Last Updated on February 21, 2024 by Aditi Gangal
Quick Take
In a social media video, a woman claims that the COVID-19 vaccine can be given with dental anesthesia without consent. We fact-checked and found the claim to be False.
The Claim
In an Instagram video, Shelby Hosana, founder of Unjected, poses the question: “Don’t you think lidocaine could be used to secretly vaccinate?”. She invites discussion on the topic, expressing concerns about potential covert vaccination via dental anesthesia.
We have attached a screenshot of how the video looks at the time of publishing this story.
Fact Check
What is lidocaine?
Lidocaine is a local anesthetic medication to numb tissue in a specific area. Dentists often use lidocaine during various dental procedures including minor surgical procedures.
Lidocaine typically enters the body via injection or topical application, with injectables often containing vasoconstrictors. The injection targets tissue near the nerve to block pain signals. Topical lidocaine is applied to oral surfaces and gums.
Can the COVID-19 vaccine be given with dental anesthesia without consent?
No. Legally in India, COVID-19 vaccines cannot be given with dental anesthesia without consent. We found no evidence to confirm this claim. Articles from Times Now News, Hindustan Times, and India Today state that the Indian government asserts no one can be compelled to get vaccinated. Notably, the COVID-19 vaccine package inserts detailed procedures for handling and administering but does not encompass exhaustive lists of prohibitions.
Evidence also shows that lidocaine is used topically alongside vaccines to alleviate discomfort during infant and childhood immunizations by numbing the injection site. However, the claimant in the Instagram video suggests incorporating the COVID-19 vaccine into a lidocaine injection solution to covertly vaccinate individuals expecting only a numbing injection for dental procedures. We found no evidence to confirm this claim.
Both the American Dental Association (ADA website) and the American Medical Association (AMA website) uphold ethical principles surrounding patient autonomy and informed consent. These principles serve as barriers against the administration of vaccines to patients without consent.
The claimant Shelby Hosana provides no credible evidence to support her idea. Furthermore, during our research we found that Unjected is a dating service established in 2021. This website bills itself as the world’s first unvaccinated platform. It promotes ‘The Repopulation Agenda’ and emphasizes being ‘mRNA-Free’. Their focus is on dating, friendship, and community connections, aiming to help users find like-minded individuals. Their website is unjected.com.
We asked Dr Abhra Mondal, Dentist about the claim. Dr Mondal is BDS and an affiliate member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow. Currently, he is an In-House Consultant at Techno India DAMA Healthcare Hospitals and a visiting Consultant at DESUN Hospitals & Apollo Multi-specialty Clinics.
He informs, “We have to primarily understand that every human body is different in it’s reactionary mechanism. Some of the reactions may be predictable as to what might or might not happen depending on the company of SARS COV-2 vaccine that was administered to the patient in the first place. Most patients that I have dealth with were immunized with COVAXIN/COVISHIELD (Note: My practice is limited to India). And, most of them showed no adverse effects (this is an estimated and open ended data, as many patients do not follow up in government set-up). But, to have an informed consent is always advisable, if the patient is undergoing any treatment/medication administration related to the scope of dental surgery.
Also, having a refractory period of a minimum three to six months after administration of SARS nCOV-2 vaccine is advisable for any planned dental procedure. If there tends to be a dental emergency, then a patch test of the anesthetic (on the patient) can be ordered by the physician. This will rule out any adverse reaction beforehand. Moreover, always communicating to the patient about all aspects, is the best practice, in my opinion. And, having an informed consent ready is best in terms of the Medico-Legal aspect of any clinical practice”.
Dr Ketan Rajput, Dentist informs, “Dental anesthesia is usually given in dentistry prior to any minor oral surgical procedure/root canal treatment/cosmetic dental treatment, etc. This is done to make the dental procedure completely painless. It can be given in various forms like injectable form, gel, spray, etc. COVID-19 vaccination and dental anesthesia are two different entities and have as such no interrelation between them. But few patients do have fever/ body ache after the COVID-19 shot. Hence it is advisable to avoid dental anesthesia or any major dental treatment for 2-3 days post the COVID-19 vaccination. A written informed consent is mandatory for any dental procedure (minor as well as major) that may or may not use local anesthesia. A written informed consent is important for a dentist to begin the treatment”.
Social media posts often claim that COVID-19 vaccines are given to people without their consent through various means. In a fact check, we debunked a new mRNA vaccinate can people without their consent. Additionally, we invalidated a claim suggesting that the Dutch are euthanizing people without their consent. Furthermore, we refuted assertions alleging that Bill Clinton and Pope Francis called for urgent depopulation.
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