A viral claim suggesting the presence of chimpanzee adenovirus vector in the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has led to an increase in the cases of monkeypox virus across globe, is found to be untrue.
Urging people to take precautions, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that global cases of the monkeypox virus have surpassed 1,000. As of June 6, 1,019 confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported in 29 countries, according to the CDC.
What Started the Rumours Surrounding Covid-19 Vax ?
Even though it is still unclear how the speculation linking the AstraZeneca with the outbreak of monkey pox started, a tweet by a former member of the London Assembly, certainly fuelled the fire.
In a tweet on May 20, David Kurten wrote, "Who is surprised that after millions of people have been injected with genetically modified chimp virus, there is now an outbreak of monkeypox?"
Soon there were others who linked the presence of the chimpanzee adenovirus vector in AstraZeneca vaccine's formula with the outbreak of the new disease.
"And remember, Astra-Zeneca had chimpanzees in it. Shingles is a secondary effect of their vaccine, coincidentally, their monkey pox looks exactly like shingles," tweeted a user.
"Have they warned the Recipients of the Astra Zeneca COVID Vaccine that Monkeypox was actually one of its' ingredients? I wonder, are the Astra Zeneca recipients the ones who are getting it?" wrote another user.
"If you read the ingredients in the Astra-Zeneca Vaccine you will find they used Chimpanzee protein on the spike protein to make it effective. This protein is what causes shingles or Monkey Pox. Therefore those with adverse reactions could spread the virus to their partners," opined another user.
Here is the Truth
Debunking the claims being made on social media, Reuters Fact Check said that the allegations were untrue. Claiming that the ingredient present in the vaccine is not causing the disease, the outlet reported that Monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus.
In a communique to the outlet, Ian Jones, professor of virology at the University of Reading said that it is wholly different from Monkeypox and there is no possibility whatsoever that the two are linked.
"The virus used in the AZ vaccine is an adenovirus that has been mutated to prevent it (from) growing in human cells. Since there is little if any immunity to it among humans, it can be used as a vaccine, or vaccine vector. All the vector does is carry the vaccine component into human cells, it does not establish any sort of infection itself," he wrote in the email sent to the outlet.
Further, Meedan Health Desk, a group of public health scientists working to tackle medical misinformation online, told the outlet, "Scientists use a chimpanzee adenovirus as a vector - a way to get instructions for making virus-fighting antigens into the body."
"It should be noted that chimpanzees are not monkeys," added the group.
