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| - Last Updated on May 9, 2024 by Neelam Singh
Quick Take
An Instagram post claims that O.J. Simpson died due to COVID-19 vaccine. We did the fact check, and it turned out to be false.
The Claim
A user on Instagram shared a post which claims that O. J. Simpson died due to COVID-19 vaccine. The caption on the post reads: “Hey ‘doctor’ Fauci, if the covid vaxx doesn’t kill people,” over the image of Fauci. The caption further reads: “Then explain this.”
Fact Check
Is it true that O. J. Simpson died due to COVID-19 vaccine?
No, O. J. Simpson did not die due to COVID-19 vaccine. Our fact check did not yield any result relating his death to COVID-19 vaccine in any way. We found no such news or evidence on news agencies or social media. However, we did see several similar posts being shared on Facebook as well.
There’s no reliable news backing the claim that O. J. Simpson died due to COVID-19 vaccine. Simpson shared a picture of himself getting vaccinated against COVID-19 in January 2021 with the caption, “Get your shot. I got mine!” This is the photo we are talking about:
During our research, we found posts related to O.J. Simpson on X. On April 11, 2024, in a post on X, Simpson’s family announced that he had “lost his battle with cancer.” We are attaching a screenshot of the post:
Earlier, in a video shared in May 2023, Simpson disclosed his struggle with cancer, mentioning he had to undergo chemotherapy. Although he didn’t specify the type of cancer. Here is a screenshot of the same:
We got further evidence from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, O.J. Simpson died due to prostate cancer and not due to COVID-19 vaccine. Several media houses, including the Los Angeles Times and New York Post, shared news confirming the cause of his death, as per his death certificate. It was confirmed as prostate cancer by his lawyer. Hence, we refute the claim that O.J. Simpson died due to COVID-19 vaccine.
Can COVID-19 vaccine cause death?
No, not really. It is important to note that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. They were our only hope during the time of a healthcare crisis. COVID-19 vaccines have saved lives without a doubt and the benefits outweigh the risk of side effects. Vaccines are prepared with an intent to control a pandemic/epidemic and minimise the harm due to a particular disease. There is always a risk benefit analysis before launching a vaccine for the general public.
Are there health risks with Covid vaccines?
Yes, there are some health risks associated with COVID-19 vaccines, but they are very rare. The largest study on vaccine safety looked at 99 million people who got COVID-19 vaccines in eight countries. They found two rare side effects: transverse myelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). These were spotted by comparing what was expected to happen with what actually happened in terms of certain health problems.
The study, published in Vaccine, also confirmed other rare side effects like heart inflammation after Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and blood clotting issues after AstraZeneca vaccines. They also saw possible risks of ADEM and transverse myelitis with all COVID-19 vaccines. It is essential to point out that these are very rare occurrences and have been observed shortly after the vaccine, mostly in a period of two weeks.
Another study in Australia, looking at 6.7 million people, found higher risks of ADEM and transverse myelitis with the AstraZeneca vaccine. But there were no links found between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and these side effects. The researchers said these risks are very low—about less than 2 cases per million vaccine doses.
What are the most serious side effects of COVID vaccines?
The most serious side effects of COVID vaccines are rare. Some potential serious side effects include severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), blood clotting disorders such as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) associated with adenovirus vector vaccines like AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, and myocarditis or pericarditis, which are inflammation of the heart or its lining. It is predominantly observed in younger males after mRNA vaccines like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Having listed all that, it’s essential to emphasise that the occurrence of these serious side effects is extremely rare. The benefits of COVID vaccination in preventing severe illness, hospitalisation, and death far outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people. Additionally, healthcare systems closely monitor vaccine safety, and regulatory agencies continue to assess and update guidance based on emerging data. If you have concerns about the COVID vaccine, you should discuss them with a healthcare professional. They can provide personalised guidance based on your medical history and individual risk factors.
We have fact checked several claims regarding COVID vaccines causing infertility in humans. We also fact checked: Was COVID handling by the Government of India a huge scam? Another fact check has busted this claim: Has Japan’s government banned the COVID-19 vaccine?
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