Disinformation wave links monkeypox and COVID-19 vaccines

A video circulating on social media falsely links outbreaks of monkeypox and shingles to COVID-19 vaccines, alleging that the vaccines 'destroyed immunity' and that the resulting skin rashes are being deliberately misdiagnosed. This narrative ignores established scientific and epidemiological data.

The video's central claims are debunked by medical science. Monkeypox (Mpox) is caused by a distinct orthopoxvirus, clearly identified in laboratory studies. Shingles, on the other hand, is caused by a herpes virus. While both can cause rashes, medical professionals diagnose Mpox through clinical observation and PCR testing of samples, which have confirmed the presence of the Mpox virus. Notably, the genetic makeup of the virus found in recent outbreaks is similar to strains circulating globally in 2018-2019, before COVID-19 vaccines were developed.

Furthermore, the assertion that the spike protein from COVID-19 vaccines destroys the immune system and reactivates dormant viruses is baseless. While rare skin rashes and isolated cases of shingles have been reported post-vaccination, meta-analyses of 13 studies found no significant increase in shingles risk after vaccination. In contrast, contracting COVID-19 itself doubles the risk of shingles. A large study in the Netherlands involving over 2 million people found no increased risk after the primary vaccination course, with only a slight, temporary increase after a third dose, far from the 'millions affected' or 'irreversibly damaged immunity' claimed by disinformation.

Claims about the "Shingrix" vaccine being promoted to sell another 'toxic' vaccine, and that NTI exercises and "Event 201" prove epidemics were pre-planned, are also part of this unfounded conspiracy theory. Scientific evidence does not support these allegations, which rely on misinterpretations and fabrications to sow distrust in public health measures.