By: Chandan Borgohain
June 6 2023
No, the U.K. has not approved the SKYCovion vaccine to be sprayed from aircraft
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Fact-Check
The Verdict False
SKYCovion is administered through intramuscular injection. No credible information suggest that it is sprayed from aircraft.
Claim ID 0d9859eb
Context
On May 26, 2023, the U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorized the SKYCovion vaccine, developed by SK Bioscience, for use in England, Scotland, and Wales. The authorization follows advice from the independent Commission on Human Medicines (CHM).
Some social media users have since claimed that the U.K. government has approved mass aerosol vaccination on its citizens.
A Facebook user shared a screenshot of a tweet claiming that the SKYCovion vaccine will be sprayed from aircraft on targeted areas. One tweet reads, "No, it's not a TV program. OUR/YOUR GOVERNMENT HAS AUTHORISED VACCINES TO BE SPRAYED ON US/YIU FROM AIRCRAFT. Likely from drones. Closer to ground, targeted areas."
We also tracked down the original tweet and found that it came from a user who regularly shares misinformation, with this particular tweet dated May 27, gaining 26 retweets and 36 likes.
Similar claims can be seen on other social media platforms, such as Twitter. A widely shared tweet that uses a screenshot of U.K. Government's notification on the regulatory approval of SKYCovion has gained over 369.5k views. This tweet also claimed that SKYCovion is an mRNA vaccine.
In Fact
The SKYCovion vaccine, also called SKYCovione, was developed by South Korea-based vaccine company SK Bioscience. The website of the U.K. government mentions that the vaccine is given in two injections, four weeks apart, and not administered via aerosols.
The product information for SKYCovion available on the U.K. government's website explains that the vaccine is administered through intramuscular injection. It states, "The vaccine is for intramuscular injection only, preferably in the deltoid muscle of the upper arm." The product information leaflet included with the vaccine, available on the U.K. government website, also states the "doctor, pharmacist or nurse will inject the vaccine into the muscle (usually in the upper arm)." There is no mention of the vaccine being administered as a spray from aircraft as claimed.
SKYCovion is not an mRNA vaccine, as users on Twitter claimed. According to an article published by the Institute of Protein Design of the University of Washington, it is a protein-based vaccine.
Examination of the SK Bioscience website shows that the company uses "SKY" in the brand names of other vaccines, such as SKYCellflu, SKYZoster, and SKYVaricella.
This claim ties into the repeatedly-debunked "chemtrails" conspiracy theory, followers of which allege that aircraft vapor trails, or "contrails," are being used to spray populations with dangerous chemicals and, in recent years, to spread COVID-19 or distribute the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Verdict
SKYCovion is a protein-based vaccine that is administered through intramuscular injection. "SKY" is a brand name and is used in other vaccines produced by SK Bioscience, and does not refer to the administration of the vaccine via aerosols. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.
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.
