What was claimed
German researchers found COVID mRNA vaccines killed more people than the virus.
Our verdict
False. The cited researchers made no such conclusions.
AAP FACTCHECK - German scientists have not announced that new evidence proves COVID-19 mRNA vaccines killed more people than the virus, despite claims on social media.
The inaccurate rumours refer to a study looking at excess deaths during the pandemic in the German city of Frankfurt am Main.
Researchers behind the paper told AAP FactCheck they made no such statement, and said the study did not support the claim vaccines killed more people than the virus.
However the false claim is spreading on social media, with users sharing an article from Slay News, a website AAP FactCheck has debunked several times in the past.
"Germany: mRNA 'Vaccines' Killed More People Than Covid," the headline reads.
The article claims a group of leading German scientists have announced that evidence now proves the vaccines caused more deaths than the virus ever did.
"They raised the alarm after discovering evidence buried in the German government’s official data that confirms excess deaths were caused by mRNA 'vaccines' and not COVID-19," it continues.
It claims the study found excess mortality rates did not rise during the first waves of the pandemic, before the vaccine was created, but skyrocketed after the vaccines were introduced.
It also accurately states that the study found the most significant excess mortality event during the period was not caused by COVID but was linked to a late 2022 influenza wave.
However, it baselessly implies there was a connection between the COVID vaccines and people dying from the flu.
The study in question, published in the medical journal GMS Hygiene and Infection Control, looked at mortality rates in the German city from 2020 to 2023.
It was conducted by researchers at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen and University Hospital Essen.
Lead author Ursel Heudorf told AAP FactCheck the Slay News article is "completely wrong".
For a start, she said, the researchers didn't examine any data on vaccinations, nor did they establish any correlations or associations with vaccinations.
Contrary to what is written in the article, Professor Heudorf said there was significant excess mortality in the pandemic's second wave, at the end of 2020, before the vaccines were introduced.
However, there was no significant excess mortality recorded in all other waves of the pandemic, including after the vaccines were introduced.
Prof Heudorf noted a period of higher excess mortality in the last six weeks of 2022, more significant than all COVID waves combined.
"This excess mortality was associated with an influenza wave. This is the scientific statement," Prof Heudorf said.
The paper concludes: "This remarkable fact should be taken into account when dealing with the evaluation of the pandemic."
AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network. To keep up with our latest fact checks, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, BlueSky, TikTok and YouTube.
