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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
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FACT BRIEF

Did a federal agency document 3,848 deaths due to COVID-19 vaccinations?

By Dean Miller
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NO

As of May 5, 2021, CDC medical experts had not documented a single fatality caused by COVID-19 vaccines among the 107 million Americans who are fully vaccinated.

An article published online misinterprets and misstates the government's rough list of unverified reports collected by the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). 

Anyone can submit a report to VAERS. The CDC monitors incoming items, and if patterns emerge, investigates them.

VAERS reports are unverified and, according to the CDC, may include information that is incomplete, inaccurate or coincidental. The CDC makes it clear that one cannot assume deaths listed on the VAERS website are connected to the COVID-19 vaccine.

The VAERS database is a hodgepodge of anecdotal information, not a library of fully investigated cases. It helps the CDC and FDA monitor the rollout of a new vaccine by revealing patterns. 

See a full discussion of this at Lead Stories
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
US Department of Health and Human Services Report an Adverse Event
Centers for Disease Control The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) Request
US Department of Health and Human Services Guide to Interpreting VAERS Data
Centers for Disease Control Selected Adverse Events Reported after COVID-19 Vaccination
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.