Namibians and the rest of the world were whiling this week with clips trending on social media of previously vaccinated persons having magnets getting stuck on their shoulders, at the spot where they were injected. The claims were made in a lot of viral tapings showing magnets being attracted to the jabbed arms of the recipients. Other claims are insinuating that the inoculations are a sign that people had microchips inserted in them through the liquid. 

Locally, a 28-second clip shows businesswoman Nguvitjita Zaire describing, in Otjiherero, the feeling in her arm when the magnet was placed on her jab spot. 

“Can you guys see how my arm is shivering from the inside? But something is moving inside,” said the shocking Zaire, who couldn’t handle it any longer and requested another person (off camera) to remove the magnet.  With Twitter and Tick Tock set ablaze by these unsubstantiated claims, scientists have debunked these unwarranted allegations. Reuters has debunked baseless conspiracies about microchips in coronavirus vaccines throughout the pandemic, and these conspiracies often targeted Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates.

Al Edwards, an associate professor in biomedical technology from the University of Reading in England, also told Newsweek that there is absolutely no way that magnets can stick to people’s arms after any injection.

“There is nothing magnetic in vaccine formulations, as most of what is injected is extremely pure water plus some simple salts to make the injection less painful, and a tiny amount of vaccine,” he explained.

Responding to a “magnet challenge” video specifically claiming to feature a Pfizer jab recipient, a spokeswoman for the company confirmed in an email to Reuters that their vaccine does not contain any metals, and cannot cause a magnetic response when it is injected.

-psiririka@nepc.com.na