FAKE: American COVID-19 vaccine killed several Ukrainian soldiers

Fact check within the partnership with Facebook 

Information on testing of American COVID-19 vaccine in the Kharkiv Oblast is being spread online. Allegedly, 15 people infected by the novel coronavirus had received the vaccine shot already, among them 10 Ukrainian soldiers. It is stated that 5 Ukrainians died because of these tests, 4 soldiers included. 

However, this information is fake.

The source of the news piece is a PR representative of the people’s militia of the LPR. During 2014-2018 the Ministry of information had found multiple fakes and examples of disinformation and propaganda launched into the Ukrainian online sphere by the leaders of the so-called LPR and DPR. 

There is no confirmed information on the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination in Ukraine. 

The Ministry of Defence hasn’t reported it, either.  

As of now, there is no working COVID-19 vaccine. According to the WHO, there are 25 vaccines that are currently at the testing stage. However, none of those tests are being conducted in Ukraine. 

Besides, the vaccines are tested on people who haven’t contracted the coronavirus, since the main purpose of the vaccine is to stimulate the antibodies production, and the organism of the person infected with the virus is already producing them.

The latest research shows that the antibodies for the novel coronavirus last only 2-3 months, and even less for the people who were the asymptomatic carriers of SARS-CoV-2.