A handful of people around the world have started claiming that they’ve gained magical magnetic powers after getting the coronavirus vaccine. Whether they’re doing it for publicity or to discourage others from getting vaccinated is unknown, but people in India are being offered almost £1000 if they can actually prove that they have magnetic powers.
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Magnetic man(ipulation)
Ramdas Shet, from the Indian state of Karnataka, went viral on the internet after a video showcasing his new powers was uploaded on social media. In the video, Shet was seen with multiple spoons and coins stuck to his body—but not with glue. He says that he’s been attracting metal objects because he has become a walking magnet ever since he got his first COVID vaccine.
Shet is not the only person who has been making these wild declarations. In fact, an anti-vaccine nurse in Ohio tried to prove that she too had become a magnet, after vaccination, in a state legislative committee. Unfortunately for her, her demonstration did not go as planned as she was unable to make a key and a bobby pin stick to her body.
Wow. An anti-vaccine nurse in Ohio tried to prove the Vaccines Cause Magnetism theory in an state legislative committee. The demonstration did not go to plan pic.twitter.com/0ubELst4E8
— Tyler Buchanan (@Tylerjoelb) June 9, 2021
Following these allegations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote on their ‘Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines’ page:
Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will not make you magnetic, including at the site of vaccination which is usually your arm. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that can produce an electromagnetic field at the site of your injection.
Getting rewarded
In India, two more men have joined the club of magnetism, but the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) has already debunked these claims. The FIRA President, Narendra Nayak and General Secretary Sudesh Ghoderao suspect that the objects are sticking because of moisture. They said in a joint statement:
The moisture on the skin causes objects to stick owing to surface tension, and this is being claimed as magnetism.
But to keep things interesting, they’ve announced a ₹100,000 (approx. £1000) reward to anyone who can prove their powers in a test. They added:
If anyone can demonstrate such a power under test conditions, we will be glad to hand over a reward of ₹1,00,000 on behalf of our association
