Did Boris Johnson have cap on needle during booster vaccination? Fact Check

Rumours on social media accuse British Prime Minister of faking his booster jab by claiming the cap on the needle was visibly still in place.

FALSE

Examples of the rumour on social media can be seen below.

A common accusation often promoted online by those who have taken an anti-vaccination stance is that public figures are not really vaccinated, and that the cap on the needle is not taken off during a vaccination in front of the cameras.

Despite the claims in these rumours, the cap was not on the needle. It appears that many have mistook the blue coloured base of the tip of the needle as a cap.

Many who are familiar with medical needles used to deliver vaccinations will likely recognise the blue base as likely belonging to a 23-gauge needle often colloquially referred to as a “long blue”. An image of such a needle can be seen below, both by itself and attached to a syringe.

It appears that many claiming the “cap” is on the needle are mistaking this blue base as the needle cap.

Additionally there is a video showing the vaccination being given, and the the needle is clearly visible, as per below.

Others have pointed out that the nurse giving the vaccination is not wearing gloves. While this is true, it is not true that this is required or recommended by most health organisations. The U.K.’s Royal College of Nursing states that because giving vaccines is a “minimal contact procedure” – meaning there is a low likelihood of contamination – gloves are not mandatory, and instead recommends washing hands between patients.

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The CDC also states “Gloves are not required unless the person administering the vaccine is likely to come in contact with potentially infectious body fluids or has open lesions on the hands. If worn, perform hand hygiene and change gloves between patient.”

As such, we rank these claims as false.