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Thursday, June 25, 2026

Fact check: False claim that lid was on Boris Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine - Yahoo News

The claim: Prime Minister Boris Johnson received a COVID-19 booster shot with the lid on

Leaders around the globe are advocating for vaccination against COVID-19. But a post on social media claims some are avoiding getting the shot themselves.

A Dec. 3 Instagram post shows a nurse administering an injection to United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a National Health Service COVID-19 vaccination site.

"Boris Johnson getting boosted today by a nurse without gloves on and a needle with the blue lid still on LMFAO," reads text in the post, which acquired more than 200 likes in a day.

Commenters on the post took that as evidence the prime minister didn't really receive the shot.

"Fake shot," one commenter wrote.

"Great acting!" wrote another.

But the claim is wrong. Images and videos show an un-capped needle entering Johnson's arm as he received his COVID-19 booster vaccine.

USA TODAY reached out to the Instagram user who shared the post for comment.

Johnson was vaccinated

While the vaccine needle isn't visible in the blurry photo posted to Instagram, other images and videos distinctly show it.

Photos published on Flickr by the prime minister's press office show the needle entering Johnson's arm. Videos published by British media also show the un-capped needle before, during and after his booster is administered.

The blue "lid" in the Instagram image may be a plastic safety covering on the syringe, which flips over the needle after use. Syringes have a safety...



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