CNN runs story claiming vaccinated people are less likely to die 'from any cause’ — gets rolled online: ‘This doesn’t make sense’
Critics panned CNN after the network published a story last week appearing to claim that people vaccinated against COVID-19 are somehow superhumanly protected from deadly ailments of all kinds.
What are the details?
"People who got Covid-19 vaccines were not only less likely to die from the virus, but they were less likely to die from any cause over the following months, researchers have reported," CNN tweeted on Friday.
In its article, the network shared conclusions reached by scientists that were documented in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's weekly report.
People who got Covid-19 vaccines were not only less likely to die from the virus, but they were less likely to die… https://t.co/3yhbjX65S5
— CNN International (@cnni) 1634948665.0
The research team, CNN reported, set out to prove the efficacy and safety of the vaccines against COVID-19 when they discovered the interesting correlation between vaccination and lower non-COVID death rates.
Of course, correlation does not equal causation. Common sense dictates that the COVID-19 vaccines do not actually reduce people's risks of death from other ailments. It should be noted that the data is only a few months old and could, in fact, change.
CNN briefly mentioned the scientists' awareness of this fact but dedicated the majority of its report to highlighting the lower mortality risk that vaccinated individuals displayed.
What was the reaction?
Critics on social media immediately took notice of the report and slammed CNN — known for its support of vaccine mandates — for insinuating that the vaccines provide extraordinary non-COVID-related health benefits.
Below are just few examples:
- "Ahhhhh eternal life..finally!" joked one commenter while another quipped, "[CNN] openly declared the vaccine will make you immortal."
- "So, the new cure for cancer, diabetes, hearth condition? wowwwwww!!!! ... Got cancer? Get the COVID vaccine!!!" mocked another.
- Another user said: "I'm vaxxed-this doesn't make sense. Are they looking at every death in every country & asking if person was vaxxed, then taking the # of vaxxed people, which keeps changing, who are still alive minus the number of unvaxxed who died. What's the point of this?"
- "BREAKING NEWS ... COVID vaccines now make you invincible," one commenter tweeted.
- Another asked, "Need any more evidence that this is a cult?" after writing, "CNN is now claiming the COVID vaccine reduces all causes [of] mortality."
- "This is one of the dumbest headlines and articles I've read through this whole pandemic," said one user.
- "Holy cow... that vaccine will keep you alive forever....It will stop you from dying in a car crash, from being shot, your immune to being stabbed to death...." wrote another commenter, mocking CNN's headline.
Several on social media expressed support for the COVID-19 vaccines, but resentment toward CNN for allegedly trying to persuade the unvaccinated to get the shot in such a misleading way.
"Get vaccinated! Just don't lie," commented one concerned user.