A TikTok video that has been watched more than 25 million times claims that COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips which can be read with the same kind of scanner that is used to identify microchipped pets. Someone saw it and asked the VERIFY time to look into it.
The video shows two women who appear to be using a pet microchip scanner to allegedly show what the device picks up when it is triggered over an unvaccinated arm versus a vaccinated arm. Twice, it reads a chip identification number on the vaccinated arm.
Elizabeth asked us to verify if it is legitimate.
Our source for this is jasmine_0708, the TikTok user who created the post on June 15.
Followers were quick to comment, “Oh, naw." “Are we being tracked?” “Scary.”
But two weeks later, the creator commented on the post that the video was “a joke” and that the device is actually scanning a “dog chip” tucked under her sleeve. She added, “You guys believe anything on the internet.”
So we can VERIFY the TikTok video does not show a pet microchip reader identifying a microchip in a vaccinated person’s arm.
The creator of that post took some heat on TikTok after revealing the video was a joke. One person pointed out, “It is very hard when healthcare professionals are spreading false information about the vaccine. Whether it’s a joke or not, it’s not funny.”