FACT CHECK: Did Sky News Publish This Article About Using Vaccines To Fight Climate Change?

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a screenshot of a headline from Sky News that reads, “UK Heatwave: Vaccines could be the way to battle the climate crises!”

Verdict: False

The image is digitally fabricated. There is no evidence Sky News published such an article.

Fact Check:

The U.K. recently experienced a significant heat wave, sending temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time in history, according to BBC News. The unprecedented heat sparked a series of wildfires around London forcing some residents to evacuate, the outlet reported.

An image shared on Facebook appears to show a screenshot of a Sky News article about the heatwave. “UK Heatwave: Vaccines could be the way to battle the climate crises!” reads the article’s headline. The story goes on to quote an unnamed “national agent” as saying, “Beating climate change can only be done once we all get our vaccines” and warns of a new COVID-19 variant known as the “Centurion strain.”

The article is digitally fabricated. The alleged report cannot be found on the Sky News website and is also absent from the outlet’s verified social media posts. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports about any officials in the U.K. linking vaccines to climate change. (RELATED: Did Shinzo Abe Send Back 1.6 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses And Give Citizens Ivermectin?)

There is likewise no mention of any new “Centurion” variant of COVID-19 on the World Health Organization’s website. All known variants are listed here.

This is not the first time a fabricated Sky News report has gone viral. In May, Check Your Fact debunked an alleged screenshot of a Sky News broadcast advising vaccinated passengers against flying due to a risk of blood clots.

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