American football player Damar Hamlin’s collapse spurs new wave of vaccine misinformation

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) lies on the turf after making a tackle on Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, blocked from view, as Buffalo Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) assists at the end of the play during the first half of an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills, Monday, Jan 2, 2023, in Cincinnati. After getting up from the play, Hamlin collapsed and was administered CPR on the field. — AP

WASHINGTON: Unfounded claims about the safety of Covid-19 vaccines proliferated in the hours and days after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during Monday’s game, revealing how pervasive vaccine misinformation remains three years after the pandemic began.

Even before Hamlin was carried off the field in Cincinnati, posts amassing thousands of shares and millions of views began circulating online claiming without evidence that complications from Covid-19 vaccines caused his health emergency.