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FACT BRIEF

Do COVID-19 vaccines destroy T cells and weaken the immune system?

By Ali Swenson
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NO

On the contrary, COVID-19 vaccines generate a strong T cell response and boost immunity, according to experts.

Articles that have amassed thousands of views across social media this week misrepresent a June study from Britain’s Francis Crick Institute by falsely claiming it showed Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine “destroys T cells” and “weakens the immune system.”

But that’s not at all what the research shows, according to the Francis Crick Institute’s Dr. David Bauer, one of the study’s authors.

“Our work to date has not studied T cells at all,” Bauer told the AP in an email. “All research published to date shows that the Pfizer (and other) vaccines generate a strong, positive, protective T-cell response against SARS-CoV-2.”

Furthermore, research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others shows the vaccines boost the immune response.  

See a full discussion of this at The Associated Press
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
The Lancet Neutralising antibody activity against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs B.1.617.2 and B.1.351 by BNT162b2 vaccination
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The Associated Press
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business.
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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.