The claim: CNN published an article on a vaccinated COVID-19 victim who blamed unvaccinated people

A fabricated CNN article about a vaccinated COVID-19 victim has spread from a meme website to mainstream social media platforms.

Loading...

Load Error

An Aug. 26 Instagram post shows a screenshot of the purported article from CNN. The image shows the network's logo, as well as a photo of a woman in a hospital bed.

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

"Healthy 40-year Old COVID Victim's Last Words: 'I blame the unvaccinated for this,'" reads the headline.

The post accumulated more than 2,200 likes in two days, and similar versions have been circulating on Facebook and Twitter. Some social media users questioned whether the story was real, though.

"Is this satire?" one commenter wrote.

It is.

The CNN article is fabricated. It was posted on a platform specifically designed for memes. 

Fact check: Comparing Pfizer vaccine approval to cigarettes, alcohol is wrong

USA TODAY reached out to the Instagram user who shared the post for comment.


Video: Fake Covid vaccination cards circulating in online forums (NBC News)

Fake Covid vaccination cards circulating in online forums
What to watch next
UP NEXT
UP NEXT

Article originated as satire

The fake CNN article presented in the social media posts first appeared on iFunny, a platform where users share memes, GIFs and videos.

The fake article identifies the woman in the photo as Sheila Johnson. The text says Johnson had received the Pfizer vaccine, but she died after her neighbor refused to get vaccinated.

In fact, the woman pictured in the post is Cindy Vela from the reality show "My 600-lb Life." And the headline has not been published on CNN's website.

The original iFunny post was intended to be satirical, but comments on Facebook and Instagram indicate some users didn't take it that way.

The claim is an example of "stolen satire," where made-up claims published and labeled as satire are captured via screenshot and reposted in a way that makes them appear to be legitimate news. As a result, readers of the second-generation post are misled, as was the case here.

Fact check: Some, but not all, of FDA's funding comes from the companies whose products it approves

USA TODAY reached out to CNN for comment.

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that CNN published an article on a vaccinated COVID-19 victim who blamed the unvaccinated. The article is fabricated. It originated on a platform that's designed for sharing memes.

Our fact-check sources:

Full screen
1/14 SLIDES © GLENN CHAPMAN, AFP via Getty Images
Twitter: Employees must be fully vaccinated before returning to the office.
2/14 SLIDES © Cliff Hawkins, Getty Images
Ascension: The private healthcare provider headquartered in St. Louis will require all employees to be vaccinated by November.
3/14 SLIDES © JOSH EDELSON, AFP via Getty Images
Facebook: The company announced it would be requiring all workers in the U.S. to be fully vaccinated.
4/14 SLIDES © David Zalubowski, AP
United Airlines: New employees will have to be fully vaccinated.
Slideshow continues on the next slide
5/14 SLIDES © ERIC BARADAT, AFP via Getty Images
DoorDash: The food delivery service announced in a blog post that corporate workers would be required to be fully vaccinated if returning to offices.
6/14 SLIDES © Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP
The Washington Post: New and current employees will be required to be vaccinated before returning to the office.
7/14 SLIDES © Bruce Bennett, Getty Images
Saks Fifth Avenue: The retailer will require that all employees be vaccinated.
8/14 SLIDES © Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun
United Airlines:  All employees in the U.S. are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by late October.
9/14 SLIDES © Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
Lyft: Corporate employees must be fully vaccinated before returning to the office.
Slideshow continues on the next slide
10/14 SLIDES © Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP
Netflix: Employees must be fully vaccinated before returning to the office.
11/14 SLIDES © Michael M. Santiago, Getty Images
Google: Employees must be fully vaccinated before returning to the office.
12/14 SLIDES © JOHANNES EISELE, AFP via Getty Images
Morgan Stanley: Employees will be required to be vaccinated before returning to office.
13/14 SLIDES © Amtrak
Amtrak: New employees must show proof of vaccination before start of employment and current employees will be required to be fully vaccinated.
14/14 SLIDES © The Walt Disney Company
Disneyland: The Walt Disney Company – parent company to Disney World and Disneyland –  requires all salaried and non-union hourly U.S. employees to be fully vaccinated. Employees working on-site will have 60 days to get vaccinated, and new hires will need to be fully vaccinated before beginning work.
14/14 SLIDES

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Fake CNN article about vaccinated COVID-19 victim's 'last words' has origin in satire

Continue Reading
Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.
TOPICS FOR YOU
Feedback

Found the story interesting?

Like us on Facebook to see similar stories


Send MSN Feedback

We appreciate your input!

Please give an overall site rating: