{"id":15213,"date":"2025-10-02T18:14:37","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T23:14:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/?post_type=just-the-facts&#038;p=15213"},"modified":"2025-11-09T18:27:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T00:27:13","slug":"correcting-this-weeks-misinformation-week-of-october-2-2025","status":"publish","type":"just-the-facts","link":"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/es\/just-the-facts\/correcting-this-weeks-misinformation-week-of-october-2-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Correcting this week\u2019s misinformation: week of October 2, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">[vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"templatera_shortcode\"><style type=\"text\/css\" data-type=\"vc_shortcodes-default-css\">.vc_do_custom_heading{margin-bottom:0.625rem;margin-top:0;}<\/style><style type=\"text\/css\" data-type=\"vc_shortcodes-custom-css\">.vc_custom_1708910460305{border-top-width: 2px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;border-left-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #004789 !important;border-radius: 2px !important;}<\/style>[vc_row remove_bottom_col_margin=\"true\" css=\".vc_custom_1708910460305{border-top-width: 2px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;border-left-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #004789 !important;border-radius: 2px !important;}\"][vc_column]<div class=\"vcex-spacing wpex-w-100 wpex-clear\" style=\"height:15px;\"><\/div>[vc_row_inner equal_height=\"yes\" content_placement=\"top\"][vc_column_inner width=\"1\/6\"]<figure class=\"vcex-image vcex-module\"><div class=\"vcex-image-inner wpex-relative wpex-inline-block\"><img width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/just-immunization-facts.png\" class=\"vcex-image-img wpex-align-middle\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/just-immunization-facts.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/just-immunization-facts-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/just-immunization-facts-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/just-immunization-facts-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/just-immunization-facts-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/just-immunization-facts-50x50.png 50w, https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/just-immunization-facts-50x50@2x.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/div><\/figure>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=\"5\/6\"][vc_custom_heading source=\"post_title\" font_container=\"tag:h1|font_size:1.615em|text_align:center|color:%23ffffff\" use_theme_fonts=\"yes\" css=\"\"]<div class=\"vcex-spacing wpex-w-100 wpex-clear\" style=\"height:20px;\"><\/div>[vc_column_text css=\"\"]\r\n<p style=\"color: #ffffff; text-align: right;\">Want to see debunkings like this in action? Watch the <a style=\"color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLM53nMUclCyzp58Ns_M85dxsGsaJfuPe2\">videos<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row source=&#8221;&#8221; text=&#8221;Clinical Trials&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; google_fonts=&#8221;font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal&#8221; link=&#8221;&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1708910874436{border-top-width: 1px !important;border-right-width: 1px !important;border-bottom-width: 1px !important;border-left-width: 1px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column]<div class=\"wpex-post-cards wpex-post-cards-template_10153 wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpex-post-cards-inner\"><div class=\"wpex-post-cards-loop wpex-post-cards-grid wpex-row wpex-clr\"><div class=\"wpex-post-cards-entry col col-1 span_1_of_1 post-15219 type-jtf_topics jtf_topic_subjects-195 jtf_topic_subjects-194 jtf_topic_subjects-218\"><div class=\"wpex-card wpex-card-template_10153\"><div class=\"wpex-card-inner\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vcex-page-title vcex-module\"><h2 class=\"vcex-page-title__heading wpex-heading wpex-text-3xl\"><span class=\"vcex-page-title__text\">Is mercury in vaccines dangerous?<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vcex-post-content\">\n\t<style>.vc_custom_1708910874436{border-top-width: 1px !important;border-right-width: 1px !important;border-bottom-width: 1px !important;border-left-width: 1px !important;}<\/style>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"vcex-post-content-c wpex-clr\"><div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_custom_1708910874436 wpex-relative wpex-vc_row-has-fill wpex-vc-reset-negative-margin\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3 style=\"text-align: left\" class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_do_custom_heading\" >The Claim:<\/h3>\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>In an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/drsimonegold\/status\/1970584654194581522\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">announcement<\/a>\u00a0video, HHS Secretary RFK JR. claims that mercury in vaccines (through the preservative thimerosal) is a dangerous toxin that was never proven safe, can harm the brain and body, and should not have been given to children or pregnant women.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3 style=\"text-align: left\" class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_do_custom_heading\" >The Facts:<\/h3>\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>We know a lot about\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/science\/vaccineingredients\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/voicesforvaccines.us6.list-manage.com\/track\/click?u%3De17a65409cd8f13ba7e58cc97%26id%3De98c76192f%26e%3Dfc0735be13&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1701882273995000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0-mxWM3t8IufZB-bm0G91A\">thimerosal<\/a>.\u00a0Thimerosal, a mercury compound used in some flu vaccines today, has caused concern due to its name being confused with a harmful type of mercury. Thimerosal contains ethylmercury, which is safe and quickly leaves the body. It\u2019s different from harmful methylmercury found in some fish. Thimerosal has been used safely in vaccines, drugs, and contact solutions since the 1930s.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/groups\/global-advisory-committee-on-vaccine-safety\/topics\/thiomersal-and-vaccines\/thiomersal-vaccines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Studies<\/a>\u00a0on babies, including those preterm and low-weight babies, show that ethylmercury leaves the body quickly. About half of it is gone in three to seven days, and the rest is flushed out in the baby\u2019s stool. Within a month after getting a vaccine, mercury levels in the blood return to normal, so it does not accumulate over time.<\/p>\n<p>Studies also show that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/vaccinesafety\/concerns\/thimerosal\/study-risk-autism.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/voicesforvaccines.us6.list-manage.com\/track\/click?u%3De17a65409cd8f13ba7e58cc97%26id%3D2c989ed5a7%26e%3Dfc0735be13&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684508598570000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3YrOu71tkmaxLDWT9RWHoI\">thimerosal\u00a0<\/a>does\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajpmonline.org\/article\/S0749-3797(03)00113-2\/fulltext\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/voicesforvaccines.us6.list-manage.com\/track\/click?u%3De17a65409cd8f13ba7e58cc97%26id%3D7cd22aa6c5%26e%3Dfc0735be13&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684508598570000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0LWXQit1BAqtWOG1UNXiL_\">not<\/a>\u00a0increase\u00a0the\u00a0risk of\u00a0autism and does not harm the brain or body.\u00a0Additionally,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/vaccinesafety\/concerns\/thimerosal\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">thimerosal has not\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/vaccinesafety\/concerns\/thimerosal\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/voicesforvaccines.us6.list-manage.com\/track\/click?u%3De17a65409cd8f13ba7e58cc97%26id%3D71ff2df0b6%26e%3Dfc0735be13&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684508598570000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3QxsFY84q2y1EhyipLj3uW\">been used in childhood vaccines<\/a>\u00a0since 2001. Autism\u00a0diagnoses continued to rise following\u00a0the\u00a02001 removal of thimerosal from all childhood vaccines.\u00a0The\u00a0continued rise of\u00a0autism\u00a0diagnoses is, in fact, mostly due to growing\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/content\/article\/autism-rates-are-it-really-rise\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/voicesforvaccines.us6.list-manage.com\/track\/click?u%3De17a65409cd8f13ba7e58cc97%26id%3D089096fe39%26e%3Dfc0735be13&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684508598570000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2E9OHipgX9mKpggrgAFum3\">awareness<\/a>\u00a0and changing diagnostic criteria.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpex-post-cards-entry col col-1 span_1_of_1 post-15220 type-jtf_topics jtf_topic_subjects-189 jtf_topic_subjects-188 jtf_topic_subjects-218\"><div class=\"wpex-card wpex-card-template_10153\"><div class=\"wpex-card-inner\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vcex-page-title vcex-module\"><h2 class=\"vcex-page-title__heading wpex-heading wpex-text-3xl\"><span class=\"vcex-page-title__text\">Do COVID vaccines weaken your immune system?<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vcex-post-content\">\n\t<style>.vc_custom_1708910874436{border-top-width: 1px !important;border-right-width: 1px !important;border-bottom-width: 1px !important;border-left-width: 1px !important;}<\/style>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"vcex-post-content-c wpex-clr\"><div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_custom_1708910874436 wpex-relative wpex-vc_row-has-fill wpex-vc-reset-negative-margin\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3 style=\"text-align: left\" class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_do_custom_heading\" >The Claim:<\/h3>\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>On his television\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheChiefNerd\/status\/1972263894745063808\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">show<\/a>, Bill Maher\u00a0argues that natural immunity from getting sick with COVID should count as protection, says vaccines can weaken people before helping them, and claims vaccines are only for for high-risk groups of people.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3 style=\"text-align: left\" class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_do_custom_heading\" >The Facts:<\/h3>\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>Getting sick is not a safe way to build protection against a disease. Natural immunity is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/what-covid19-took-from-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">unpredictable<\/a>, and any virus can make people very sick or even cause death. Vaccines give protection with fewer dangers, like getting sick, being\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/anyone-could-get-long-covid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">disabled<\/a>\u00a0from the disease, or even death.<\/p>\n<p>Another claim is that vaccines weaken instead of helping your immune system. That is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/jtf_topics\/do-covid-vaccines-harm-your-immune-system\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">not true<\/a>. Scientists have studied vaccines very carefully and found no proof that they damage immunity. Instead, vaccines train your body to recognize the virus in a safe way, so you can fight it off if you are exposed.<\/p>\n<p>He also claims that only high-risk groups, like older adults, really need the vaccine. While those groups do benefit the most,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-2024-25-covid-19-vaccine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">everyone can spread the virus,<\/a>\u00a0and even young, healthy people can get very sick. Vaccines protect you and also help protect the people around you, like children, grandparents, or friends with weak immune systems.<\/p>\n<p>In the end, science is clear: vaccines are the safer, more reliable way to stay protected from COVID compared to natural infection. They lower your risk, protect your loved ones, and help communities stay healthier through every surge, season, and variant.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpex-post-cards-entry col col-1 span_1_of_1 post-15218 type-jtf_topics jtf_topic_subjects-191 jtf_topic_subjects-218\"><div class=\"wpex-card wpex-card-template_10153\"><div class=\"wpex-card-inner\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vcex-page-title vcex-module\"><h2 class=\"vcex-page-title__heading wpex-heading wpex-text-3xl\"><span class=\"vcex-page-title__text\">Did more kids die from MMRV vaccines than measles?<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vcex-post-content\">\n\t<style>.vc_custom_1708910874436{border-top-width: 1px !important;border-right-width: 1px !important;border-bottom-width: 1px !important;border-left-width: 1px !important;}<\/style>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"vcex-post-content-c wpex-clr\"><div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_custom_1708910874436 wpex-relative wpex-vc_row-has-fill wpex-vc-reset-negative-margin\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3 style=\"text-align: left\" class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_do_custom_heading\" >The Claim:<\/h3>\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>A widely circulating\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/NicHulscher\/status\/1971945141532287106\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">graph<\/a>\u00a0claims\u00a0CDC data proves that the number of reported deaths after the MMR vaccine is about 16 times higher than the number of deaths from measles since the year 2000.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner vc_row-fluid wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3 style=\"text-align: left\" class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_do_custom_heading\" >The Facts:<\/h3>\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>The claims in this graph come from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/science\/vaccinesafety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VAERS<\/a>. According to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/publichealth.jhu.edu\/2022\/what-vaers-is-and-isnt\">VAERS<\/a>\u00a0website,\u00a0<strong>anyone<\/strong>\u00a0can file a report about a bad reaction after getting a vaccine. But that doesn\u2019t mean the vaccine actually caused the problem. VAERS is partly run by the CDC, but the CDC only hosts the data\u2014it does not collect or verify it.<\/p>\n<p>When you visit the VAERS website, it warns that &#8220;VAERS\u00a0reports may contain information that is<strong>\u00a0incomplete, inaccurate, coincidental, or unverifiable.&#8221;<\/strong>\u00a0Because of this, scientists must be very careful about how they use VAERS data. The graph itself shows this problem too\u2014it says vaccine deaths are only\u00a0<em>suspected,<\/em>\u00a0not proven. In fact, the reports don\u2019t always mean there is a real link to vaccines at all.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also important to remember why there are so few\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/how-i-lost-my-daughter-to-measles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">measles deaths<\/a>\u00a0today. Kids get vaccinated, which means they don\u2019t catch measles and don\u2019t die from it. Before the vaccine, about\u00a0<strong>500 children used to die\u00a0from measles every year in the United States.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Explore three popular vaccine claims: Do COVID shots weaken your immune system? Is mercury in vaccines dangerous? Did more kids die from MMRV than measles? Get the facts, not fear.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","jtf_topic_subjects":[],"class_list":["post-15213","just-the-facts","type-just-the-facts","status-publish","hentry","entry","no-media"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/just-the-facts\/15213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/just-the-facts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/just-the-facts"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"jtf_topic_subjects","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voicesforvaccines.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/jtf_topic_subjects?post=15213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}