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FACT BRIEF

Are COVID-19 vaccines self-spreading?

By Dana Ford
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NO

COVID-19 vaccines enter the body through an administered dose; they can't be passed between people.

An online article makes the claim that COVID-19 vaccines spread, "infecting the unvaccinated with chemical particulates." The article cites a story published by the Bulletin website and magazine in September 2020 about self-spreading vaccine research. But the Bulletin story says nothing about COVID-19 vaccines. In fact, when the Bulletin story was published, no COVID-19 vaccine was available in the United States.

Responding to claims that COVID-19 vaccines are self-spreading, the Bulletin said its story was being "misused, without our knowledge, to further an utterly false conspiracy theory about highly effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines."

According to the CDC, people who get a COVID-19 shot cannot "shed" or release vaccine components. None of the vaccines authorized in the U.S. have a live virus, making shedding impossible.

See a full discussion of this at Lead Stories
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Scientists are working on vaccines that spread like a disease. What could possibly go wrong?
Centers for Disease Control Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Lead Stories
Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.