Elon Musk Claims COVID Vaccine Nearly Hospitalized Him, Backs Pfizer Insider's Death Toll Estimate
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Elon Musk Claims COVID Vaccine Nearly Hospitalized Him, Backs Pfizer Insider's Death Toll Estimate

13 April, 2026.Technology and Science.9 sources

Key Takeaways

  • Musk said his second COVID-19 vaccine dose nearly hospitalized him.
  • Musk endorsed a former Pfizer toxicologist's claim that vaccines caused deaths in Germany.
  • The discussion arose amid a German parliamentary probe into vaccine safety.

Musk's Vaccine Experience

Elon Musk shared a personal account that his second vaccine shot almost sent me to the hospital. Felt like I was dying.

He contrasted this with his experience contracting the original Wuhan strain, which he described as much like any other cold or flu.

Image from Benzinga
BenzingaBenzinga

His remarks came in response to testimony by Dr. Helmut Sterz, a former Pfizer toxicologist.

Sterz claimed key preclinical safety studies were bypassed and estimated 20,000 to 60,000 vaccine-linked fatalities in Germany.

Musk's post garnered over 15 million views and triggered a global conversation.

Musk has a complicated history with vaccines, having initially refused one then shifting to support them.

Sterz's Testimony and Claims

Sterz testified before Germany's Bundestag at the invitation of the far-right AfD party.

He alleged key preclinical safety studies were skipped before vaccine approval.

Image from The Federal
The FederalThe Federal

He applied a multiplier to 2,133 post-vaccination deaths, arriving at 20,000 to 60,000 vaccine-linked fatalities.

Health Minister Lauterbach rejected Sterz's claims as false.

Experts cautioned that the 30x multiplier cannot be directly applied to Germany.

The European Medicines Agency stated that Comirnaty was assessed to the standards applicable at the time.

Supply Chain Under Scrutiny

Both companies said they were deeply saddened and would review their Bangladesh operations.

Hessen's compliance team had audited the factory in March.

Rahman Textile owner Faisal Rahman claimed the factory had passed its most recent safety inspection in January.

Clean Clothes Campaign said the audit system was fundamentally broken.

Rahman was being questioned about allegations that emergency exits had been welded shut.

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