FACT CHECK: Is The CDC Pushing For A Hybrid COVID-Monkeypox Vaccine?

A post shared on Facebook claims the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking to create a “hybrid” COVID-19 and monkeypox vaccine.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence the CDC is seeking to approve such a vaccine. The claim stems from a satirical website.

Fact Check:

The CDC announced plans Aug. 18 for a “reset” of the agency to address failures that were made apparent by its response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to The Fiscal Times. It also recently relaxed COVID-19 rules on isolation, testing and distancing, Yahoo News reported.

Now, a Facebook post claims CDC Director Rochelle Walensky purportedly met with pharmaceutical manufacturers, including Pfizer and Bavarian Nordic A/S, to develop a “hybrid” vaccine.

“The mainstream media’s vitriol of President Donald J. Trump has of late supplanted its second favorite topic, trying to scare shitless the people who still believe Covid-19 is a threat to the nation,” reads part of the post. “But absence of media coverage hasn’t stopped the CDC’s vile director, Rochelle Walensky, from pushing forth a new agenda that could sicken or kill even more millions of gullible Americans—she has advocated for the creation of a ‘CovidPox’ vaccine, a hybrid drug that, she says, will inoculate citizens against both emerging strains of Covid and Monkeypox.”

The claim is false. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to suggest the CDC is pushing for a hybrid COVID-19 monkeypox vaccine. The claim also does not appear on the public health agency’s website or its verified social media pages. There is likewise no mention of such a hybrid vaccine on the websites of Moderna, Pfizer or Bavarian Nordic.

A keyword search reveals the claim stems from an Aug. 19 article published by the website Real Raw News. The website’s “About Us” page states it “contains humor, parody, and satire.” (RELATED: Viral Image Claims To Show CDC Document About Face Masks)

Check Your Fact has reached out to a CDC spokesperson for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases