Fact check: Nurse who fainted after COVID-19 vaccination is alive and well

The claim: A nurse who fainted on camera after receiving the coronavirus vaccine has died

Last week, Tiffany Dover — a nurse manager from Catholic Health Initiatives Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee — fainted shortly after she received the COVID-19 vaccine shot. She was midway through a television interview when she passed out.

Clips of the moment spread across the internet, some accompanied by claims that the reaction is proof the vaccine isn't safe. In reality, Dover has an underlying health condition that causes her to faint when she experiences pain, per USA TODAY.

Nonetheless, some users on Facebook have claimed that Dover has died.

Robbie Parker shared a photo of Dover and a screenshot of a website that claims to provide death records.

"So the nurse who took the COVID-19 vaccination on live television is now dead days after being vaccinated..," Parker wrote.

Shannon Haas posted a list of "intel we know" about Dover, including a lack of recent activity on her Instagram.

"There is reports Tiffany Dover is dead. She is the nurse who collapsed on live television when being interviewed about the vaccine," Haas wrote.

Parker and Haas have not responded to requests from USA TODAY for comment.

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CHI Memorial Hospital confirms that the nurse is alive and well

In reality, Tiffany Dover has recovered from the incident on Dec. 17.

Just after she passed out, she spoke with WRCB Chattanooga and explained the health issue that causes her to faint frequently.

"I feel fine now, and the pain in my arm is very minimal, actually," she said.

Since then, CHI Memorial Hospital has repeatedly confirmed that Dover is alive and well. The hospital tweeted its first update on Dec. 19.

"Nurse Tiffany Dover appreciates the concern shown for her. She is home and doing well. She asks for privacy for her and her family," the account wrote.

On Dec. 21, the hospital also shared a video of Dover and her colleagues, some holding signs that read "Nursing Leadership Supports Tiffany" and "#CHIMemorialStrong."

Lisa McCluskey — the vice president of marketing communications at CHI Memorial — confirmed to the Associated Press that Dover was feeling well and was working a shift at the hospital on Dec. 21.

On Dec. 23, Karen Long, another spokesperson for the hospital, referred USA TODAY to its previous statements.

"We appreciate the ongoing concern by the community and media," Long wrote. "Our efforts must now turn to caring for an ever growing number of people in our community hospitalized with COVID-19 and vaccinating our caregivers and support staff."

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Our rating: False

Based on our research, the claim that a nurse who fainted on camera after receiving the coronavirus vaccine has died is FALSE. On Dec. 17, nurse Tiffany Dover passed out after her shot because of an underlying health issue that causes her to faint frequently. The hospital where she works confirmed on Dec. 19 and Dec. 21 that Dover is alive and well, including sharing a video of her and her colleagues.

Our fact-check sources:

• USA TODAY, Dec. 20, Fact check: Nurse who fainted after COVID-19 vaccine has an underlying health condition

• WRCB Chattanooga, Dec. 18, Critical care nurse at CHI Memorial explains her fainting after COVID-19 vaccine

• CHI Memorial, Dec. 19, tweet

• CHI Memorial, Dec. 21, tweet

• Associated Press, Dec. 21, Claims that Tennessee nurse died after vaccine are baseless

• CHI Memorial Spokesperson Karen Long, Dec. 23, emailed statement

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Nurse who fainted after being vaccinated is alive and well