” I am alive. Three words to end one of the internet’s most persistent conspiracy theories. Just over two years after fainting in front of the cameras after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine, Tiffany Dover spoke publicly for the first time with the American channel NBC and on his TikTok account. In December 2020, this American nurse, who then worked in a unit receiving patients with Covid-19, had received a vaccine against this disease. Moments later, she passed out in front of the television cameras that had been invited to the event. She then came to her senses and explained to a local television channel that she was subject to discomfort when she felt pain.
Despite these explanations, and a denial video published two days later by the hospital, the CHI Memorial in Tennessee, some Americans were convinced: Tiffany Dover had died after her vaccination. The life of the young woman changes then. His social media accounts were flooded with comments asking for proof of life. The accounts of his relatives were also scrutinized. Her father-in-law had confirmed that the young woman was fine, the antivax movement seized on this story to make it a standard.
Forced to call the police
“My message is simple: I am alive. I hope they (supporters of the conspiracy theory) will believe it, ”launched the young woman, in an interview broadcast Monday on NBC, result of a long investigative work by Brandy Zadrozny, a reporter for the channel. During those two years, the nurse saw the craziest theories spread about her: “People thought I was dead, they thought I was an actress, that I was paid by Big Pharma, that overwhelmed me. A fake death certificate even circulated.
Tiffany Dover received death threats, people showed up at her home filming for proof of life. She was forced to call the police when an anti-vaxxer who claims to conduct his own investigations broke into her property while she was alone with her three-month-old nephew.
Why did the nurse wait so long to respond to the rumours? Tiffany Dover wanted to respond immediately, but the hospital had told her not to, explained the American, a document in support, which the young woman regrets: “I think I should have been able to express myself immediately the next day, post regularly on social media. I have the impression that it was the silence that set fire to the powder. “At NBC, a representative of the hospital had explained not to have given such instructions.
Tiffany Dover still supports vaccination against Covid-19. She would have liked to speak just after the runaway to explain her situation: “I also feel like it would have been the perfect time for us to say that, yes, I passed out. You can faint after getting a shot, but that’s okay because it can also save your life. So it’s worth it. »
It was ultimately for her daughter that Tiffany Dover finally spoke: “I want her to see me tell my story. It was just a moment when I realized that I had always wanted to be a strong and powerful woman for her. »
