What was claimed
On 16 February 2021, the front page of the Metro newspaper reported on concerns about Covid-19 vaccines.
Our verdict
This is a fake front page. The Metro did not say this.
A fake Metro cover shares false vaccine information
26 February 2021
What was claimed
The Covid-19 vaccines in use in the UK are still in the experimental phase.
Our verdict
This is not true. The vaccines have been approved for use following clinical trials.
A fake front page of the Metro newspaper has been widely shared on Facebook. The fake page carries the headline “Vaccine danger warning” and is dated “Tuesday, February 16, 2021”.
The real front page of the Metro on 16 February 2021 was different, featuring stories about the end of lockdown and people quarantining in hotels.
The fake front page features false claims including that the vaccines in use against Covid-19 “have skipped essential animal testing and are still in the experimental phase”.
This is not true. The three Covid vaccines currently approved for use in the UK have already been shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials.
Before that, the Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were tested on animals.
It’s normal that authorities continue to monitor the safety of these vaccines even after they have been approved. This monitoring happens with all vaccines, including those that have been in use for years, to detect any adverse effects. Just because studies into these vaccines are continuing, doesn’t mean anyone getting the vaccine in the nationwide roll-out is part of an experiment.
You can read more about this here.