A Filipina vlogger known for making inaccurate and misleading statements about COVID-19 vaccines has shared with her followers a wrong interpretation of an updated definition for the term ‘vaccine’ in yet another attempt at spreading health disinformation.
In a Nov. 23 Facebook Live video, the vlogger erroneously claimed that graphene oxide is the toxin mentioned in the Merriam Webster dictionary’s Jan. 26 definition of the term “vaccine,” although there is no specific reference to graphene oxide in the dictionary’s vaccine definition.
The January 2021 definition read: “an antigenic preparation of a typically inactivated or attenuated… pathogenic agent (such as a bacterium or virus) or one of its components or products (such as a protein or toxin).”
Based on this, the vlogger said: “What is this toxin? It’s graphene oxide that they put in. They themselves have admitted that there is poison.” This claim is false.
In the most updated version of the term, Merriam-Webster.com enumerated the different types of materials used for vaccines such as a cell’s spike protein or messenger ribonucleic acid, a weakened version of a bacterium or virus, or components such as proteins or toxins created by a bacterium or virus. There was no mention of graphene oxide.
Merriam-Webster’s definition of the term “vaccine” was “revised to reflect more scientifically accurate language… and to provide more context and detail than previously possible in print dictionaries,” Peter Sokolowski, editor at large of Merriam-Webster.com told PolitiFact.
According to the World Health Organization, some vaccines are made from toxoids, a weakened form of toxin created by certain bacteria such as diphtheria and tetanus. Toxoids are injected in the body to help create antibodies against toxins, the Encyclopedia Britannica stated.
Contrary to Lynn Channel’s false claim, COVID-19 vaccines do not contain graphene oxide, as previously debunked by VERA Files Fact Check, AFP Fact Check, and health experts from non-profit organization Meedan.
Graphene oxide is a material produced by oxidizing graphite using different methods. No organism is known to produce graphene oxide, as incorrectly claimed by the Filipina vlogger.
The erroneous video garnered 2,300 reactions, 1,300 comments, and 10,000 views. It emerged a day after the Department of Health rolled out COVID-19 booster shots for senior citizens and immunocompromised patients on Nov. 22.
Among its top traffic generators include FB pages Ugnayan Social Media Platform (created in October 2021), Lynn Channel Warrior of Truth 1 (June 2021), and Mga Ka-CURIOS, the Lynn Channel Supporters and Followers International (February 2021).
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(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
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