By: Ishita Goel J
September 23 2021
A satirical article reported that Biden had cut the benefits for unvaccinated veterans. There are no orders by Biden that support the claim.
A satirical article reported that Biden had cut the benefits for unvaccinated veterans. There are no orders by Biden that support the claim.Many sectors have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic across the world. Governments are attempting to improve and assist their citizens. On the other hand, netizens are disseminating inaccurate or fraudulent information about the country's developments. One such false claim was viral that "President Biden has directed the Department of Veterans Affairs to cut off benefits to unvaccinated veterans." On September 9, 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on "Vaccination for Federal Employees," In the speech, Biden spoke on "fighting the COVID-19 pandemic." Biden stressed the importance of vaccination and the various steps been implemented to reach the goal of 100 percent vaccination in the country. After which, Delaware Ohio News, a website is known for its satire or parody-based articles published a report that Biden has cut off the benefits for the unvaccinated veterans. They formed their statements and quoted them as Biden's statements. The Department of Veterans Affairs Press Secretary Terrence Hayes denied the report and said, "The President has not and will not withhold benefits to Veterans who choose not to be vaccinated. The spread of this misinformation is extremely detrimental to our Veterans and their families and should cease immediately." The Department of Veterans Affairs also confirmed to the Associated Press that the claims were false. There is no executive order or point made by Biden that has cut the benefits for unvaccinated veterans. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19, including symptoms, prevention, and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organization or your national healthcare authority.