“Vaccinated people will die in two years” is a FAKE message

A message claiming that French virologist and Nobel Prize winner Luc Montagnier has said that “all vaccinated people will die within two years” has been circulating on Whatsapp. This message is fake!

The fake message states “Nobel Prize Winner Luc Montagnier has confirmed that there is no chance of survival for people who have received any form of the vaccine. In the shocking interview, the world’s top virologist stated blankly.”It was connected to a report in LifeSiteNews, a Canadian far-right and anti-abortion advocacy and news publication. Lately, the website was banned by Facebook for spreading misinformation about Covid-19.

LifeSiteNews attributed its claim to an article published on the website of RAIR Foundation, a US-based NGO “to combat the threats from Islamic supremacists, radical leftists and their allies.” The article consists of a two-minute video in which the virologist belittles the vaccination drive for Covid-19. On scrutinizing the video, it was found that Luc Montagnier termed the vaccination drive as an ‘enormous mistake” but he never stated that “vaccinated people will die in two years”, as said in the message.

The French professor is of the view that “vaccines create new variants” which was also said in the fake message, whereas, scientists and international health organisations have repeatedly highlighted that virus mutation is a common phenomenon and is most likely to happen. Variants are produced when viruses have one or more mutations, which takes place when it replicates in the human body. Some mutations in the COVID-19 variants are said to escape the immune system or antibodies in the body. But, the more the virus gets spread, the more it undergoes mutation. Experts say that this is where vaccines play an important role as they limit the transmission process and prevent the emergence of new mutants and variants.

Dr T Jacob John, an eminent virologist from Vellore, said that the message circulated on Whatsapp is fake. He said, “It is absolutely fake. A lie can travel across the world faster than the truth can tie its shoes. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and this claim is absolutely false.”

Dr Sumaiya Sheikh, a neuroscientist tweeted, “The French laureate Luc Montagnier’s message about vaccines creating new variants is FALSE. 1. Vaccines prevent transmission and inhibit the formation of new variants by inhibiting large scale viral replication. 2. The COVID-19 vaccine will not kill you within two years.”

Press iNformation Bureau’s official Twitter handle also did a fact check and made it clear that the message is fake. PIB tweeted, “An image allegedly quoting a French Nobel Laureate on #COVID19 vaccines is circulating on social media. The claim in the image is #FAKE. #COVID19 Vaccine is completely safe. Do not forward this image.”

The mInistry of Health and Family Welfare has said that the Covid vaccines being administered in India is absolutely safe and has requested all the citizens to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The government has stated that the vaccines were tested based on their safety and efficacy and only then they were introduced in the country.