The damage of doctoring: Edited video claiming Tedros Ghebreyesus unvaccinated perpetuates anti-vax myth

An edited video purporting to show that Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO, is unvaccinated has sparked and perpetuated anti-vax sentiment online despite the original version- showing Tedros clearly stating he is vaccinated- being available online.

The edited version highlights tha dangers of doctored viral videos being disseminated online and their power to change public opinion.

The edited version, below, gathered large numbers of views and attracted anti-vax sentiment in the comments:

The video with the caption: “Tedros not jabbed? Well, who’d have thought?” has received over 300 retweets on Twitter and led to hundreds of comments.

In the unverified video, Dr Tedros is asked by a reporter about his own vaccination status.

“You got your first shot… when?” the reporter asks.

“You know, still I feel like I know where I belong,” Tedros answers.

He adds: “In a poor country called Ethiopia, in a poor continent called Africa.

“And wanted to wait until Africa and other countries and other regions can slowly start vaccinations.”

He concludes: “So I was protesting, in other words, because we are failing.”

https://twitter.com/WendyB89696502/status/1555093751701377025

The video does not indicate whether the WHO Director-General was asked about the Covid vaccination or when the video was made but many people online were quick to jump on the video.

One person said: “If there was genuinely a deadly virus and these jabs were genuine safe vaccines to combat it then Tedros, Schwab, Fauci and their ilk would have kicked everyone else out of the way to be first in the queue for them!”

If there was genuinely a deadly virus and these jabs were genuine safe vaccines to combat it then Tedros, Schwab, Fauci and their ilk would have kicked everyone else out of the way to be first in the queue for them! 🤔The fact they didn't says all you need to know!

— Steve Devonport (@StevieDee316) August 4, 2022

“My God, admitting he’s a liar!!!! Must have ‘forgot’ he was photographed ‘getting the vax’,!!!” another said.

My God, admitting he's a liar!!!! Must have 'forgot' he was photographed 'getting the vax',!!! 🤬🤬🤬

— Forever Amber 💖 (@AmberCherryD) August 4, 2022

While another person said: “I imagine he’s just one of many many high profile people pushing something they themselves have avoided.”

I imagine he’s just one of many many high profile people pushing something they themselves have avoided.

— Gillagain 🙂 (@gillagain) August 4, 2022

Another Twitter user wrote: “I bet none at the WEF and WHO are jabbed. They know better.”

I bet none at the WEF and WHO are jabbed. They know better

— Lynn English: Back our Farmers/No farmers no food (@Kalimeralynn) August 4, 2022

However, one person was quick to point out that Dr Tedros appeared to have been jabbed in 2021.

“Maybe not boosted? He did this whole photo op when he supposedly got it,” they wrote with a tweet from Dr Tedros in which he is pictured reportedly getting his Covid vaccination on May 12, 2021.

Maybe not boosted? He did this whole photo op when he supposedly got it. https://t.co/tf9FjTfe9O

— Jen ❤️💫🍿 (@JenThePadawan) August 4, 2022

In the tweet, the WHO chief said: Today it was my turn to get vaccinated @Hopitaux_unige against #COVID19. Vaccines save lives. It’s critical to get them to all counties A.S.A.P. If like me you live in a country where vaccines are available, please get vaccinated when it’s your turn.”

However, the original video, before editing, clearly shows an interview in which Tedros explained he has been vaccinated.

The interview appears in the HBO documentary “How to Survive a Pandemic“, directed by acclaimed journalist and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker David France (Welcome to Chechnya).

How to Survive a Pandemic takes an inside look at the historic, multi-national race to research, develop, regulate, and roll out COVID-19 vaccines in the war against the coronavirus pandemic.

Tedros also spoke of vaccine inequity an interview with Jon Cohen from Science Magazine, the peer-reviewed academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and one of the world’s top academic journals, entitled:

“I’m still feeling that we’re failing: Exasperated WHO leader speaks out about vaccine inequity”

Cohen also challenged many of the tweets claiming Tedros was not vaccinated:

I suggest you remove this. You're peddling a lie.https://t.co/e8bPYoaJcC https://t.co/puj9WtfPxc

— Jon Cohen (@sciencecohen) August 5, 2022

What I think is that social media amplifies lies. Thanks for asking. Read this. It's true.https://t.co/e8bPYoaJcC https://t.co/rSmLHfmsT3

— Jon Cohen (@sciencecohen) August 5, 2022

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