CDC Changed ‘Problematic’ Definition of ‘Vaccine’ Because of COVID Vaccines, Emails Show
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) altered the definition of “vaccine” out of concern it didn’t apply to COVID vaccines, according to newly released internal emails obtained by attorney Travis Miller through a Freedom of Information Act request.
In early September, the CDC caused an uproar after it changed its definitions of “vaccination” and “vaccine,” — removing the term “immunity” to underscore the rising number breakthrough COVID cases occurring in the fully vaccinated.
“While there have been slight changes in wording over time to the definition of ‘vaccine’ on CDC’s website, those haven’t impacted the overall definition,” a CDC spokesperson told The Epoch Times in September.
“The previous definition at Immunization Basics | CDC could be interpreted to mean that vaccines are 100% effective, which has never been the case for any vaccine, so the current definition is more transparent, and also describes the ways in which vaccines can be administered,” said the spokesperson.
From 2015 to Aug. 31, 2021, a vaccine was defined as “a product that stimulates a person’s immune system to produce immunity to a specific disease, protecting the person from that disease,” and vaccination was “the act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease.”
Earlier versions of a vaccine definition also included “immunity” in its definition.
On Sept. 1, the definition of a vaccine was changed to, “a preparation that is used to stimulate the body’s immune response against diseases,” while vaccination was changed to “the act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce protection from a specific disease.”
According to internal emails, a CDC employee in August — shortly before the definition was changed — said the definition of “vaccine” was being used by “right-wing COVID-19 pandemic deniers … to argue that mRNA vaccines are not vaccines.”
Alycia Downs, lead health communication specialist for the CDC, messaged a colleague on Aug. 19, saying she needed to update the definition and others like it, “since these definitions are outdated and being used by some to say COVID-19 vaccines are not vaccines per CDC’s own definition.”
The definition “was twisted to claim that the existing COVID-19 vaccines were not vaccines because they only prevented severe illness,” the CDC employee said.
This exchange occurred during the same time studies began to surface showing greatly reduced effectiveness of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines against COVID mere months after receiving them — after initially being promoted as protecting against infection and severe disease.
Downs did not receive a response, so she sent a follow-up message a week later: “The definition of vaccine we have posted is problematic and people are using it to claim the COVID-19 vaccine is not a vaccine based on our own definition.”
Valerie Morelli, another CDC official, approved the change on Sept. 1, even though it differed greatly from a definition the agency laid out in an earlier document.
“If this is for the general public, I am good with the change,” Morelli wrote.
Acccording to The Epoch Times, the CDC did not dispute the authenticity of the emails.
When the agency was asked for comment, The Epoch Times received the same response emailed to them in September when it initially inquired about the change.
“Slight changes in wording” for the definition “haven’t impacted the overall definition” and the previous definition “could be interpreted to mean that vaccines were 100% effective, which has never been the case for any vaccine, so the current definition is more transparent, and also describes the ways in which vaccines can be administered,” the agency said.
Other parts of the CDC website still say that COVID vaccines grant immunity. For example, on the CDC’s “Key Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines” webpage under “effectiveness” it states:
“It typically takes 2 weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus that causes COVID-19.”
It appears the CDC’s “Ministry of Truth” manipulated definitions that had been in place for years to accomodate ineffective COVID vaccines and the rising number of breakthrough cases occurring in people who thought they were fully protected against the virus if they were vaccinated.
Why have them improve their vaccines when you can just change the definition of vaccine to fit their ineffective vaccines? asked Miller. “Congrats to all the skeptics out there — you raised enough hell that the the CDC went and tried to change reality.”