Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023
Did Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson ‘question whether Dr. Fauci helped create the coronavirus?’
In testimony to the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson questioned whether government documents would reveal "Fauci’s attempt to hide his agency’s role in funding dangerous research that might have led to the creation of the deadly coronavirus."
He added, "We don’t know, because the agencies won’t provide the unredacted documents."
That same day on the Vicki McKenna radio show, Johnson criticized the government’s response to COVID-19 and spread COVID-related falsehoods.
Johnson falsely stated that Fauci said in a recent paper that the COVID-19 vaccine “doesn’t work.” In fact, Fauci’s paper stated vaccines do not stop all infections but do prevent the most serious symptoms.
Johnson also claimed COVID-19 vaccines caused “a million and a half adverse effects." The claim is based on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. However that system provides unverified suspected incidents — not proof of injuries.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Ron Johnson Senator from Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson testimony
- IHeart The Vicki McKenna Show
- AP News Fauci: recent paper doesn’t suggest COVID vaccines ineffective
- Cell Rethinking next-generation vaccines for coronaviruses, influenzaviruses, and other respiratory viruses
- USA Today Fact check: Reports of adverse events due to COVID-19 vaccines are unverified
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Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by Gigafact contributor publications.
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