The Claim:
In a letter to RFK Jr., Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin claims that the government knew that COVID vaccines cause strokes but stopped looking into it.
The Facts:
Senator Johnson based his claims on reports from a system called the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS. This is a public reporting system where anyone can submit a report about a health problem after vaccination. However, these reports do not prove that a vaccine caused the problem. The VAERS website clearly warns that reports may be incomplete, inaccurate, or coincidental, and the data has limits when used for scientific conclusions.
Many studies have looked at the safety of COVID vaccines. These studies show that the vaccines are safe for most people. One study also points out that getting very sick with COVID can greatly raise the risk of a stroke (when blood flow to the brain is blocked) and other blood clots. This happens because the illness can cause strong inflammation (the body’s intense response to infection) and make the blood clot more easily than normal.
Overall, research shows that the benefits of COVID vaccines are much greater than the small risks that may be linked to them.