Fact check: COVID-19 outbreak at NY nursing home started before vaccinations – USA TODAY

Vaccinologist Dr. Greg Poland discusses what it's like after your first dosage of COVID-19 vaccine. USA TODAY

In December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued emergency use authorizationsforcoronavirusvaccines made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna.Since then, over10 million individuals in the U.S. have received a first dose of the shot. About 540,000 have received a first and second dose, per the New York Times.

But some have expressed skepticism about coronavirus vaccines, which were developed far more quickly than most immunizations.

On Jan. 10, the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity published a story casting doubt on their effectiveness, headlined,"A Nursing Home had Zero Coronavirus Deaths. Then, It Vaccinates Residents for Coronavirus and the Deaths Begin."

"Things seem to be working backwards at The Commons on St. Anthony nursing home in Auburn, New York. Vaccinating people is supposed to reduce or end coronavirus deaths. Right? But, at The Commons, such deaths are reported to have occurred only after residents began receiving coronavirus vaccinations," the story reads.

Multiple other websites including Health Impact News, Vaccine Impact, and Medical Kidnap republished the story under the headline, "24 Dead and 137 Infected at NY Nursing Home After Experimental COVID Injections."

On the latter three sites, the storyhas racked up a combined 100,000 views.None of the sites has responded to requests from USA TODAY for comment.

COVID-19 vaccination on Dec. 30, 2020, in Delray Beach, Florida.(Photo: Greg Lovett/The Palm Beach Post via the USA TODAY Network)

The information comesfrom an article on Syracuse.com about anoutbreak of COVID-19 atThe Commons on St. Anthony.

The outbreak at thethe 300-bed nursing homeinfected 137 residents, 24 of whom died. Prior to the outbreak, the facility had not reported any deaths from COVID-19.

However, the link drawn betweendeathsand vaccinations is misleading.

The Jan. 9 article on Syracuse.com specifies that the outbreakbegan on Dec. 21, andnotes that The Commons began vaccinating its residents on Dec. 22.The first deaths occurred on Dec. 29.

In aJan. 13follow-up story, Julie Sheedy of Loretto, which operates the facility, told Syracuse.com the first resident tested positive on Dec. 16, with another outbreak confirmed five days later.

Sheedy also criticized the article by the Ron Paul Institute, saying it includedfalse and dangerously misleading information.

She said "the claims and the timelines on this website are dangerously speculative and factually incorrect.

Three vaccine bottles that say Coronavirus vaccine next to a syringe.(Photo: Getty Images)

ACOVID-19 immunization will not infect its recipient.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,"None of theauthorized and recommendedCOVID-19 vaccines or COVID-19 vaccines currently in development in the United Statescontain the live virus that causes COVID-19.This means that a COVID-19 vaccinecannotmake you sick with COVID-19."

Based on our research, the claim thatanursing home had dozens of coronavirus deaths after it administered vaccines is MISSING CONTEXT because it is misleading. The outbreak at The Commonson St. Anthony began on Dec. 21, at which time there were already dozens of positive cases of coronavirus. The nursing home began vaccinatingon Dec. 22.The first deaths as a result of the outbreak occurred onDec. 29 and are unrelated to vaccinations.

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Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

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Fact check: COVID-19 outbreak at NY nursing home started before vaccinations - USA TODAY