Actress Letitia Wright has become embroiled in controversy after sharing a video making unsubstantiated claims about the safety of Covid-19 vaccines.
The Black Panther star posted a link to a video whose host said people taking the vaccines would have to “hope it doesn’t make extra limbs grow”.
After being criticised on Twitter, she said she wasn’t against vaccines but it was important to “ask questions”.
Presenter Tomi Arayomi explains he is a “big sceptic of needles and vaccinations in general” and hasn’t decided whether to take a Covid vaccine.
While discussing his doubts about their safety and effectiveness, he also admits “I don’t understand vaccines medically”, and doesn’t present medical evidence.
Wright’s initial post, which has been retweeted more than 3,000 times, featured a link to the video along with the prayer hands emoji.
She then became involved in heated exchanges with users who accused her of spreading misinformation.
“It is not my intention to make anyone upset, nor am I saying don’t take it,” she wrote. “I’m just concerned about what’s in it that’s all. Isn’t that fair to question?”
The UK’s medicines regulator has approved the first vaccine, made by Pfizer and BioNTech, saying the process had been robust with safety considerations paramount. Regulators around the world are assessing the safety of that and other vaccines.
Wright stood by her comments after the backlash, adding: “If you don’t conform to popular opinions, but ask questions and think for yourself… you get cancelled.”
