The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has welcomed input from top global health experts, who have dismissed purported links between the COVID-19 vaccine and magnetic fields.
This follows a series of viral video footage on social media, where some individuals are seen placing metal coins on the arms of people who have recently been vaccinated against the virus.
“This is in an apparent attempt to prove the purported presence of a “magnet” in the newly-injected arm.
“Several international medical scientists have rejected these claims as scientifically improbable and false.
“According to a report shared by World Health Organisation (WHO) affiliated group, Africa Infodemic Response Alliance (AIRA), COVID-19 vaccines do not contain magnetic microchips.
“The report further declares that these social media posts are an absolute hoax, which should be viewed with the contempt it deserves,” KZN Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane, said.
In an article by Natalie Wade quoted in the same report, medical experts weigh in, saying these videos are nothing more than a conspiracy theory typical of disinformation about the novel Coronavirus, Simelane said.
The MEC welcomed the feedback from experts, saying it is very unfortunate that at a time when the world is in a war against the deadly epidemic, there are people invested in a misinformation campaign, which “results in vaccine hesitancy”.
“This is certainly not what we need, and we call upon South Africans to consume and take seriously only news and reports that are from trusted sources such as WHO, as well as reputable and credible news sources,” Simelane said. – SAnews.gov.za
