The Claim:
A video from a COVID roundtable discussion led by Senator Ron Johnson is going around again. In it, Senator Johnson says that government officials ignored warning signs that COVID vaccines might cause serious side effects and hid this information from the public.
The Facts:
Governments, healthcare organizations, and drug companies worked together to create vaccines quickly during the pandemic. The U.S. government even helped pay for vaccine development to make them available to everyone. Vaccines didn’t just save lives—they also saved money. The U.S. campaign saved an estimated $1.15 trillion by preventing over 3.2 million deaths and millions of hospital stays.
The CDC and FDA also closely monitor vaccine safety through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and other systems. If side effects are found, they are fully investigated, and action is taken if needed.