Did a Tennessee nurse really die after getting the coronavirus vaccine?

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – There are several anti-vaccine posts circulating on social media on the Internet claiming that the new COVID-19 vaccine made a Tennessee nurse pass out shortly after receiving the injection.

According to WRCB-TV, six nurses at CHI Memorial Hospital in the Chattanooga area were vaccinated, including intensive care nurse Tiffany Dover, who passed out a few minutes after the vaccination.

She was surrounded by CHI Memorial medical personnel who helped administer the shot. A WRCB press conference showed that Dover was receiving the vaccine when she suddenly fell to the floor.

Social media was quick to respond to the nurse’s passing out, saying Dover had died on the spot. Some reports also claimed that the vaccine is unsafe for people after the video began circulating about Dover passing out on Facebook. The clip does not show her rapid recovery.

The widespread video has been viewed over 2,400 times and generated a lot of “anti-vaccine” comment.

“Wow! And then you add the lack of O2 by wearing a mask on top of the vaccine,” said one commenter. “But I’m sure they’ll say it’s not the picture.”

Dover explained to both the WRCB and in one statement from CHI Memorial Hospital that her fainting was due to an over-reactive vagal response, causing her to pass out after experiencing pain from, for example, bumping a toe or hangnail.

The hospital quoted the CDC on their statement that between 3% and 3.5% of patients pass out after getting a vaccine, not just the new COVID-19 vaccine. They also believe that passing out is most likely part of the vaccination process and not a vaccine response.

A tweet from the hospital’s Twitter account said Saturday that Dover “is doing fine at home and asking for privacy for her and her family.”

We give this claim a “false” rating. Although the nurse passed out after receiving the vaccine, she said fainting was not the result of the injection. The nurse also made a full recovery.