Twitter faced intense backlash over the weekend after originally labeling as “misleading” a tweet containing a link to an obituary for a mother of two who purportedly died as a result of complications from a vaccination against COVID-19.
The online obituary, published in The Oregonian, detailed how 37-year-old Jessica Berg Wilson, described as “exceptionally healthy,” passed away from vaccination-induced thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).
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But when a link to the obituary was first posted on Twitter, the social media platform slapped a “misleading” warning on it, according to several users. By Monday, though, Twitter removed the fact-check warning, the New York Post reported.
Users who clicked the since-removed label would be redirected to a page explaining “why health officials consider COVID-19 vaccines safe for most people.”
The critical reaction Wilson experienced from vaccination is certainly exceedingly rare, but that didn’t stop Twitter users from expressing their anger at the platform for seemingly suggesting her story was untrue.
Wilson’s obituary stated she was “vehemently opposed” to getting vaccinated, given she was in otherwise very good health. Nevertheless, she eventually backed down and took the shot because Washington state made it compulsory for all teachers as well as those who wanted to volunteer in schools.
“In her mind, the known and unknown risks of the unproven vaccine were more of a threat,” read the obituary. “During the last weeks of her life, however, the world turned dark with heavy-handed vaccine mandates. Local and state governments were determined to strip away her right to consult her wisdom and enjoy her freedom.”
“Her passion to be actively involved in her children’s education — which included being a Room Mom — was, once again, blocked by government mandate,” it continued. “Ultimately, those who closed doors and separated mothers from their children prevailed. It cost Jessica her life. It cost her children the loving embrace of their caring mother. And it cost her husband the sacred love of his devoted wife.”
Wilson, it’s worth noting, took the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccination, making her the fourth person in the U.S. to succumb to the very rare blood-clotting syndrome brought on as a result of the inoculation.
Of the nearly nine million people who have received the J&J shot by May, there have been only 28 cases of TTS, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most at-risk demographic is women aged 18 to 49. However, the CDC has concluded the risks associated with COVID-19 outweighs the chances of developing TTS.