-ed/conversations/downloads/vacsafe-vaers-color-office.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/ensuringsafety/monitoring/vaers/index.html#anchor_1616772696807

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6229a4.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html

https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-afs:Content:9957832237

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-mrna-vaccines/fact-check-there-is-no-scientific-evidence-that-mrna-vaccines-will-reduce-the-population-idUSKCN2AU2KR

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