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Coronavirus

 
 
hightor
 
  3  
Thu 26 Jan, 2023 12:51 pm
Fact Check: Does Project Veritas Video Show Pfizer Is Mutating COVID?

Quote:
A hugely viral video that purportedly shows a senior Pfizer employee talking about COVID-19 vaccine experiments has exploded across social media, gathering millions of views and sparking speculation.

Released by Project Veritas, the video includes what it says is undercover footage of a conversation detailing COVID mutation projects, designed to pre-emptively research potential new strains of the virus before they may find root naturally.

In wake of this, many social media users have started to claim that the video proves that Pfizer is conducting these experiments actively.

The Claim

Multiple claims on social media, posted on January 26, 2023, suggest that Pfizer is currently mutating COVID variants in order to produce vaccines for future sale.

The claims are based on a Project Veritas video, also posted on January 26, 2023, which on Twitter alone has been viewed more than 8.6 million times.

Among them was a tweet, with more than 61,000 engagements, from Project Veritas CEO and founder James O'Keefe, who wrote: "Pfizer director on camera saying they are 'mutating' COVID-19 Virus to increase infectiousness. UNREAL!"

The Facts

It's worth noting that Project Veritas, which describes itself as a "journalism enterprise", is a controversial organization that has previously produced investigations subsequently labeled as false or unevidenced by fact-checkers and other media.

Among other stories, in 2017, The Washington Post reported that O'Keefe had tried to dupe the paper into publishing a false story about former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Roy Moore.

In 2020, Project Veritas claimed that Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was linked to a "cash for ballots voter fraud scheme." An investigation by USA Today found no evidence of such a scheme.

In 2021, it also claimed that during the New Jersey gubernatorial election an election worker illegally allowed someone who said they weren't a U.S. citizen to fill out a ballot, which PolitiFact reported was false.

Whatever the facts are about its latest video, some of the claims that it has inspired misrepresent the content of the video itself.

The video shows a conversation between an unidentified reporter and an interviewee that Project Veritas identifies as "Jordon Trishton Walker, Pfizer Director of Research and Development - Strategic Operations and mRNA Scientific Planning".

The film is divided into a series of clips with what appears to be the same interviewee each time.

In the first set of clips, the reporter asks: "What is Pfizer doing, I guess to optimize, you know, the vaccines now?"

The interviewee replies: "Oh, we actually had a meeting about that today. So, there's a lot."

The video then cuts to an interstitial scene with O'Keefe before the interviewee continues.

"We're exploring, like, you know how the virus keeps mutating? Well, one of the things we're exploring is like, why don't we just mutate it ourselves, so we could focus on, create, preemptively develop new vaccines, right?" the interviewee said.

A subtitle in the video claims the interviewee says "So, we have to do that." However, the interviewee covers their mouth at this point and it's not clear whether that's what they said.

They continue: "If we're going to do that though there's a risk of like, as you could imagine, no one wants to be having a pharma company mutating ******* viruses.

"So, we're like, 'Do we want to do this?' So that's like one of the things we're considering, for like, the future, like maybe we can like, create new versions of the vaccines and things like that."

The interviewer asks: "Okay. So, Pfizer ultimately is thinking about mutating COVID?"

The interviewee replies: "Well that is not what we say to the public, no. That's why it was, it was a thought that came up in a meeting and we were like: 'Why do we not?'

"It was like, we're going to consider that with more discussions. That exactly, actually. We're like: 'Wait a minute, like, people won't like that.'"

O'Keefe appears again, clarifying the theoretical nature of the conversation, saying: "That's right, it appears that Pfizer is internally discussing the possibility of mutating the COVID virus themselves, in order to tailor a vaccine to sell to the public."

Details are then discussed, during the hidden camera footage, about how such experiments could be conducted with monkeys.

O'Keefe then introduces another clip, before which he claims the interviewee later "describes those experiments as if they are ongoing and not simply a hypothetical discussion."

In this next clip, which appears to be in a different location, the Project Veritas reporter asks: "So, I mean, when Is Pfizer going to implement the mutation of all these viruses?"

The interviewee responds: "I don't know, it depends on how the experiments work out because this is just like, something we're trying, right?"

Immediately, an edit to another clip is added, in which the interviewee says: "It sounds like gain-of-function to me."

Gain-of-function research is a term described by the scientific journal Nature as: "At its most innocuous...mutations that give a gene, RNA or protein new abilities or expression patterns."

It, as Nature points out, has been a hot-button topic whose terminology is not consistently understood.

The interviewee replies: "I don't know, it's a little bit different. I think it's different. It's like this, it's definitely not gain-of-function."

Throughout this section, there are a series of quick edits, which means it's not entirely clear if the conversation is about gain-of-function in relation to COVID research (although, by appearances, that seems to be the intention).

Another cut occurs, to the interviewee: "We're not supposed to do gain-of-function with the viruses. They'd rather we not but we do these selected structure mutations to try to see if we can make them more potent.

"So, there is research ongoing about that. I don't know how that's going to work. There better not be more outbreaks because, Jesus Christ."

Here, it's possible that the "viruses" they are talking about are COVID (particularly as "outbreaks" are mentioned) but it's not certain, particularly with the editing.

The video cuts again to the reporter asking: "So, tell me more, what's developing with the whole, you know, virus mutation process?"

The interviewee says: "Well, they're still kinds of conducting the experiments on it but it seems like from what I've heard, they're kind of optimizing it, but they're going slow cause everyone's very cautious, like, you know, obviously they don't want to accelerate it too much.

"But I think they're also just trying to do it as an exploratory thing because you obviously don't want to advertise that you are figuring out future mutations."

At least in part recognized by Project Veritas, the tone of the conversation is around discussion and not on projects that are ongoing.

Even when O'Keefe claims that the second set of clips shows the interviewee talking about experiments beyond theoretical discussion, it's not clear what type of experiments the interviewee was referring to.

He may have been referring to experiments on monkeys or it may be other research on small animal subjects (such as flies) or preliminary research or simulated mutations which don't involve live specimens.

In any case, the video clip does not provide the information for us to be certain.

Another issue is that we do not have the full raw footage to assess whether the subject of the conversation changed or the terms it was couched in.

Newsweek has asked Project Veritas for this footage and a full transcript of the conversation and contacted Pfizer about the interviewee and details of any of the experiments described or inferred.

Whatever the authenticity of the video or the factuality of its content, some of the comments shared online in response to it are misleading characterizations of what it shows.

It does not clearly state that "mutation" experiments are occurring with live subjects at Pfizer and much of the interviewee's answers are in hypothetical terms.

As the film was posted recently there may yet be more information forthcoming. Until then, however, the speculative claims that Newsweek has identified on social media are not a fair reflection of what the video shows.

Pfizer has been the subject of many misleading claims since the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the company's subsequent development of a vaccine for the disease.

Last year, Newsweek found social media posts falsely suggested that the U.K. government had changed its advice for pregnant women using the vaccine developed by the company. Its vaccine was also falsely linked to claims that it caused hepatitis in children.

The Ruling

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/2083584/unverified.webp?w=379&f=944c2f2dcf4b48283fed94a737a1de27

In the Project Veritas video, the interviewee, who is quoted as a Pfizer employee, says there are ongoing discussions about engineering "mutations" of COVID so that preemptive vaccines, for variants that may occur in nature, could be developed.

However, the discussions are spoken about in theoretical terms.

While Project Veritas' James O'Keefe claims that the interviewee moves on to talk about these experiments as if they are ongoing, there is not enough information in the film to be certain whether he is talking about theoretical experiments or other preliminary research, or if these directly involve or are related to COVID.

At the time of writing, Pfizer is yet to comment on the Project Veritas video or the claims made within it.

Therefore, we currently rate the claims that Pfizer is mutating COVID as unverified.

newsweek
0 Replies
 
Wilso
 
  2  
Thu 26 Jan, 2023 08:57 pm
Like, like, like, like, like…….doesn’t strike me as the words of a knowledgeable researcher or manager.
Bilderberger
 
  -4  
Thu 26 Jan, 2023 11:35 pm
Australia Supreme Court hearing
Here is,a short statement from the court proceedings today pretty damming for the government looks good for the people😁
🚨 For those that may have not been following the Supreme Court hearings over the past couple of weeks against Hazaard and the NSW Government:
As per my earlier post, Kristine McCartney is a big key player in this whole story.
• Today, along with 20,000 + other Australians I watched the Supreme Court case continue in NSW against the government for the rollout of mandatory vaccines
• The barrister asked Kristine McCartney a few questions today (the player behind the scenes that insisted we lock down our state and mandate vaccines as the only solution)
• Barrister - ‘Is it true that double vaccinated people are 13 times more likely to catch and spread the virus?
• Kristine - Yes
• Barrister - ‘Are vaccines dangerous at all to pregnant women or those planning to fall pregnant?’
• Kristine - Yes
• Barrister - ‘Is it true that the vaccines have never been studied for effectiveness and safety’?
• Kristine - Yes, they have never been fully studied
• We are patiently waiting for what was meant to be the final hearting today and it’s looking promising that the Judge Thomas Beech Jones will put a stop to the mandatory rollout of the vaccines
• Judge Thomas Beech Jones also stated that the government suppressed the medication to the population and the government made people believe there was no way out of this unless we all get the vaccine
As a wise man once said, the people have the power, all we have to do is awaken the power in the people!
Please Share Everywhere because although this court hearing was live streamed, I bet you all that it will not make any main stream news.
Mame
 
  2  
Fri 27 Jan, 2023 11:19 am
@Wilso,
My impression also.
jcboy
 
  2  
Mon 30 Jan, 2023 05:12 pm
@Mame,
You know the Puerto Rican now has COVID, his first time and he’s a nurses practitioner, he woke up with a fever and aches, COVID test came back positive. He doesn’t have it bad, slight flu is all.
Mame
 
  2  
Mon 30 Jan, 2023 08:32 pm
@jcboy,
Oh geez. Is he staying home? I trust you're nursing him however you can.

My husband just came down with a really, really bad case of gout. It started in the tendon at the back of his knee five days ago and has gotten worse every day. He can't walk - he's just prone on the couch. Other than pain meds, I don't know what to do for him. And he's not one of those whining baby men so I know it's bad. He has a dr appt on Wed but I don't know if he can make it without stronger pain meds.
jcboy
 
  2  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 06:30 am
@Mame,
Oh yeah, he’s not allowed back until five days after a negative test. That’s okay, you know during the peak of COVID he was working 12-hour days seven days a week month after month and all he saw was COVID patients. A lot of people think this pandemic is behind us, but COVID isn’t done with us yet.
Region Philbis
 
  2  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 06:37 am
@jcboy,
Quote:
COVID isn’t done with us yet
if you run into an anti-vaxxer or a MAGA moron, you can thank them for the prolonged pandemic...
jcboy
 
  3  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 06:41 am
@Region Philbis,
That is exactly right, and I've known a few of them!
0 Replies
 
Glennn
 
  -3  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 08:58 am
@Wilso,
Quote:
Every time I see a story about an anti-vax covid denier dying, I have a little chuckle.

Sure. And every time I hear some clueless wonder extoling the virtues of an experimental injection that doesn't prevent infection or transmission, I'm not sure if I should laugh or feel sad for them.

Perhaps an injection recipient will explain their rationale for taking what doesn't work.
0 Replies
 
Glennn
 
  -3  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 09:19 am
@Region Philbis,
Quote:
if you run into an anti-vaxxer or a MAGA moron, you can thank them for the prolonged pandemic...

You another clueless pro-experimental injection kind of person?

So, exactly how does not taking an experimental injection--the one that doesn't prevent infection or transmission--prolong the pandemic?

Think hard!

Try not to debate with your thumbs, people.
CalamityJane
 
  2  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 10:17 am
@Mame,
Mame wrote:

My husband just came down with a really, really bad case of gout. It started in the tendon at the back of his knee five days ago and has gotten worse every day. He can't walk - he's just prone on the couch. Other than pain meds, I don't know what to do for him. And he's not one of those whining baby men so I know it's bad. He has a dr appt on Wed but I don't know if he can make it without stronger pain meds.


Quince juice is the best! Quince in any form actually, it dilutes the uric acid and soothes the pain. My brother has gout and his wife makes him the quince juice, jam and even compote. It's the only thing that alleviates the pain, my brother claims, plus it's healthy!
CalamityJane
 
  4  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 10:22 am
@Glennn,
Glennn wrote:

Try not to debate with your thumbs, people.


There is no other way to debate with idiots! If it weren't for vaccines, you probably would have died of polio. typhus, TB and so on. At least your parents were smarter than you!
Glennn
 
  -3  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 10:46 am
@CalamityJane,
Why are you talking about those vaccines? You know I'm talking about the one tony said was a roadblock to the virus. But it isn't. It doesn't prevent infection or transmission. Pfizer's CEO knew from the very beginning that it didn't prevent infection or transmission but neglected to share that bit of information with the public. So did tony.

Why would you defend an experimental injection that doesn't do what those guys said it would do?

But more importantly, what is your rationale for wanting others to take what doesn't work for you? That's the most interesting part of all this.
0 Replies
 
Mame
 
  2  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 11:13 am
@CalamityJane,
Where the heck do you get quince??

Just googled it - will pick some up. Thanks for the head's up.
Walter Hinteler
 
  2  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 11:37 am
@Mame,
Here with us you can get quinces in supermarkets and at discounters (Aldi, Lidl) only rarely (since most varieties of quince are inedible in the raw state and need to ripen for weeks after harvesting).
However, there's everywhere quince jelly, apple-quince puree, quince juice, even quince Proseco.

(I had had until adulthood a quince allergy, because I had to pick as a child the quince every year).
jcboy
 
  2  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 11:50 am
@Mame,
I used to work with this lady, Hilda. She would always tell me when she gets home she's having a shot of Patron Tequila. Then she got Gout and said she could no longer drink alcohol because it would make her gout flair up.
Mame
 
  2  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 11:54 am
@Walter Hinteler,
Good to know - I'll look for the jelly or jam. Thanks, Walter.
0 Replies
 
PoliteMight
 
  -1  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 11:54 am
@engineer,
The virus is no longer a threat. You get sick you go home. That is it.
My household everybody had some kind of shot but me. Guess what? That shot stops working eventually. They all caught the virus, brought it home to me. I got a lung infection, took me a long time to not have it.

The virus just wants to live. The greatest problem in my opinion is calling to vaccinate babies ..................babies, and children. The truth is that people are in a system of renting and not owning property.

Forcing vaccinations is illegal as well holding ability to have employment or go to school.

If people just practiced social distancing the virus would have been defeated before it spread. Now we just have to live with the reality of not being able to
be unfit.
0 Replies
 
Mame
 
  2  
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 11:56 am
@jcboy,
His problem is due to the amount of meat he eats, I think. He did the Dry January, so it wasn't the booze. The last attack he had was July of last year. We have no idea what's going on, especially since no drinking this month and this attack was vicious - the worst he's ever experienced. Dr. appt tomorrow so we may find some answers. Thanks Smile
 

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