Says Johns Hopkins virologist "James Kelly" said the COVID-19 vaccine “discriminates, divides, and judges society as it is.”
Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
I would like to contribute
No evidence Johns Hopkins doctor said this about COVID-19 vaccines
If Your Time is short
- According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, there are no virologists named James Kelly at the hospital even though an anti-COVID-19 vaccine statement has been attributed to him. We found no evidence that any Johns Hopkins doctor said this.
A long statement is being shared on social media that looks critically at COVID-19 vaccines relative to other vaccines.
"I have never seen a vaccine that forced me to wear a mask and maintain social distance, even when you are fully vaccinated," the statement says. "I have never seen a vaccine like this one, which discriminates, divides and judges society as it is. And as the social fabric tightens… it’s a powerful vaccine! She does all the things except IMMUNIZATION. If we still need a booster dose after we are fully vaccinated, and we still need to get a negative test after we are fully vaccinated, and we still need to wear a mask after we are fully vaccinated, and still be hospitalized after we have been fully vaccinated, it will likely come to "‘it's time for us to admit that we've been completely deceived.’"
Who said it?
According to a Feb. 2 Facebook post, it was a Johns Hopkins Hospital doctor — "Dr. James Kelly, virologist" on Jan. 12, 2022.
This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
We reached out to Johns Hopkins Medicine about the post.
Featured Fact-check
Lisa Burgunder, a spokesperson for Johns Hopkins Medicine, told us that human resources had confirmed the hospital doesn't have "any active physician employees by the name of James Kelly."
Searching for part of the quote online, we found no results that supported the claim that a Johns Hopkins virologist named James Kelly — or anyone with Johns Hopkins Medicine — said this.
We didn’t find a James Kelly searching among doctors on Johns Hopkins’ website, or anything to lend credence to the post’s claim that a Johns Hopkins doctor made the statement shared there.
We did find a 2018 Baltimore Sun obituary for Dr. James H. Kelly, who in 1985 was named associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Johns Hopkins Medical School.
But we found nothing to corroborate this post.
We rate it False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, Feb. 1, 2022
Baltimore Sun, Dr. James H. Kelly, former chairman of GBMC Department of Otolaryngology, dies, Feb. 13, 2018
Johns Hopkins Medicine, Doctor search, visited Feb. 2, 2022
Email interview with Lisa Burgunder, Johns Hopkins Medicine spokesperson, Feb. 2, 2022
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Ciara O'Rourke
No evidence Johns Hopkins doctor said this about COVID-19 vaccines
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.