According to a recent study, states with a larger proportion of Republican voters are experiencing an increase in the number of adverse side effects being reported from COVID-19 vaccines.
A recent study published in the JAMA medical journal analyzed data from the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and focused on 620,456 vaccine adverse events reported by adults aged 18 and older.
The researchers conducted separate analyses to examine three key outcomes related to the vaccine. Firstly, they looked at the rates of adverse events among those who received the vaccine. Secondly, they examined the rates of any severe adverse effects within this group. Finally, they assessed the proportion of adverse events that were reported as severe.
A study discovered that an increase of 10 percent in Republican voting at the state level was associated with higher chances of adverse event reports. However, this connection between political leanings and adverse event reports did not seem to apply to flu vaccines.
Although there were some limitations, it is important to note that vaccine recipients were able to file multiple reports, meaning that not every report came from a unique individual. However, it was also observed that the analysis had a strength in the consistency of its results across various statistical models.
According to the study, there is a reciprocal relationship between observation and belief. The saying “seeing is believing” acknowledges that our personal experiences shape our perception of reality, while “believing is seeing” acknowledges that our preconceived notions influence what we actually perceive.
COVID-19 vaccines, like any other immunizations, may have potential side effects. In a study published in February, it was found that there is a higher correlation between coronavirus vaccinations and side effects such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, myocarditis, and pericarditis.
The researchers in this study, however, pointed out that COVID-19 infections were more likely to cause these conditions than vaccinations.
