Arguably one of the most infamous myths eroding public trust in the COVID vaccines is the claim that they contain a microchip. The likely origin of this myth is just as interesting as its claim. Ike Sriskandarajah, a writer at Verge, tasked himself in investigating the inception of this myth. In collaboration with Dr. Joan Donovan, the research director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, whose research has a particular focus on online extremism, media manipulation and disinformation campaigns, they narrowed down its origin to a Reddit ‘Ask Me Anything’ thread [1,2].
Bill Gates joined the thread to answer questions pertaining to the pandemic. He went as far as to predict that in the future, we would all possess a digital passport for our health records, possibly in the form of an e-vaccine card. A Swedish biohacking website, who encouraged the idea of using implantable microchips to monitor biometrics, read Gates’ comment and published a story with the title “Bill Gates will use microchip implants to fight coronavirus”.
Unsurprisingly, the story spread like wildfire, especially when the controversial Baptist pastor, Adam Fannin, uploaded a sermon on YouTube (currently removed) claiming that vaccines will contain a microchip with the intent of depopulating and tracking the global population [1]. Social media platforms like TikTok picked up the story and continued to spread mistrust in governments and the rich/powerful.
The Truth
None of the currently available COVID vaccines contains microchips. Katie Schoolov, a digital producer for CNBC interviewed Dr. Matt Laurens. Dr. Laurens is a pediatric infectious disease specialist from the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine and was also a co-investigator on the phase three trials of the Moderna and Novavax COVID vaccines.
There are three reasons why the vaccine can not contain a microchip. To begin, the size of a microchip does not fit in the typical vaccine syringe, making the delivery of the vaccine impossible. Secondly, a microchip would need energy, and finding an energy source in the body is difficult. Lastly, transmitting a signal through an inch of muscle, skin, and fat to a remote device is extremely difficult [3].
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Written by: Renard
Edited by: María and Natasha
BioDecoded is a volunteer group committed to sharing accurate scientific information. We cannot offer any specific health advice. If you have any doubts about getting vaccinated due to previous health conditions, please speak with your healthcare professional or family physician. Your doctor can revise your medical history and advise you on the best path to follow. If you have any questions about this topic, please comment or send them to our email.
References:
Where did the microchip vaccine conspiracy theory come from anyway?. The Verge (2021). Available at: https://www.theverge.com/22516823/covid-vaccine-microchip-conspiracy-theory-explained-reddit. (Accessed: 10th October 2021)
Joan Donovan. Hks.harvard.edu (2021). Available at: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/joan-donovan. (Accessed: 10th October 2021)
Black, E. & Schoolov, K. Why the Covid vaccines can’t contain a tracking microchip or make you magnetic. CNBC (2021). Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2021/10/01/why-theres-no-5g-tracking-microchip-in-the-covid-vaccine.html. (Accessed: 10th October 2021)
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