Vaccination against COVID-19 is the cause of death of an 18-year-old basketball player from the National Women's Basketball League of Romania, according to an online publication that has promoted numerous false narratives about the coronavirus. The article was published before the cause of death was established and it was not known whether the young woman had been vaccinated or not.
NEWS: “Basketball player Alessia Maria Raiciu died suddenly, on Monday, on the day she turned 18 years old, the Romanian Basketball Federation announces, quoted by ȘtiripeSurse. “The flight of a basketball player with real prospects was ended much too early... One of the most talented athletes of the 2004 generation is no longer with us. Alessia Maria Raiciu died on the day she turned 18”, RBF announces on its Facebook page. The young woman had won numerous medals at the national junior championships with CS Olimpia Bucharest and had also played in the National Women's Basketball League for Agronomia Bucharest. “The Romanian Basketball Federation conveys its sincere condolences to the grieving family! Rest in Peace, Alessia!”, the representatives of the Federation also write. The young woman was found dead at home yesterday. It seems that the athlete’s death was rather suspicious. The cause of death is not yet known, but investigations are being carried out in this case”.
NARRATIVE: Vaccination against the coronavirus causes death even among the young
CONTEXT/LOCAL ETHOS: Ever since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, a series of false narratives have appeared in Romania about its nature and origin, the measures taken to combat its spread, the effectiveness and effects of vaccination. Such false narratives about SARS-CoV-2 have been promoted by followers of various conspiracy theories, radical orthodox believers supporting the prelates who also challenged the anti-Covid measures (such as the archbishop of Tomis, Teodosie), representatives of the Coalition for Family, sovereigntists, Euro-skeptics, anti-Westerners, followers of protochronism, people who over time have promoted Russia's messages in Romania and/or have been actively promoted by the Kremlin’s mouthpiece, Sputnik.
In the context of the increase in the number of cases of infection with COVID-19 this month in Romania and the official recommendations to wear again masks in crowded spaces, conspiracy-promoting sites in Romania, such as Activenews.ro, continue the series of fake news and disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.The portal does not present any medical evidence to support the serious claims it makes. They blame the lack of evidence on the “omerta” in the medical field over the deaths allegedly caused by the COVID-19 vaccine.
Also, Activenews.ro seeks to validate its conspiracy theories using pseudo-experts and anonymous websites, as well as bits of incomplete information from various studies.
Veridica has already debunked a lot of fake news and disinformation about the anti-Covid vaccine, which claim, for instance, that it causes sterility for three (sic!) generations , it affected the performance of the tennis player Simona Halep at the Australian Open , or that it is not effective and has serious side effects . The last two appeared on ActiveNews as well, a portal that has published numerous articles in which the death of some people was attributed to vaccination.
PURPOSE: To promote an anti-vaccine culture and instill fear among those who are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 or who are considering getting vaccinated.
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: Without having any evidence in this regard, the author of the article uses a title suggesting that the athlete's death occurred due to vaccination against COVID-19.
In reality, when the article was published, on August 15th, nobody knew whether the young woman had been vaccinated or the exact cause of her death.
The first information in this regard came only on August 16, after lunchtime, when the president of the Romanian Basketball Federation, Carmen Tocală, told Antena 3 that the athlete had died in her sleep on Sunday morning, when she was found breathless in her apartment, with no signs of violence on her body.
The cause of death officially established by doctors is acute pulmonary edema. For now, it is not known what caused the edema and the results of the anatomopathological and toxicological examinations are pending.
Pulmonary edema is a condition caused by the accumulation of fluid in the pulmonary interstitium and alveolar space with extravasation of fluid and its reabsorption through the lymphatic pathways. As a result of this accumulation of liquid in the lung, the alveolo-capillary exchange surface is altered and thus the oxygen saturation in the peripheral blood decreases, according to the description on the website of the Medicover clinic.
“Most commonly, sudden death can be the result of myocardial infarction, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or major rhythm disorder. Not all of these pre-existing conditions can be observed in the routine investigations that athletes go through, but they can be latent or occult, which is why one can end up in this unfortunate situation of sudden death”, sports doctor Pompiliu Popescu told Antena 3 .
GRAIN OF TRUTH: A young athlete died aged only 18.
