FACT CHECK: CNN Did Not Publish A Headline About Kamala Harris Requiring Democrats To Take Updated COVID Shot To Vote
A viral image shared on X claims to show a CNN headline about 2024 Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris purportedly requiring Democrats to receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine in order to vote in November.
— Luiz (@_APWK_) August 27, 2024
Verdict: False
The purported headline does not appear on CNN’s website or its verified social media accounts, and there is no other evidence supporting the claim. In addition, Harris has not publicly commented on the claim. A CNN spokesperson denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.
Fact Check:
NBA athlete Magic Johnson faced social media backlash after praising Harris and her 2024 running mate Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s first sit-down interview since launching their presidential bid, according to Fox News. Social media users challenged a post that Johnson made on X, saying Harris has “a real vision” for the U.S., the outlet reported.
The X image, viewed over 42,000 times as of writing, purports to show a CNN headline about Harris purportedly requiring Democrats to receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine in order to vote in November. “BREAKING: Kamala to require all democrats [sic] to take the updated covid [sic] shot in order to vote in November,” the purported headline reads. According to the same image, the headline appears to have been published on August 27.
The claim is false. Check Your Fact searched for the purported headline on CNN’s website but did not find it there. The purported headline also does not appear on the media outlet’s verified Facebook, X, and Instagram accounts. (RELATED: Fact-Checking Kamala Harris And Tim Walz’s First Joint Interview)
Likewise, Harris has not mentioned the purported headline or announced a plan requiring Democrats to receive the updated COVID-19 shot in order to vote via her 2024 campaign website or her verified social media accounts. The Democratic Party has not publicly commented on the claim, either.
In addition, Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. Actually, the opposite is true. On August 29, Snopes reported the claim was false. Although the claim is false, new COVID-19 vaccines are available amid a “summer surge” of the virus, according to Politico.
Check Your Fact previously debunked an Instagram post that claimed Harris had purportedly unveiled a national COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
A CNN spokesperson denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.
“CNN did not publish a headline like described,” the same spokesperson said.
