UPDATE, Oct. 13, 2022: Since the publication of this article, other researchers have reviewed the Florida Department of Health’s study and subsequent COVID-19 vaccine guidance. Some experts claim there are several problems with the study, including inadequate support for the findings and conclusions drawn from allegedly misleading data. Health Feedback, a health and medical media fact checking site, writes “The analysis by the Florida Department of Health, used to support the guidance recommending against men aged 18 to 39 getting the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, is limited in ways that make it unreliable as evidence.” Their full fact check can be found here.
On Friday Florida’s Surgeon General Dr. Joe Ladapo tweeted about cardiac risks related to the COVID vaccine. Twitter blocked the post, but then later allowed it, which has prompted many to once again criticize Twitter for censorship practices.
Ladapo tweeted information about risks associated with the vaccine, particularly for young men, Politico reported.
“Today, we released an analysis on COVID-19 mRNA vaccines the public needs to be aware of. This analysis showed an increased risk of cardiac-related death among men 18-39. FL will not be silent on the truth,” he tweeted along with a link to a press release and a guide from the state’s health department with more information.
Today, we released an analysis on COVID-19 mRNA vaccines the public needs to be aware of. This analysis showed an increased risk of cardiac-related death among men 18-39. FL will not be silent on the truth.
Guidance: https://t.co/DcWZLoMU5E
Press Release: https://t.co/Y0r9yepi7F— Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD (@FLSurgeonGen) October 7, 2022
The information that Ladapo provided outlined how the Florida Health Department had run its own case series to look into the risks and safety of the vaccine.
“This studied mortality risk following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination,” the release from the health department reported. “This analysis found there is an 84 percent increase in the relative incidence of cardiac-related death among males 18-39 years old within 28 days following mRNA vaccination. Individuals with preexisting cardiac conditions, such as myocarditis and pericarditis, should take particular caution when considering vaccination and discuss with their health care provider.”
But after blocking Ladapo’s tweet with this information and the surgeon general’s warning about the vaccine, Twitter restored the post on Sunday, Politico reported.
“Our current misleading information policies cover: synthetic and manipulated media, COVID-19, and civic integrity. If we determine a Tweet contains misleading or disputed information per our policies that could lead to harm, we may add a label to the content to provide context and additional information,” Twitter’s post outlined, Politico reported.
Despite a lack of explanation on Twitter’s part about the decision to block and then unblock Ladapo’s tweet, it seems to be a pretty clear case of hysterical censorship from the social media platform.
Though it has its “misleading information policies,” the fact that Twitter blocked Ladapo’s tweet showed that it might indeed have a tendency to just block anything it may disagree with because Ladapo’s warning about the vaccine was not hysteria. There have been multiple studies linking cardiac problems to the vaccine.
Ladapo and the Florida Health Department were not going out on a limb when they decided to run a study on the vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also warned about cardiac issues related to the vaccine.
The CDC’s studies did not show as drastic a risk as the Florida study, but nonetheless, it has been acknowledged for months that the vaccine has cardiac risks, particularly for young men, like myocarditis, which is an inflammation in the heart muscles.
“Myocarditis and pericarditis have rarely been reported. When reported, the cases have especially been in adolescents and young adult males within several days after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna),” the CDC reported.
The American Heart Association also warned of this risk.
“Across all ages, the risk of developing vaccine-related myocarditis was nine times higher for men than women. Males ages 16-19 faced the highest risk, with young men ages 20-24 having the second-highest risk,” the AHA reported. “The risk of developing myocarditis among males ages 16-19 after a third dose was about 1 in 15,000.”
Even BMJ, a British medical journal that is published by the British Medical Association, has warned of cardiac risks with the vaccine.
“The review of more than 8,000 reported cases from 46 studies by researchers in Canada confirms previous reports that myocarditis is rare, but cases are highest among young males shortly after a second dose, and are probably higher after Moderna’s mRNA vaccine than after Pfizer’s vaccine,” BMJ reported.
Nigerian-born, Harvard doctor, Fl. Surgeon Gen. Joe Ladapo, who’s published extensively on heart issues, correctly questioned effectiveness of Covid shutdowns/vaccines. Based on heart death data, he advises against vaccine 4 men under 40. But *he’s* the one who’s controversial? pic.twitter.com/Rdp3w97tZO
— Sharyl Attkisson?️
(@SharylAttkisson) October 9, 2022
So based on outside, generally trusted sources, and not even just based on Florida’s individual study, Ladapo was not shooting in the dark with his warning.
Yet, Twitter blocked his post, seeming to prove what most already assume: Twitter censors those it disagrees with, not those who spread legitimately false information.
After the incident of Ladapo’s blocked post, even people from DeSantis’ office criticized Twitter.
“This is an unacceptable and Orwellian move for narrative over fact,” the governor’s press secretary, Bryan Griffin, tweeted.
.@Twitter censored data posted by the Florida State Surgeon General @FLSurgeonGen that showed an increase risk of cardiac-related death among males 18-39 years old within 28 days following mRNA vaccination. This is an unacceptable and Orwellian move for narrative over fact. pic.twitter.com/cuTkDM0KOi
— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) October 9, 2022
Twitter has not commented on the issue.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
