FACT CHECK: Did Boris Johnson Get His COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot While A Blue Cap Covered The Needle?
An image shared on Instagram claims a blue cap covered the needle as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson got his COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.
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Verdict: False
The needle was not covered as it entered Johnson’s arm, according to video and other photos from the event.
Fact Check:
After Johnson publicly received his COVID-19 vaccine booster shot on Dec. 2, some Instagram users attempted to suggest he faked the injection, sharing a specific photo of the event. One such viral Instagram post reads, “Boris Johnson getting boosted today by a nurse with no gloves and a needle with the cap still on.”
However, photos and video of Johnson’s injection confirm the needle was uncovered when he received the booster shot. 10 Downing Street, the prime minister’s office, posted a picture on Flickr that shows the needle in Johnson’s arm. Another picture, taken by an Associated Press photographer, depicts the needle prior to him receiving the jab.
“Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson receives his booster jab of the coronavirus vaccine at St Thomas Hospital in London, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021 as the Government accelerates the Covid booster programme to help slow down the spread of the new Omicron variant,” reads the description of the Associated Press photo. (RELATED: Does This Video Show Boris Johnson Giving Journalists Tea After Recovering From COVID-19?)
In video footage of the event published by The Sun, the needle can also be seen entering Johnson’s arm. The blue portion of the syringe some users pointed to is likely a needle hub, which attaches the needle to the syringe but does not cover the needle, according to the Pharmaceutics and Compounding Laboratory at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy.
The U.K. government announced in late November that all adults would be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine boosters three months after they got their second doses, CNN reported.
