FACT CHECK: Is Thailand Banning Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine After It Caused Princess’ Health Issues?
An image shared on Instagram purports Thailand is banning Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine after Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha fell into a coma following a booster shot.
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Verdict: False
There is no evidence for this claim. A Pfizer spokesperson confirmed in email to Check Your Fact that Thailand still recommends the Pfizer vaccine and has not banned it.
Fact Check:
Pfizer and BioNTech are preparing for a 2024 trial against Moderna, another pharmaceutical company, over patent lawsuits, according to Reuters. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified a potential safety concern last month in which the Pfizer vaccine could increase risks of ischemic strokes for those 65 and older, Fox News reported.
The Instagram post features a screenshot of a tweet that includes a link to an article claiming Thailand banned the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine after it allegedly made a princess fall into a coma. “Thailand to BAN Pfizer After Thai Princess Falls Into Coma Following Booster Jab,” the image’s text reads.
The claim is fabricated, however. Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha collapsed in December 2022 due to heart issues caused by a mycoplasma infection, according to the New York Post. There are no credible news reports suggesting the vaccine was blamed for her collapse or that the shot had been banned at all.
“The Thailand DDC continues to recommend vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for all authorized ages and indications,” A spokesperson for Pfizer told Check Your Fact in an email. (RELATED: Did The CEO Of Pfizer Step Down After Saying MRNA Vaccines Are Unsafe?)
The spokesperson also directed Check Your Fact to a Facebook post from Thailand Department of Disease Control confirming that the country has not banned the Pfizer vaccine.
“The public is requested not to be fooled and ask for cooperation not to send or share such information on various social media channels,” a translation of the post reads in part.
The claim appears to originate from a blog post by David Icke, a high-profile conspiracy theorist. Icke has spread conspiracy theories since the 1990s and has been banned from 26 European countries due to his claims, according to BBC.
This is not the first time misinformation about a royal figure has spread online. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim the emblem for King Charles III’s coronation included a typo.
