Vaccines against Covid-19 are accused of all evils: opponents of vaccination thus argue that they modify the genome, that they are responsible for an “epidemic of sterility”, that they contain toxic nanoparticles, that they cause neurological diseases… These more or less credible (but always false!) fake news circulate in particular on social networks.
Latest nonsense to date: on Twitter, Internet users claim that the anti-coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 vaccination would cause a change in the rh of the blood group. “The rhesus + or – changes in the blood of vaccinated guinea pigs!!!! Reported by many hospital caregivers…“says the most shared publication.
Rhesus cannot change (except in exceptional cases)
As a reminder, rh designates the symbol + or – found in the blood group: it indicates the presence or absence of antigens on the surface of red blood cells. About 85% of the French population is rhesus positive.
This rumor was obviously denied by the French Blood Establishment (EFS), also on Twitter: “Of course, the Covid-19 #vaccine does not change your blood group or your rhesus… If you doubt it, come and donate blood with us and we will confirm all this #fakenews.“
Determined by genetics, rh can only change in exceptional circumstances – for example, after a bone marrow transplant. Nothing to worry about, then!
Read also :
- What is Rh incompatibility?
- Blood group: what this classification means
- Transplant: what determines donor-recipient compatibility?