FACT CHECK: Did The U.S. Military Destroy Blood Donations From Vaccinated Service Members?
A post shared on Facebook purports multiple U.S. military installations have destroyed blood donations from service members who received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Verdict: False
The claim stems from a satirical website. There is no evidence supporting the claim.
Fact Check:
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a nearly $858 billion bill Dec. 8 that would remove the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military, The Associated Press reported. The bill would allow service members who were kicked out of the military for not receiving the shot to return, according to NBC News.
The Facebook post purports multiple U.S. military installations have destroyed blood donations from service members who received the COVID-19 vaccine. The post further claims the move followed the case of a 36-year-old service member who needed a blood transfusion and died after receiving blood from a twice-vaccinated and boosted donor.
The claim is false. There are no credible news reports suggesting multiple U.S. military installations have destroyed blood donations from service members who were vaccinated for COVID-19 or that any service members died after receiving blood from vaccinated donors. Likewise, the claim neither appears on the U.S. Army’s website nor its verified social media accounts. The Department of Defense also has not publicly commented on the purported claim.
A keyword search reveals the claim stems from a Dec. 9 article published by the website, “Real Raw News.” A disclaimer included on the site’s “About Us” page indicates it contains “humor, parody, and satire.” (RELATED: Did Pfizer Admit All Of Its COVID Vaccines Were Placebos?)
Check Your Fact has contacted Womack Army Medical Center and U.S. Army spokespersons for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
This is not the first time a satirical claim has circulated online. Check Your Fact previously debunked a social media post purporting Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel was hanged at Guantanamo Bay as a result of injuries and deaths caused by the COVID-19 vaccine.
